History, maybe value of a painting?

[30clay30]

I have a painting that troubles me.  I have no history or value of this painting.
I do know that it is an original and it is older than me.  Not much huh?
Frame is very think maybe about 5 inches cubed.  The frame is about 3 feet long and 2.5 feet tall.
At the bottom right hand corner of the painting is a signature "M. Hunt."   Try to find this and the only one I found was nothing like it.
Please help me.

[ghopper1924]

Very pretty and restful looking, but I'm guessing not old.

[mart]

You may have to give me a while on this !!  From what I can see it is at least mid century,, and typical of  Hudson River School of artists,, also a few from California but will just have to check more !!  Very well done from what I can see and nicely framed  !!  Can you take a closer pic of the canvas itself so I can see technique used !! Need a good clear pic or as good as possible !!

[30clay30]

Thank you sooooo much for the reply!
I have asked two professional appraisers to help me and they both have no idea.
I also have a tea cart, brass middle eastern plate with copper and silver, and other things that I am having a hard time placing.  Some I would like to keep some not so much.  Sorry all that to same I am very thankfull!

Here are a few more pictures.  Some are blurry but I figured you could see texture and brush strokes better. 

The only thing my mother told me awhile back ago was something about someone who either helped or was apart of the "Little Drummer Boy" painting.
She was and is a wonderful artist herself but not much on the history of....

[ghopper1924]

I believe we may have a winner!!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Morris_Hunt

This article shows a picture of "The Drummer Boy," which you talked about in your post.

M. Hunt may very well be William Morris Hunt, brother of the distinguished architect Richard Morris Hunt.

If authentic, this may be old (19th century) after all, and we can all agree that it's beautiful.

Please have a qualified appraiser examine this painting. It may be more than worth your while!!!

[wendy177]

Looks promising !!!  Need to see his signature on his work, Love the photo of his studio in your link ghopper!!! Nice find!!

[ghopper1924]

HA! I go where professional appraisers dare not tread!

Seriously, this painting MAY be worth quite a bit of money. Please waste no time in finding out more!

[30clay30]

Will do thank you!

[mart]

I don`t think so !! Wm. Morris Hunt was a different school and was a tonalist painter !!  This painting has vibrant color !! Looked at a bunch of his earlier,, doesn`t match the style !!
Can I ask where you are located and where the painting came from !!

[30clay30]

I live in fort worth as far as where it was bought from all I know is Lousiana in a Victorian style home.
See this is the same conflict I have been running into over and over again.  The signature dosen't match either of the suggestions or style of W.H.  If it came from that school you are talking about wouldn't the artist have put his or her mark as well?

[mart]

Just because it is in that style doesn`t mean it came from that area !! Hudson River is in NY state, but years ago the southern plantation owners could afford and would have bought the best !! So it is not out of the realm of possibility that it could be one of those artists !!  Hudson River school was a style of art that was quite popular !! Let me pull up their artists tomorrow and see if it matches any !! Then we will go to California and check !!  One thing I can say is that it was framed well so whoever owned it had a bit of money !!

[30clay30]

I looked up lists of Hudson River Artists for New York and California.  There were some great artists but none with the last name Hunt.

[mart]

Can you get a good clear shot of that signature ?? I checked all american artists list by birthday back to 1800 and found nothing !!  There is a possibility that the name is wrong,, Hurt instead of Hunt,,N rather than M ect !!  Would save time if I could see it !!

[KC]

Have to agree with Mart that I don't believe you have Wlm Morris Hunt work there.

Reminds me of some pics of the Catskills....

I am spitting distance from you and have seen some works in this area over time that resemble this style.  They were traditionally from the early to mid 1900's (gosh that makes it sound so old when I put it that way...).

[mart]

Thats my thoughts KC !! Not area , have never been there,, but time period !!  Very good artist !! Still need close up of signature !!  Nothing by that name on any American list !!