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Antique Questions Forum / Spitzweg fake?

« on: December 21, 2011, 07:02:28 am »

Another painting that my mother is sadly forced to sell is a small painting that is signed "Spitzweg", but several "specialist" told me, that it's only a copy or a painting in the style of Carl Spitzweg. Eventhough it seems to be old enough to be painted in the time that Spitzweg was still alive and none of the people asked were real specialists (one was an auctioneer, one was an art historian but neither of them were Spitzweg-experts...).

The size of the painting is 17cm x 25,5cm which is about 7'' x 10'' without frame. It comes with a massive golden frame, that I did not take a photo of yet. (But I hope to get some better photos of the painting in a few days including some with the frame...).

It shows an old postman delivering a letter to a young woman in a narrow street.

This painting is not necessarily in need of restauration although it has one area, where the paint is roughended up and greyish (about 3cm x 1cm or 1,5'' x 0,4'') as you should be able to see in my photo.

Also the paint in the face of the young woman receiving the letter doesn't look great, if you look at it really up close or with a magnifying glass it looks more like the face of the joker from batman, than the face of a young woman, but this "damage" could have been produced through different reasons (maybe the painter was really not good with small details, maybe the paint was damaged after the painting was finished by heat or something, maybe...) - but as long as you do not get really really close you won't be able to recognize her face anyway!

The signature "Spitzweg" is on the edge of the top stone of the left baluster (is that the right word?) but really hard to see on this photo (as mentioned above there are better pics, also of details, to come soon...).


My main concerne with this painting is to make sure, that it's really not a painting of Carl Spitzweg himself, before I look for the best place to sell it...

Thanks for any of your answers and god bless you!

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Antique Questions Forum / 2 paintings from the church painter of Oberammergau

« on: December 21, 2011, 05:48:52 am »

Hi,

my mother is forced to sell 2 paintings done by Franz Seraph Zwink, the painter of the church in Oberammergau.
Both have been painted about 1780. The size of each is 92cm by 72cm or 36'' by 28'' without frame. Both are in need of being restaurated but still beautiful even without.

The one on the left is a painting of Saint John of Nepomuk (or John of Nepomucene) praying.
The one on the right is archangel Michael fighting the devil with his sword.

Actually my mother wanted to sell them to the "Heimatmuseum" of Oberammergau, but some members of our local council voted against this acquisition so that they would be able to buy those painting cheaper for themselves, which made my mother change her mind and look if other people are interested in these...

So I would be very thankful for anyone, who gives me some advice, where the best place (E-Bay, another online-auction, real auctioneers or ...?)  to sell those paintings would be.

Thanks a lot and god bless you!