Saturday, August 6, 2011

C. Alice Chamberlin and Elenor Heller of Los Angeles?


unnamed, C. Alice Chamberlin, 5.5" x 5", watercolor

 
I am showing these two watercolors together, because they were both purchased at the monthly bazaar at the Hollenbeck Home in Los Angeles in early 2011. This bazaar sells the possessions of residents who have "moved on" or are downsizing. Items from outside the home are also included. Both paintings were in ornate gilded frames of roughly the same vintage, though dissimilar in appearance. I think these watercolors are also the same vintage, maybe 1890s or early 1900s. I suspect that there may be some connection between C. Alice Chamberlin and Elenor Heller, or that the owner of these paintings knew both artists.


unnamed, Elenor Heller, 7.5" x 5.5", watercolor

The first painting had "Alice Chamberlin" written faintly in pencil on the backing of the painting and "C. A. Chamberlin" was written in pencil on the back of the painting, itself. The Heller painting is signed "E. Heller" on front and faintly signed "Elenor Heller" in small writing on the back of the painting.

I contacted the Hollenbeck Home and they were very helpful, though they did not have a record of either of these artists living there.  The only resident named Heller in their records was Jeane B. Heller who lived there 2/10/1945 to 4/25/1951, long before the sale of these two paintings. There was no record of a C. A. Chamberlin.