Whitman(?) Waitman(?) Oil Painting

[E T]

I'm a professional auctioneer (hello fellow auctioneers) and I need some
help. I have an Oil on canvas, 20" X 44" approx. with a very ornate
carved scrolled frame. Signed by a D. Whitman or D. Waitman. I have
looked in some sources but canot find the name. Does anyone have an art
reference they could refer me to?? The owner said the piece was
obtained in New Orleans originally (?) many years ago. Quality appears
superb. Any help? I'm asking because the owner would like a fair
reserve, but I can't find a source to refer to. Thanks.

[Smorgass Bored]

ET,
Perhaps you shoud give either the Morton M. Goldberg Auction on Barrone
St. 1-504-592-2300 or the Neal Auction Co. on Magazine St.
1-504-899-5329 in New Orleans a call and ask them if they've heard of a
local artist by that name or handled his/her works.
New Orleans has attracted a million budding and professional artists
over the years and 'some' are very collectible locally. Perhaps you'd do
better to re-consign the painting to N.O. for a commission. BTW, I did a
20 min. search of all my sources and could not locate any info on an
artist with your spellings....

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