Saturday, August 14, 2010
RANDOM 341 ONJECT
BIG 1908 Photograph HUGE WIEDEMANN BEER SIGN Cincinnati-$78
Wouldn’t you think it would be easy to find out where this enormous sign was built back in 1908? I did. But after dancing around on the Internet for way too long, I’ve given up. Since it came from an estate in Cincinnati, I thought it might have been located there; no luck. Then I thought Newport, Kentucky where it could be seen from across the Ohio River; no luck.
So I’ve given up.
There is a LOT of information on the back, including the date construction started and ended, and even the name of the photographer, but we’ll get to that in a jiffy.
A note on the back says “1,500 light.” Judging by the size of the eight workmen celebrating the completion of the giant task, I’d say the sign had to be at least 40 feet tall. The photograph is 7 ¾” by 9 ¾”. It is laid down on stiff board, but the board has pretty much had it.
Written in pencil on the reverse:
“Wiedemann Sign
Commenced July 10, 1908
Finished September 7, ‘’
(The ditto mark meaning 1908) So it took this crew a little less than two months to build.
1500 Lights”
Then, below the pencil notations is the stamp of the photographer:
“EDWARD M. SCHEID” (It could be Scheld)
Commercial Photographer”
Below that it gets confusing. I think I can make out “Cinti, O” at the end, but I could be wrong.
I suppose “QUEHL” was the builder, and the two suits posing at the base are probably bigwigs from either the brewing company or the sign builder.
Two brave souls stand at the very top. You can see a chipped corner of the photo. That is the only damage to the photo itself unless you count the two small round “stains” you can see in the full image at the top of this listing. My guess is that those can be removed.
I’ll bet that guy just finish screwing in the last of the 1500 light bulbs. He looks pooped.
See what I mean by the board being pretty much shot? A least none of the chips and losses invaded the photograph itself. Praise be!
RANDOM 341 OBJECT
Antique BARBOUR SILVER P Chased PEASANT SCENE PITCHER-$61
Barbour Silver Company up in Hartford, Connecticut went into business in 1892, and this is one of the silver plated pieces they produced before being gobbled up by International Silver in 1898.
It stands 9 ½” tall to the top of the handle and 10 ½” from spout to the back of the handle. It is done in very deep relief.
I think it’s a beer pitcher, but I’m only saying that because of all the fun the people are having. They’re dancing, drinking, gossiping and one guy is even playing a fiddle.
It’s in remarkable condition. There is no damage whatsoever. How the devil do some families do that?!
Those Dutchmen; you’ve got to hand it to’m. They certainly had a sense of humor. Look. They even put windmill blades on their outhouse.
Friday, August 13, 2010
RANDOM 341 OBECT
ANTIQUE Folk Art OIL PAINTING Girl Puppy Fisherman Boat-$86
One hundred and ten years ago a Mrs. F. O. Davis (possibly T. O.) painted this huge canvas – a genre painting of an old fisherman holding a little girl who is holding a puppy, as both mothers look on; the mother dog and the mother of the little girl. Maybe, just maybe, the lady standing in the doorway is Mrs. Davis herself. There’s no way to know.
It looks like either Maine or Massachusetts to me, but I could be off on that. However, I know some Davis’ up there. They’re thick as fleas in some areas.
There’s brine running through that ole boy’s veins, that’s for sure.
It is signed and dated, lower right: “Mrs. F. O. Davis, 1900”
You either like this type painting or you don’t. Naïve, primitive, amateur if you will: Still, it’s the kind of piece that makes me grin, and that’s saying a lot for an old poop whose grinning days have been over for a couple decades.
They live in a little house on an inlet. You can see the sailing vessels in the background with land across the waterway. I can smell the sea air.
I’ll show you several pictures of the losses of gesso, but it can be restored for less than you probably think.
Boots, nets, and one of those hats only an old fisherman would wear: Case closed.
