Vintage woodblocks

I posted a while back about a Rick Pence auction, the one where I bought the foo dog head, and mentioned that I picked up a vintage woodblock too.  Well it's become a minor obsession.

Here's that print, just back with it's new archival mount and matting.  Thick board, double matted, white on white.  SO much more of a modern feel.  While I'm not always against a shantung-covered mat or a gold bamboo frame, all together its almost the visual equivalent of a stereotype.

I've decided I'd like to hang a bunch of these together in the living room so I'm going super clean with the framing.  I haven't chosen the moulding yet, but it will be small in scale, probably around a half-inch, perhaps less, and very simple. Black is likely, but I'm not ruling out a nice medium-tone wood either.

I've got two more coming from eBay, both female figures, and I'm hoping that the contemporary framing treatment will emphasize the graphic quality.  

Blue bedroom, version 2

When we moved into the house we were sleeping in the first bedroom you come to when you walk down the hall. The blue flocked damask wasn't exactly inviting, but it wasn't as depressing as the faded pink damask in the master or the dirty burlap covering the walls in the third bedroom.

Burlap was the first to go and became the gray bedroom with the window seat where we sleep now, and we turned our attention to the living room, family room and entry.

With those rooms and the hallway and closets all renovated, all that was keeping us from having the floors done was the blue bedroom. As fate would have it Bill was available, as was Chris the electrician. Down came the walls and up went new wiring, insulation and drywall. Steve worked his mud and tape magic and it was time for paint.

We had no idea what we wanted, other than some contrast. I'd thought about some pale aqua blues, but looking at chips what hit me was Benjamin Moore's Blue Danube.

It's darker and more blue-green than it looks here, the flash kind of washed it out a bit. The ceiling is the same pale grey (Sherwin-Williams' Fleur de Sel) we're using everywhere, and when the white base and crown are up I think we're going to be pleased.

I'm planning on hanging a lot of black and white art in medium toned wood frames. I got a start on that last Tuesday at KC Auction Co's fall catalog sale. It's an abstract mixed media by Lei Molin (Dutch, 1927-1990). The catalog described it as having a rabbit on the right side, but Brett sees a buffalo. Either way, it's the kind of thing I like, I got it dirt cheap, and I can't wait to get it to the framer. Public artwork service reminder: a mat serves to preserve the work, do not sandwich your piece between the mount and the glass!

Winter Fine Arts and Antiques Auction

***Post Auction Update*** BLOODBATH. Here's how it ended up:

Grant Wood litho - $2,000, and the condition was pretty rough
Dog portrait - $250 (I'm pissed at myself that I didn't go on this, it was gorgeous in person, cleaned and relined by a conservator in 1995. Far lesser dog paintings on ebay right now for way more $. Lesson learned.)
Mah Jongg Set - $275, I never bid, I didn't think it was all that old and the case left me saying "meh"
Seascape - $550, gorgeous painting, worth way more, I just didn't have the free cash
Bronze - $180, which seems a bit much for unsigned work. "Consigned with" two other signed bronzes means nothing
Goodknight landscape - $90, didn't love it so much in person and didn't bid
Norio Azuma serigraph - $80, I let go at 70 and it went to a local dealer. I just couldn't bid more not knowing anything about the artist and it being in the bottom half of the run.

Fun sale to watch, but a drag coming home empty handed.
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Tuesday evening is KC Auction Co.'s Winter Fine Arts and Antique sale. These quarterly catalog sales are always interesting, so I'm heading down after work. Even though I'm not in the market for a linen press, antique Stuben, or victorian jewelry, it's always interesting to see things and what they sell for.

I am always in the market for interesting art, and there are some great things coming up on the block.

This pencil signed lithograph is by Grant Wood. I like the image, but there are some condition issues. The paper has some foxing in addition to the old tape damage on the corners. Pre-auction bidding (these sales are also live on the internet) is up to $600 so it won't be coming home with me, and thats okay.




This dog in profile painting has no pre-auction bids, so if it looks like it's in good shape when I go to preview, I'll give it a shot. From the photos it appears to be a quality painting, and I think a new frame might really breathe some life into it. I've said before that I've avoided buying dog art because I think it's better that I just not start. I'm over that now so who knows, perhaps this will be the first of many.

I love mah jongg sets. I have only a rudimentary understanding of the game, I just think the pieces are so beautiful. The box for this set isn't my favorite, but I'll be interested to see it in person. These generally sell well, and I always fear its to crafters who'll turn the tiles into drawer pulls and elastic bracelets. (Crafters, this is how that word got a bad connotation)

This is the painting I was really interested in, an oil on canvas by Bennett Bradbury. Framed dimensions are 19" by 23", which is a nice size. Born in Massachusetts in 1914, he ended up in California and is known for seascapes like these. Pre-auction bidding was at $110.00 earlier today which only mildly concerned me. Tonight its sitting at $275.00 so I'm pretty sure its going way over my head. The auction data I found has his past sales in the 3K -5K range. I think it's really beautiful and I'll be very interested to see what it sells for.

Sculpture is something I rarely buy. I sold a couple things at the antique mall, but I could likely find a spot for this 9 inch tall bronze. It's attributed to a Kansas City artist named Clara Bikales. I know nothing about her, but I do like the form. If I were lucky enough to bring it home we'd have to find a more attractive base. Polished stone block perhaps?

If you've paid attention to the art I've mentioned and/or bought in the past, you know I have a thing for landscapes. This little oil on board woodland scene is by Colorado artist Veryl Goodknight. I think a new frame could smarten it up quite a bit, but it's a pretty nice little painting as is. It's 14" by 16" framed, so again could fit in anywhere.

Of course I do like a little bit of modern too, like this serigraph (silkscreen) print titled "Calm" by Norio Azuma. I know nothing about Mr./Ms. Azuma, and this is the lower half of the run (277 of 500), but I like the image a lot and could certainly find a spot for it. Things like this often sell for very reasonable prices, so again I'm anxious to see it in person to know if I want to bid.

Hopefully I'll come home with something good and can chronicle another framing project soon.

Johnny One Note

I swear I'll talk about something other than old art here soon, but at the moment I can't help myself. I picked up the Cape Cormorin print today, and I'm thrilled with both the Roma moulding and the job done by AFW Frame & Gallery.

Those of you around here have probably seen Art & Frame Warehouse , either north of the river or in southern Overland Park. AFW Frame & Gallery in the Crossroads is the same local, family owned business, just with a bit higher-end presentation and feel. (2015 Grand - 816.471.7444)

The top of the black sideboard feels so naked to me, but we're still on the market so I'm in minimal acessories mode. This picture also makes me realize I desperately need a new lampshade. Anyway, I couldn't be more pleased with the end result of this reframing.

See now why I raved about Roma's Tabacchino collection?

Art Upgrade: Modern Japanese Printmaking Edition

At our local consignment auction, when it comes to artwork, floor position is everything. The best things are on the front wall. This is where they hang the listed artists or especially good images.

On a three sided freestanding wire wall in the furniture area are lesser pieces, once-good images that have fallen victim to time, groupings of just-okay things, reproductions, or marginal works in good frames. (It happens a lot - I buy art, and I buy frames, but rarely at the same time)

Then finally, along the back wall are what I call "the racks." This is where the crap goes. Occasionally sold choice for 5 or 10 bucks, but more often by the shelf, again usually for 5 to 10. You'll also find boxes of odd junk art here as well.

I always dig around though, because sometimes you find something like this.

I noticed it first because it was the tallest thing in the box, and stuck out from what looked to be 9 or 10 framed pieces of embroidered cloth in cheap wood frames. The surprise was that another regular, who rarely buys anything and almost never for much money, seemed to want that box too. Finally I gave up. But I liked the print, so I offered him 20 for it, and he said yes.

I tried to get a detail shot here but my camera seems to hate anything white. It's an original intaglio print by Kenji Ushiku, titled The Lake Festival. Framing was done by the Little Gallery here in Westwood Hills. The title card and gallery sticker were both still present on the back, unfortunately there was no date. The brass-wrapped wood frame makes me think 80's, but I don't know that.

I googled when I got home trying to date the print, but couldn't find it. I did find out that Mr. Ushiku was born in 1922 in Chiba Prefecture, Japan. He studied at the Tokyo School of Fine Arts, and was first published in Japan in the mid 1950's. He's since exhibited in Japan, Europe, and the US. There were a few auction results, and it looks like he sells in the 150-250 range. (So it's not the pay-off-the-car find, still dirt cheap for a nice piece) I found a 2005 print online, but nothing after, so I don't know if he's still working or not.

Tomorrow I've got to go to the frame shop to pick up the Cape Cormorin print (photos of it in it's gorgeous Roma moulding to follow), so I'll drop this off for matting while I decide on the frame.

Updates

1. Cape Comorin is in India, and is now known as Kanyakumari.

2. This is the frame moulding that I'm in love with. From the Tabacchino collection, the color is bourbon.

3. I got the job painting the bookcase.

Happy long weekend everyone!

The Art Upgrade Continues

Posting has been weak lately as it seems like there is always somewhere we have to be. Even with the tight schedule I found time for an auction last week, and picked up the hand-colored etching above. There were three gay boys in the bid battle, but I came out on top. Endearingly cranky old Mike threw his number up at the end thinking I'd let go, but he was wrong.

It's got a title at the bottom that reads "Cape Comorin taken near Calcad." I should do a bit of research and see where that is, but really I just like the image.

So here's the before shot. A new framing gallery just opened up down on Grand, not far from here. I stopped in (there's a coffee shop as well) Saturday walking back from dropping my scooter off at Vespa for a repair. Happily I discovered they stock Roma mouldings, including one I've seen before and really like. I hope to be heading back soon for some reframing.