Spalted maple bowl by Edgar's Hand made

This bowl turned out of spalted maple. Outside diameter = 21,5 cm, height = 12,5 cm. Finished with improved wood oil, both on the in- and the outside. Intended use is for  non-peeled fruits. Not suitable as salad bowl!

Just the thing to boost the energy in the family and money sectors in the house!!

Apple shaped jar by Edgar's Hand made

This fabulous apple shaped jar has been turned out of various wood species: spalted elm (trunk), rhodondendron (lid handle) and mahogany (lid). The bigger voids in the trunk have been filled with epoxy resin with copper and gold. The inside is finished with grape pit oil (good for storing sweets), the outside with tung oil. Total height = 21,5 cm, largest diameter = 21,5 cm.

The voids have a lovely glitter which do not show up well in the photos, but give the item a nice little zing. Just the thing to boost the energy in the family and money sectors in the house!!

Burr oak vase by Edgar's Hand made

This burr oak vase is made out of a spectacular piece of burr oak.

This gorgeous vase is in perfect condition and is signed 2020. It has been finished with Danish Oil, so don't lick it. This vase will look good on on its own. You can also add some gorgeous silk flowers to it to give the money and family areas in your house an extra big boost. Do not use dried flowers as dried flowers are dead energy. Dead energy does not nothing for your life or finances.

Measurements:
Height: 18.5 cm
Diameter at the widest point: 14cm
Diameter at the base: 7 cm

This gorgeous pastel is just amazing. We love her smile and the lovely expression in her eyes, and we feel that she will lift the mood and improve the energy in any room. We enjoyed writing a special blog post about her,  provide reference material on the painter John Russell and how to care for and transport a pastel painting.  (Blog - Black Hat Gallery)

Unfortunately, we don't know who she is. As such, you can claim her as one of your most beautiful ancestors.

The pastel itself measures 61cm x 46cm, whilst the frame measures 86cm by 69cm. As described in the blog, we had her reframed as her old frame (although beautiful), was not suitable for a pastel painting, which are very delicate. Pastel is made by mixing powdered pigments with a binder (usually gum arabic), shaping this mixture into sticks, and leaving it to dry. These crayons or sticks of pigment are very crumbly and their colored powder adheres only loosely to paper, which was often roughened in advance to create a surface for the material to cling to. Works in pastel are thus fragile, as movement can loosen the powder. Nevertheless, pastel paintings are often more spontaneous and vivacious than oil and water colors.

John Russell RA (29 March 1745 – 20 April 1806) was an English painter renowned for his portrait work in oil and pastels, and as a writer and teacher of painting techniques. He is considered to be one of the most prolific pastellists in eighteenth-century Britain. Having studied under the pastellist Francis Cotes (1726–1770), Russell produced a treatise, Elements of Painting with Crayons, in 1772 and was appointed “Crayon Painter to the Prince of Wales” in 1785.

Amazingly, he appears to have made use of only fourteen pigments, which he blended on steel blue paper prepared with an even deeper blue ground. He blended his pastels together to obtain a wide range of hues and tones. Looking at his work, the deep blue background features often as the background in his work.

The paper background was glued on linen for greater stability. Although graced with royal patronage and able to command very high prices for his work, the bulk  of Russell’s portraits were executed for the wealthy middle classes, often in commemoration of marriage or children. Although John Russell kept a diary all his life, this gives little insight in to the identity of his sitters, but mainly reflected on his religious life.

If you would like to have the price for this outstanding work of art or have any questions, please give us a call or send us an email.

This wonderful watercolor by Mr. Alfred de Bréanski RBA is dated 1882. Mr. B is totally charmed by this colourful painting and has appointed himself as chief custodian for the time being. It shows a romantic couple in a rowing boat with the lady holding a parasol. In the background there are a few beautifully painted cows, who are enjoying the water too. The artist has used a limited color palette in this work, but it is very effective.

We have reframed the watercolor using museum quality mounts, so it is good to go for a few decades again. Like with any other watercolor painting, please do not hang it in direct daylight as the colors will then fade. The frame measures 63 by 50 cm, whilst the painting itself measures 33 x 22 cm.

Alfred de Bréanski Senior (1852 - 1928) was a famous landscape painter who became known for his resplendent views of the Welsh and Scottish Highlands. In addition, he also painted many views of the Thames. Often bathed in a flood of golden light, these landscapes usually feature water and cattle or sheep on grassy banks; sometimes a solitary figure is seen the distance. Born in Greenwich near London, Alfred was the eldest son of Leopold Bréanski. Alfred was not the only painter in the family as his younger brother and sister, Gustave and Julie, were also painters. Alfred made his debut at the Royal Academy in 1872 and he continued to exhibit there until 1918. He also exhibited at the Royal Institute of Oil Painters and the Royal Cambrian Academy.  In 1873, just after his Royal Academy debut, Alfred de Bréanski married Annie Roberts, a Welsh painter, whom he met on his travels through Wales. They raised a family of seven children, including Alfred, Jr. and Arthur who also became painters.

We found this very beautiful watercolor in an auction in the UK and we really liked it from the very time we looked at it. We did find that it needed a bit of love when it arrived. As such we took it out of the frame and replaced the old discolored paper mounts with museum quality mounts, restored the original oak frame and retained the old glass, which is kind of wavy.

The painting shows people chatting and relaxing on a bridge over a small stream, whilst a jester plays the flute. There is another bridge in the background. A hunter with his crossbow returns and meets his wife and baby and a fisherman carries his fishing rod on his way home. Children are dancing, whilst people watch them enjoy themselves. The only person who looks a little put out is the little boy carrying reeds The size of the frame is a sizeable 92.5 cm by 51.5 cm. The watercolor itself measures 86.5 cm by 28.0 cm.

The painting is signed W. Ross Keane, but unfortunately our research did not yield any information on the painter. Given the style in which the picture was painted, we believe it was done in the late 19th century given the Arts and Crafts style in which it was made. It celebrates the end of the day when people have finished their daily chores and have time to relax. William Morris, one of the founders of the Arts and Crafts movement, believed passionately in the importance of creating beautiful, well-made objects that could be used in everyday life. He thought that products should be produced in a way that allowed their makers to remain connected both with their product and with other people. As such William Morris looked particularly at the medieval period for simpler and better models for the production of objects based on artisan workshops.

Unfortunately since William Morris' time, life has become even more and more hectic. As such, we hope you will enjoy this painting and tell yourself  'relax' !!!!

This is such a relaxing painting showing two people taking a leisurely stroll on the bank of the Grand Western Canal. There is no wind and the reflections of the trees on the water are just perfect. We love how Vince Peterson used subtle shades of blues, purples and greens in this painting, which are offset by the splash of red and yellow in the right bottom corner. It just gives that little zing. The Grand Western Canal extends for eleven and a quarter miles (18km) from the Canal Basin in Tiverton, through the villages of Halberton, Sampford Peverell, and Burlescombe, to its present-day terminus at the hamlet of Lowdwells, close to the Somerset border.

Originally part of an ambitious scheme to link the Bristol Channel with the English Channel, the Canal was proposed as a way for shipping to avoid the long and perilous journey around the Cornish peninsula, and as a route for transporting goods, including coal from South Wales, into the heart of Somerset and Devon. The first section was opened in 1814 and, rather than using locks, the canal follows contours through the construction of cuttings and embankments to make it as flat as possible.

The frame measures 48 by 41 cm, whilst the painting itself measures 34 x 26 cm.

The Lily Garden is a limited edition lithograph by the Californian artist Ander Kase. It is numbered 181 of 400 and has been signed by the artist. Paintings by Monet are too expensive for the Black Hat Gallery, but we think that with this beautifully framed lithograph we have picked a winner for you!  This sizeable work measures framed 80 x 80 cm (lithograph itself is 55 x 55 cm) and is ready to go on your wall immediately and will give you years of enjoyment.

Ander Kase is a contemporary artist who was inspired by both his parents and Godfather, renowned Swedish sculptor, Ölle Adrin. A graduate of the University of California in Los Angeles (UCLA), he received a Bachelor of Arts degree in Design an subsequently, earned a second degree of Bachelor of Fine Arts in Illustration from the reputable and prestigious Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California.

Gathering Seashells

When we saw Gathering Seashells being offered on the market, we were delighted to secure the painting for our clients. What can be more important than gathering seashells during a walk on the beach? We get positively greedy as there is always a prettier seashell just a few meters down the shoreline. Despite the tranquil subject of the painting, it has loads of energy and movement. The colors are beautifully muted and light, just as you would expect at a bright day at the seaside.

Johnny Morant is a very well known British painter who has had many solo exhibitions in London. Looking at his website, Gathering Seashells was painted in 2016.I

The size of unframed painting is 60 x 60cm and the frame makes it slightly larger (78 x78cm).

This wonderful watercolor painting is witty and romantic. There is some serious flirting going on here! This charming painting has been rendered in pinks, greens and earth colors. It would go nicely in the relationship corner or even in the travel zone of your house for those of you who have the intention of going to Venice when circumstances allow us to travel again.

The artist has signed her initials on the painting and signed it in full in verso. The water color is framed with acid free mount board and it has been framed in a neutral wooden frame.

Size: framed 40 x 50 cm