Help Identifying Artist

[jbartlet]

Large oil painting on canvas.  acquired at auction in Connecticut ~1975.  Nobody has been able to help me (even specialists from Bonham's and Christie's). 

Any leads would be great.  Thanks.

http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww278/jbartlet/Signature.jpg

http://i727.photobucket.com/albums/ww278/jbartlet/Painting.jpg

[D&b antiques]

Trust me they can identify the Artist. what there saying to you is. it does not meet there requirement's for there auction. so your value would be in the $300.00 to $500.00 Dollar range. it's nice Injoy.

[cogar]

Very nice picture. I have always found that paintings and prints with animals as the primary "subject" are very collectible.

[jbartlet]

Well the family spent about $2000 putting a new frame on it about 10 years ago so I hope it's worth more than $300! 

Also, I just got a phone call from a new person at Bonham's yesterday who is very interested and I will call her back today to talk about it.

[D&b antiques]

Your family spent $2,000. Dollars on a painting you know nothing about? if you decide to consign, watch the fee's because there going to be High.

[KC]

I do like the picture!  Well Painted!

Can't say as I recognize the artist....hopefully Bonham's can at least help you out with that!  Once you find out....do the research!!!!  But, as B&d said, "Seller Beware" the consignment fees....ask for any/all fees they plan to charge - upfront - in writing...then compute it yourself so you are not shocked in the end!

Can't say as I would have spent that much money to reframe a painting unless I knew it was a Rembrandt....howeve r, if it has alot of family sentimentality....m any would find it plausible.  If they spent that much money...they must have had some restoration done to the picture?

[jbartlet]

It was probably cleaned.  but it is very large - 6ft x 4ft approx.  and maybe they paid too much too  : )

I went to the auction houses because I thought they'd put some good research into it.  I honestly don't think we will sell it.  I just really want to know something about it, anything!

[jbartlet]

Even help with what you read the initials to be would be a start.

I read them as D E L or L E D.  I'm 99% sure the middle initial is an E. 

[jbartlet]

Nobody has any ideas?

[D&b antiques]

There is approximately 500 listed artist's with the Initials LED & 500 with the initials. DEL and that's going back a couple of hundred years.

[railman44]

The experience I've had with frame shops is for a painting that large, $2000 is about bargain basement.   

[D&b antiques]

it's my understanding, the family spent $ 2,000.00 to frame a painting that no one can identify? Bonham's christies etc refuse to consign? or apparently to even suggest a value.

Which in turn indicates a value of less than $ 500.00 for there auction purposes.
KC Cogar iron lord Tim railman what do you think? Texas Badger we welcome your comment's too.

[ironlord1963]

     I'm not sure anything I add will be of much value added  .   I do know lots about frames and making them.  In the middle ages when I was a much more active photographer I made my own frames and matte boards for my work.  I still have all the tools and sometimes get to do consignment work doing this.  Let me say anyone want to pay me 2 grand to make them a frame bring it on.  Cost me at the most $100.00 for a fancy gold frame with UV plex, leaving me plenty left over to ship it.
     All this aside, remember the frame is there to augment the image.  When you spend lots to have it frame remember this.  The image is the important part not the frame.  I work my 9 to 5 in a image display company, right now I am mounting images in between typing this and watching for the boss   
So the base line is never spend that much to frame something unless it is worth 10 times the value of what you are about to frame,  2 grand your image better be worth 20 grand.  Or something really special.  Before going to any frame shop, check out any local graphic places or even local photographers they can do it for much cheaper, or just look me up,

[cogar]

My gut feeling tells me it is a good painting, probably 19th century. And at 6ft x 4ft makes it kinda museum quality. Not many artists painted pictures that size. And being that large a painting it may have come out of an old mansion/estate in Connecticut. One has to have large rooms withh tall ceilings to hang such a picture.

In the 19th, early 20th century, artists were often "invited guests" to spend the summer at such estates when the family moved there to escape the "heat of the city". They were expected to paint pictures for their keep.

[KC]

Jbartlett - did I miss it or didn't someone else call you from Bonham's and if so what did they say?

I agree that the size is very well a larger one than most people would buy which leads me to believe it was in a larger home - otherwise it would appear "dwarfed" in the rooms. 

I am just leery due to the fact that the auction houses have rejected it at this point...not leery that it is a bad painting because it definitely is a gorgeous one - but leery of the value being high dollar.  However, they have been known to reject items that are selling under a couple of thousand.  These days....I am not sure that they can afford to do so with the economy as it is.

I am sad to say that I do believe the family overpaid to frame it....but the sentimental value is there.  Too bad the story behind the painting wasn't recorded and listed on the back.

Okay, if you follow the natural lines of the signature it appears to me a fancy DG?The formal/capital cursive D appears up/down and then evolves into a formal/capital cursive G slighty tilted to the right!  My scanner isn't working now or I would be able to scan the letters out in different colors.

Speaking of traveling artists...they do still exist.  I have several friends that have had artists come and paint huge murals on their walls for little pay monetarily as long as they can bunker down in their homes while traveling through the state.