Featured Is There Any Way To Confirm History?

Without having to pay for it.

This piece could go in either jewelry or art. It's beautiful.

There's no reason to think whoever wrote the note was lying. Lida Williams was a miniature portraitist born in 1859 and a few of her pieces are in Kentucky museums.

I seriously doubt they got the name of the child wrong. So, the art is just beautiful. I marvel at people who can create such small but detailed paintings.

The part that I would love to confirm is that the frame came from the Hearst estate. This portrait was made and stayed in Kentucky till it arrived at my house yesterday in PA (it's one and only road trip). So, I imagine the Phillips got the frame from an auction. I did find an article online that much of Hearst's belongings were sold in the early 1940s, which would correspond with this piece being made in 1944.

Is there any way to confirm a piece's history without paying some auction house or dealer a mint to make an educated guess?

The piece is beautiful in person. In the sale, they didn't show a photo of the back, which is almost as cool as the front. The strange part is, the hair is held together with pink not blue, and this is a boy's painting. It was Kentucky in the 40s.

I'm editing this to add another photo. This is the symbol on the box the frame came in. I did an image search and nothing.

 

That is the sweetest thing ever.

Debora

 

He hardly changed.

https://www.thegleaner.com/obituaries/evc027400

Debora

 

Could you post a link to the Hearst sale?

Debora

 

Pink was the colour for boys here until the early twentieth or thereabouts.

 

WOW, simply WOW and THANK YOU!

 

Now Im wondering if there is something under his picture ?

 

It was a newspaper article or webpage I found, it didn't list anything, just that he was near bankrupt and his possessions were being sold, i

I wish I could find it. It was a webpage about his things being auctioned. This is the page I found -
https://www.untappedcities.com/william-randolph-hearst-sale-gimbels/

GIMBELS, not even Macys. No Miracle on 34th St there.

 

The image looks like it was done from a photograph, probably well after the photo was taken. The rabbit looks to be 1920s. There's some sort of writing behind the image, under the hair. Probably IDs the sitter.

 

I thought the same thing. But, it's staying just the way it is. After I'm dead my wife can do whatever she wants with it. I didn't photograph it. But, it came in the original box.

 

Interesting. Don't think there's any way of confirming provenance. There was a catalog of the sale but case would have been a minor object and likely not included. How old do we think it is?

Debora

 

Looking at others that are similar, late 1800s. If it actually came from Hearst's estate, would he buy something used? I added a photo of the box the frame came in to the original post. It's the insignia of the frame company. But, there's a stain and nothing comes up on an image search. If someone who knows these frames saw it, it's definitely recognizable. There's enough image there to make an ID. But, you'd have to know the ID to recognize it.

 

In the 40s, it'd be from a photograph. No kid would sit that long for a painting. Especially holding the rabbit.

I don't see where you're talking about the writing. The arist signed her name and the year along the left side. I see nothing around the hair. It might just be my lousy photography.

 

Would Hearst buy anything used?! Have you never heard of San Simeon? By way, the sitter's name and the date is on portrait on the left hand side.

Debora

 

You might want to double check your assumptions about the age of the case.

https://live.dumoart.com/online-auc...ipt-c-1800-h-2-7-w-2-2-with-hair-lock-4947631

https://www.leslieantiques.com/items/1294959/Beautiful-American-Portrait-Miniature-c1830

Debora

 

That's the artist's name and date. Lita Williams 1944.

San Simeon the CA town? I'm sure he bought magnificent antiques and art. A frame like this would be something he'd send a worker to the store to buy for him.

I'm truly wondering what he had in this (if it was his). There's a possibility Marion Davies could have worn this.

 

Thank you for the correction. He bought castles, he bought monasteries... If it was nailed down, he still bought it.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hearst_Castle

Debora

 

Those are great, and they look almost exact as mine. If Hearst owned it, it was used. Geez, he couldn't afford a new one? : )

The second is much more in tune with prices I see on real miniature portraits. She really did a great job. I'm trying to find a photo of her.