“The Storyteller”. Spectacular watercolour by Ettore Ascenzi. On paper laid on paperboard. Amazing detail with all eyes trained on the storyteller.  Signed lower right “E. Ascenzi 1892 Roma”. Framed with gold leaf and inner gold fillet. Superb  condition.

Fille avec au Parapluie Noir sur la Pont Neuf, Paris. Girl with black umbrella on the Pont Neuf Bridge, Paris. Oil on canvas by François Gall. An elegant woman on a bridge over the river Seine. The painting is difficult to shoot.  It’s more subdued and a bit darker than most. Gall was obviously trying to capture the cloudy, rainy day, hence the umbrella and the shadows on her face. The canvas is not in perfect shape – some crazing and slightly loose on the stretcher. Thin paint, tiny canvas buckle upper centre, a bit dirty and unvarnished. However, it’s a wonderful Gall that is so “Paris” in the period of the 1950s. I have a letter from his daughter, Marie-Lise Gall explaining the painting and dating it 1950. Frame is painted carved wood with motley painted texture that shows wear but still quite serviceable. The inner frame is missing some paint. I’ve tried my best to photograph it as it looks.

“Canal with Windmill and Barge”. Large, mixed media, watercolour on paper by Max Ludby R.I., R.B.A., British 1858-1943. Windmill near Delft, Holland. Circa 1930. Incredible control of the watercolour brush strokes. The water depicted is marvelous.  Mounted in handsome gold leaf, hand rubbed frame. Ref. Benezit, Vol. 5, page 655. Artwork in perfect condition.

Atmos clock celebrates the 150th Anniversary of the invention of the Atmos clock by Jaeger-LeCoultre – Geneva. It runs on an air pressure, bellows system that captures the difference in atmospheric pressure when it goes up or down. That change in pressure is caught in the bellows and therefore has the power to run the clock. It’s the closest thing to perpetual motion that has ever been built. This clock has three feet that can be used to level it, and there is a bubble glass to show when it is perfectly level. There is a “150″ medallion and a medallion that states the number, which is 311. The clock has been refurbished in 2007 and keeps excellent time. I might adjust it twice a year for a couple of minutes. There is a manual lever to adjust the mechanism – faster or slower. The dome is blown glass crystal and looks majestic, when it covers the clock’s movement. I have an original marketing brochure but no original packing materials. I have the instructions on starting and setting the time etc. Perfect condition.

Harvest. Watercolour on artist’s paper. A beautiful mountain, river scene in Switzerland, during the wheat harvest. Signed and dated lower left corner “Toppie 1887″.  He is a well known artist that was quite prolific with pieces all over Europe. Hand painted matt with a simple gold, wooden frame. Excellent condition – see minor vertical mark on the right side of the watercolour. Have BOS from the Art Shoppe in Toronto.

Watercolour by Paulémile Pissarro, signed lower right in pencil. Entitled: “Pommiers eu fleurs à Vancoeuil Eure”. Circa 1940. Recently reframed with modern, wooden frame, gold leaf. Excellent condition

“Perriers rivière”. Watercolour on art paper on board. Signed “Paulémile Pissarro” lower left. Excellent gold leaf frame double dimensional matting with linen & gold, wood bezel. Tiny tear in paper just below signature – see picture.

Myth is one of Rothe’s most outstanding creations. It’s a very rare, Artist’s Proof, mezzotint on heavy artist’s paper. Mezzotint is a very difficult process. The artist has to put the sheet of paper through the press a number of times, each time keeping the registration perfect and one time for each colour variation of that colour. I believe this piece was put through about 16 – 20 times – remarkable. Signed in the margin lower right: “G. H. Rothe”. Numbered: “4/15 A.P.” bottom left. An artist’s proof if more valuable because the artist does all the printing. After the proofs are done, usually the pressmen take over and copy the instructions from the artist. Titled: “Myth” bottom centre. Frame is wood with dark chocolate, smooth, matt finish with a gold metal key line – very distinctive and appropriate for this mezzotint. Double matts set the painting off nicely – off-white and dusty rose with bevelled edges. Excellent condition with some discolouration from age.

Oil on Canvas. Pablo O’Higgins. He studied under Diego Rivera in the 1930s and ’40s. Fishermen with Onlooker. Painted wooden frame with gold leaf. Matt shows natural wear and slight soiling. Painting has a nice loose brush style and is in excellent condition. Museum label on reverse “Instituto Nacional De Bellas Artes” ‘Museo Nacional De Arte Moderno”. “Oleo Sobre Tela”, 55.5 x 75 cms. Lot #22. Wonderful Mexican, ocean, rural life scene. Circa 1940.

Watercolour by Thomas Mower Martin RCA 1838-1934. On artist’s board. Martin is a Canadian icon with an enormous following, with his paintings in all major galleries in Canada and worldwide. Excellent condition with natural fading. Lovely lake and trees scene with reflections. Signed and dated lower right “Mower Martin 82″ (obviously 1882). Framed in wood with gold patinated, textured frame. Very good condition

Paradox of the Trapper. A unique, one-off, original, bronze wall-mount, sculpture by the renowned, Canadian sculptor, Christopher Keene.  It portrays a trapper confronted with a life challenge for he and his horse. Extreme realism that is frightening. Much detail including showing the trapper’s glove on the ground. Did he survive? I think so.  ArtCast did the lost wax bronze process and Chris did the final detailing and the patina, leaving much of it rough, to create the remote, northern, winter, outdoor atmosphere. No edition was created. COA in hand. Excellent, original condition.

The Evolution Factory. A unique, one-off, original bronze sculpture by the renowned, Canadian sculptor, Christopher Keene. This piece was created as his final exam for his Masters of Fine Art degree at the Rhode Island School of Design. It portrays a factory where beasts are creating and building “man”. It’s an assembly line and as you progress through the piece you see that the beasts are filling man’s head with garbage. They are using a crane to lift the final, heavy piece of the human skull. Keene states that this creation came from a dream that he had. ArtCast did the lost wax process and Chris did the assembly and finish work and the final patina leaving much of it rough to create the macabre atmosphere of the factory. No edition was created. Signed and dated front lower right: “Keene ’74″. Excellent, original condition. COA in hand. $9,000. Size: 26″ L x 7″ W x 15″ H. Wt: 33 lb. 15 kg.

“Near Blyborough”. Watercolour on artist’s board by Charles Horsley. Signed and titled to the reverse. Ref: Dictionary of British Artists, 1880-1940, Page 258. “Near Blyborough”. C. 1925. Framed in wood with black finish with gold highlights. Single matt with beveled edge. Frame size: Have BOS from Waddington, McLean & Co. Ltd. Feb 17, 1978. Good condition.

“Sheep”. Large oil on canvas by J.L. Gingot. Signed lower left “J. L. Gingot, Paris”. Sheep in protective woods.  Wonderful work with nice composition. Frame is magnificent and in perfect condition for its age. Carved wood with gold leaf. Canvas in excellent condition.  Label on the back as shown. Old canvas Circa: 1900. Turn of the Century.

“Arab Hunter” bronze by Charles Fach. Late 19th, early 20th century French school. An outstanding bronze animalier sculpture, “The Arab Hunter”. A green patinated group depicting a bearded rider with primitive rifle and curved dagger reining back his rearing stallion. Good, detailed model. Signed on the base. Executed c. 1880s in solid bronze with a green patina with a touch of brownish/red under-colour. It stands on a solid, green marble, veined plinth (base). Excellent condition.