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More About This Artist?

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proudmari

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Oct 30, 2002, 4:37:38 PM10/30/02
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I bought an original water color and pastel painting by English artist
Helena Maguire at an estate sale. I've done a google search as well as
other search engines trying to find out more about her.

I bought this because I fell in love with the subject matter, (A 2 1/2
ft. high vertical rendition of 4 kittens climbing a spindly oak tree).
I've since learned that she was best known for her cat pictures, and
lived from 1860-1909. She apparently began drawing very early in life, I
saw one site listing a picture as 1876, this one has 74 after the
signiture.

I'd love to learn more about her short, but seemingly prolific life. Any
suggestions for websites would be greatly appreciated.

TIA
proudmari

Kris Baker

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Oct 30, 2002, 6:08:40 PM10/30/02
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proudmari wrote in message
<6575-3D...@storefull-2196.public.lawson.webtv.net>...

>I'd love to learn more about her short, but seemingly prolific life. Any
suggestions for websites would be greatly appreciated.
>TIA proudmari

Did you also find the sites listed with her middle initial?
Helena J. Maguire

It seems she's most noted as a postcard artist....

Kris

proudmari

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Oct 30, 2002, 7:38:07 PM10/30/02
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>kris....@prodigyy.net (Kris Baker)

>Did you also find the sites listed with her
> middle initial? Helena J. Maguire
>It seems she's most noted as a postcard
> artist....

>Kris

Thanks Kris, yes, I did also check with the middle initial. She did
illustrate post cards for Tucks and Hildemeier, as well as illustrating
some childrens books and games from what I've found. As I said, she
seems to have started very young, and continued to be extremely
productive before her death at age 49.

I can't seem to find anything on line about
her birthplace, where she studied, or just her life in general.
According to the date on my W/C pastel, she would have been only 14 when
she did it, I saw reference to a W/C on line that would have been done
when she was 16. Her technique was already AMAZING for capturing animals
in action, my pics are somewhat darker than the actual picture, but you
can get an idea of the talent she already possessed.

http://photo.starblvd.net/proudmari50/3-1-2.jpg

http://photo.starblvd.net/proudmari50/3-1-3.jpg

Thanks for responding,
proudmari

St Trinian

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Oct 31, 2002, 9:35:53 AM10/31/02
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Artprice.com has a fairly extensive listing of her drawings/watercolors and one
painting. StT

proudmari

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Oct 31, 2002, 4:22:50 PM10/31/02
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>sttr...@aol.com (St Trinian)
wrote:

>Artprice.com has a fairly extensive listing
> of her drawings/watercolors and one
> painting. StT

Thank you, and I'm glad you brought this up. I receive their ads often
in my email, and also did the free search with the same results you got.

I have no problem using a "pay for service" site, I pay for a
photohosting site, snipe service etc., but if I understand the artprice
fee structure correctly, the minimum "units" you can purchase is 20, for
$20, ie: $1.00 per unit. No complaaint so far...

However... each _service_ 1. auction results 2. biography of painter
(VERY limited if the example they give is any indication) 3. Scheduled
auctions featuring an artists work 4. Price alalysis based on sales etc.
costs between 20-30 units.

To get the information I'm looking for, biographical (20 units I
believe) and auction results (in this case 30 units), it would cost $50
(more than I paid for the painting) for just ONE artist if I understand
it correctly. With NO analysis of the artists works in the marketplace.

Has anyone here USED the pay portion of artprice, and if so, is it as
expensive as I understand it to be, and if it is, is it WORTH it for the
information they provide?

Thanks in advance for any input on this.

BTW, I did find two of her original works priced online, they were
offered on sites from England at 595 pounds and 600 pounds each. (Sorry,
no pound key) I believe this would be about $897-900 US

I know I've made an excellent investment, but I would dearly love to
know _much_ more about the artist herself.

Thanks again,

proudmari

Smorgass Bored

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Nov 1, 2002, 12:34:54 AM11/1/02
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Btw, proudmari. I also bought the Artprice auction results book (for
$105, I 'think') and when I locate it, I'll look up your artist and some
of the auction results also.

Doug
~>*(((>< Big fish eat Little fish ><)))*<~



Smorgass Bored

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Nov 1, 2002, 12:32:37 AM11/1/02
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I have no problem using a "pay for service" site, I pay for a
photohosting site, snipe service etc., but if I understand the artprice
fee structure correctly, the minimum "units" you can purchase is 20, for
$20, ie: $1.00 per unit. No complaaint so far...
However... each _service_ 1. auction results 2. biography of painter
(VERY limited if the example they give is any indication) 3. Scheduled
auctions featuring an artists work 4. Price alalysis based on sales etc.
costs between 20-30 units.
To get the information I'm looking for, biographical (20 units I
believe) and auction results (in this case 30 units), it would cost $50
(more than I paid for the painting) for just ONE artist if I understand
it correctly.
proudmari

(*<~ I'm a member of Artprice (with 100 credits) and went there to
look up your artist. There is NO biography there for your artist, so
that would cost you nothing. You only have to pay for each auction
result that you wish to see, so you don't need to look up 'every' result
or the older results.
Have you tried www.AskArt.com ?

proudmari

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Nov 1, 2002, 1:55:36 AM11/1/02
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>Smorga...@webtv.net
> (Smorgass Bored) wrote:

>                                    Doug

Doug, that is _soo_ sweet of you!

>Don't worry, I won't tell a living soul,
> your 'nasty rep' will remain in tact!

(-;
pm

proudmari

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Nov 1, 2002, 1:49:06 AM11/1/02
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Smorga...@webtv.net (Smorgass Bored) wrote:

>  (*<~ I'm a member of Artprice (with 100
> credits) and went there to look up your
> artist. There is NO biography there for
> your artist, so that would cost you
> nothing. You only have to pay for each
> auction result that you wish to see, so
> you don't need to look up 'every' result
> or the older results.

>    Have you tried www.AskArt.com ?
>                                    Doug

>  ~>*(((>< Big fish eat Little fish ><)))*<~

Well _that's_ frustrating, even if I'm willing to pay for the
information, it's not available. How can so little be known about such a
prolific artist?

I hadn't tried AskArt.com, but did just now. 4 Maguires, but no Helena.
The closest library to me is 30 miles away and I can't get there for
awhile, but when I do, I'm looking forward to doing the research.

Thank you so much for taking the time to check on that for me.
(-:

proudmari

Smorgass Bored

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Nov 1, 2002, 11:05:17 AM11/1/02
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proudmari,
I checked my ADEC Artprice book of Auction Records 1998 and there were
no results for H. Maguire. I visited the website and found that the most
recent watercolor of kittens did not meet the reserve (see below).
Kittens At Bedtime , Sept. 12, 2001, estimate 400-600 British Pounds-
Did Not Sell
I had 108 credits, so I pulled up the most recent auction of a kittens
watercolor that did sell and here are the results.


  Drawing-Watercolour  Painting
 Auction results
MAGUIRE, Helena J. (1860-1909)
Title
Kittens around a Bowl of Milk
Auction result
GBP 650
EUR 1,081 - USD 921 - GBP 650 Estimate
GBP 400 - 600
Category
Drawing-Watercolour
Medium
Watercolour/paper
Date
28 Nov 2000
Location
London
Size
22x29 cm - (8 5/8x11 3/8 in)
Auction house
Bonhams Chelsea
- Lot number 366
HISTORY PORTFOLIO Add this artist to portfolio MAGUIRE, Helena J.

If I find any biography of your artist while researching, I will post
it (or a link) to r.a.

Of interesting note (at least to me). In the 12 years that I've been
dealing, I've made more money and a better return on my money in 'art'
than in any other items. My wife bought an oil painting at the flea
market 3 weeks ago for $5 and sold it last weekend for $600. I've also
done well with:
Milton Caniff drawing pd. $20- sold $400
Tada Styka 'nude' pd. $60- sold $800
N.C. pencil drawing pd. $12.50- sold $400
unsigned oil pd. $80- sold $425
19th cent. Pretti oil pd. $8- sold/auction $1200
I have three or four that I feel will go for over $10,000 that we've
held onto b/c we like them. I can't hardly give furniture away, lately.
Oy-Vey !
Thank goodness for 'art'. Yeehaaaaa !

NEXT,                

proudmari

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Nov 2, 2002, 6:15:10 PM11/2/02
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I really appreciate the effort you put into this Doug (as well as the
credits it must have cost you!) Most of the art I do buy is because It's
something I like, or, in some cases, because it just has a certain feel
about it.

I can see you're getting a good return on your investments. Are these
auction returns or private buyers? If it's none of my business, just say
so.(-: I''d be especially interested though in which market you sold the
unsigned oil for, I have an impressionist oil brought back from Africa
at the end of WW11. It screams "important!" but only a few incised marks
are in the lower right corner.

Thank you again for your valuable information, (and time)

proudmari

Smorgass Bored

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Nov 2, 2002, 7:30:34 PM11/2/02
to
Most of the art I do buy is because It's something I like, or, in some
cases, because it just has a certain feel about it.
I can see you're getting a good return on your investments. Are these
auction returns or private buyers? If it's none of my business, just say
so.(-: I''d be especially interested though in which market you sold the
unsigned oil for, I have an impressionist oil brought back from Africa
at the end of WW11. It screams "important!" but only a few incised marks
are in the lower right corner.
Thank you again for your valuable information, (and time)
proudmari

I was at a local auction house and bought two unsigned 19th century
oils. While waiting in line to check out and pay for my nights
purchases, I sold one of the oils for $50 more than I paid for it to the
young couple that had been bidding against me ( I 'think' the wife got
on her husbands ass for letting me overbid him, when she REALLY wanted
that painting). I priced and sold the other unsigned oil in my shop for
$425 (I was asking $475).
I had the Milton Caniff drawing of 'Dragon Lady' hanging in my shop
for nearly a year at $65 (I paid $20) and saw an ad in a publication for
comic strip art/artists and sold the drawing over the phone and sight
unseen for $400 to a collector.
I had a pencil drawing titled "Cabbage Row" priced at $45 (paid $12.50
at auction) by a North Carolina artist whose name escapes me at the
moment in my shop for about eight months. I saw an ad in M.A.D. for
dealer looking for drawings by this artist and sold it sight unseen for
$400 (the dealer was very happy with my price and said that most people
asked double that price b/c they believed that 'their' work is the most
expensive example by that artist and give little consideration for the
dealer making a few bucks on the work).
I had originally bought a book (and later a second edition, also) on
buying & selling Fine Art by Susan Theran (paperbacks). I found her
books very informative and useful as a guide. The books paid for
themselves 10,000 times over.
I have a nice large book of 'signatures of American Artists', a book
of Monograms and the ADEC Auction records book. All the books have been
useful and worth the cost.
I have sold MANY, many paintings & drawings during the past 12 years.
I would say that the two easiest items to sell and make a substantial
profit on (imo) have been 'art/paintings' and mirrors. I have bought
many 19th and early 20th century mirrors of all types in 'ready to sell
condition' ( I don't do repairs) and have never encountered a problem
selling them and making a huge r.o.i.. It seems that people always have
room or wallspace for a mirror. 17th & 18th century furniture and art
has been hard to find in this area at a resale price.
Oops, time for football, gotta go.
c'ya,

Smorgass Bored

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Nov 4, 2002, 3:08:56 PM11/4/02
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(Ronnie McKinley)
  .... and by the way ... WTF is a W/C pastel??!!!!!!!??
  ... a watercolour pastel?? ... OH!! mixed medium ... errr, a
couple
of prints me thinks.
Ronnie
======

(*<~ It was indeed a mixed medium .... errr, a couple of pints, I
think. I was drinking Wine Coolers while I typed and inadvertantly
added my W/C to the pastel.
Sorry.

BURP ! Excuuuuuuse ME,

mike Wilcox

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Nov 4, 2002, 6:16:19 PM11/4/02
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Ronnie McKinley wrote:

> In rec.antiques Smorga...@webtv.net (Smorgass Bored) wrote:
>
> > (*<~ It was indeed a mixed medium .... errr, a couple of pints, I
> >think. I was drinking Wine Coolers while I typed and inadvertantly
> >added my W/C to the pastel.
> > Sorry.
>

> Needed be sorry old fruit. I think someone else got the "W/C pastel"
> bit before you.
>
> Anyways, I have a couple of Birket Foster 'W/C pastels' going
> cheap!! How do I know they are 'original and signed works' ?? well I
> personally coloured them in and signed them on behalf of the artist.
>
> LOLWROTFALMAO
>
> Yes, at least Dick Turpin wore a mask.
>
> Ronnie
> ======

"W/C pastels" translation = Coloured toilet paper ;~))

Mike Wilcox


proudmari

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Nov 4, 2002, 8:20:39 PM11/4/02
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>ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
> (Ronnie McKinley)

>  .... and by the way ... WTF is a W/C
> pastel??!!!!!!!??
>  ... a watercolour pastel?? ... OH!!
> mixed medium ... errr, a couple
>of prints me thinks.

>Ronnie

>======

Mixed Media IS the _catagory_ this would be listed under, however when
referring to a specific piece, it is the COMPONENTS of the media that
are mentioned. Pen & Ink/paper , Water color/Gauche, Charcoal/paper etc.
are all used in completed auctions, from artprice to Christie's.

If I this is incorrect, please show me otherwise.

proudmari

proudmari

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Nov 5, 2002, 12:04:18 AM11/5/02
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2002, 2:54am (PST+8) From: ali...@glenbourne-antiques.fsnet.co.uk
(Ronnie McKinley)
><snip>
> Not normally two elements used
> together,
></snip>


So google lies??

http://www.google.com/search?q=%22watercolor+and+pastel%22&hl=en&lr=&ie=UTF-8&start=0&sa=N

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&lr=&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=%22watercolour+and+pastel%22

There's another 69 'hits' under "water color and pastel"

Yes, we can all learn a lot from _you_ can't we Ronnie?

proud (pfft!) mari

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