Roberts pottery.

unnamed, Roberts, 12" x 4" x 3", ceramic

    Here is a nice vase, a thrift shop find. Looking inside, it can be seen that this vase is was constructed using the coil method. It is decorated on both sides, with similar, though not exact, images of what I think are blue iris flowers. There is also a triple line around the bottom and what I read as the signature "Roberts", on the bottom. This is so well done and striking that I am certain that it is by an established artist. It does not appear to be too old, perhaps later than 1990. Any help in identifying this artist would be appreciated.

A really zwaal drawing.

"Huizen in Vreeland", P. Zwaal, 12" x 18.5", charcoal on paper

Another mystery solved! This drawing is the work of Amsterdam artist Pauline Johanna "Polly" Zwaal 1906-1993. She was a well known, academically trained, Dutch artist.

    Here is a nice mystery. This drawing, "Houses in Vreeland", is titled in Dutch and bears the signature of a Dutch artist, and was found at my local thrift shop. It was only passably framed with a poor attempt at a French Mat and badly mounted. I think that this is the work of an amateur Dutch artist, though pretty well done. No fixative was applied to the drawing, which would seem to indicate that it has not been handled much, as it remains in good condition. Any information on this artist would be appreciated. 

Title and signature

Watermark

    The piece was created on good paper with a watermark which may be an indication of the date it was created. I have not been able to find out anything about this watermark, yet. 

Ring a Bell?

unnamed, N. Bell, 14" x 8", ink wash

    A thrift shop find. Nicely done pen and ink drawing that has been framed multiple times, so was valued by someone. There is residue of tape from two of the previous mountings verso, and a piece of folded scotch tape at the top which is on both sides. The multiple mountings may be an indication of age. The last time it was mounted and framed was by a Bloomington, IL framer who went out of business in the late 1980s. The only record I find of an artist named Bell with the first initial of "N" was a British artist named Norman Martin Bell (1907-1970). This artist was listed as a painter and was also an author. I have not been able to find any examples of his signature or work. Coincidentally, at the same thrift shop, about the same time, I acquired an etching done about 1925 by the British artist Dorothy F. Sweet. 

   An interesting thing about this drawing is that there is a number written verso on the drawing that was transferred to the framer's label on the back of the drawing. I am not sure of the significance of this number.