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Click here to subscribeGreat Britain stamp album including: three Penny Black - CJ / PI / JA plates (1840 Maltese cross cancellation), approx 275 Penny Red stamps (Maltese cross cancellation, variety postal history, diamond cachets, postally used envelope clippings), Two Penny Blues, Edward VII (One Shilling green and red, definitives, watermarks), MNH Silver Jubilee, face value mint stamps approx £20 (1st class).
Two English ten pound notes 1970-80 period, four £5 notes 1972-1970 period, four £1 notes 1934-49 period, ten further £1 notes 1970-1980, further coinage including several QEII crowns, two World War One Princess Mary embossed boxes, two small stamp albums, worldwide collection, mid 20th century
*Prunella Clough (1919-1999) 'Game' lithograph in colours, signed 'Clough' in pencil l.r., and inscribed 'Curwen/Chilford Archive' l.l., on Somerset paper with Curwen Chilford blind stamp sheet 70.3 x 55cm, unframed Provenance: Acquired by the present owner directly from the Curwen Studio. *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.
*Prunella Clough (1919-1999) 'Black Peony' lithograph, signed 'Clough' in pencil l.r., and inscribed 'Curwen Chilford Archive' l.l., on Somerset paper with Curwen Chilford blind stamp sheet 66 x 53cm, unframed Provenance: Acquired by the present owner directly from the Curwen Studio. *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.Condition report: In good, original condition.
*Ralph Steadman (b.1936) 'Going Home'/'The Hunter S Thompson Memorial' screenprint in colours, signed in pencil by Ralph Steadman u.r., and inscribed A/P (artist's proof), with Gonzo stamp l.r., also signed in pencil by other close friends of Hunter S Thompson including Kurt Vonnegut, Ed Bradley, Bill Murray, Johnny Depp, Jann Wenner, Douglas Brinkley, Anita Thompson, Juan Thompson, Deborah Fuller, and Laila Nabulsi 74 x 53.5cm Hunter S Thompson (1937-2005) was a prevalent American journalist who was a pioneer of 'gonzo journalism'. Thompson was also an author, best known for his work 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas' (1971), which Ralph Steadman collaborated with him on by producing illustrations for the novel. Thompson tragically committed suicide in 2005. In place of a traditional funeral, Thompson had requested that his ashes be fired from a cannon and this was arranged for him by his friend, Johnny Depp. *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.
*D Face (b.1978) 'Street Improvements II, III and IV', 2008 screenprint in colours, each signed 'D FACE' in pencil l.r., and numbered A/P 15/20, 19/150 and 20/150 in pencil l.l., with 'The Black Rat Press' blind stamp each sheet 78.5 x 40.5cm, unframed (3) *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.Condition report: II - A/P 15/20: some dirt/mark to the lower left edge of the image causing light lines and also a semi-circular mark on the left of the blindstamp caused by a light scratch from the edge of the paper to approx 3cm up. III - 19/50: very slight crease in top left corner, a minor scratch to top left of the image in the black 'D Face Automatic' - please see illustrations. IV - 20/50: In generally good and original condition.
*Lucas Price aka Cyclops (b.1975) 'Telepathic Heights', 2011 screenprint in colours, signed 'CYCLOPSANE' l.r. and numbered 17/200 l.l. in pencil, with 'The Black Rat Press' blind stamp sheet 97 x 71cm, unframed *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.Condition report: Some light pencil marks to the top and bottom margins, some handling creases, two thumb print marks (surface dirt) at the top and right edge, a crease at the top right corner.
*James Cauty (b.1956) 'Bomber Bunny 3' from the Patriot Series offset lithograph printed in colours, signed indistinctly l.r. with CNPD DOA 'Final Solution Print' stamp 70 x 54cm *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.Condition report: Unexamined out of glazed frame, overall in apparently original condition.
*Laurence Stephen Lowry RA (1887-1976) 'Britain at Play' offset lithograph in colours, signed 'L S Lowry' in pencil l.r., with the Fine Art Trade Guild blind stamp image 44.5 x 59.6cm *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.Condition report: Unexamined out of glazed frame, appears to be in very good and original condition.
*Laurence Stephen Lowry RA (1887-1976) 'The Pond' offset lithograph in colours, signed 'L S Lowry' in pencil l.r., with the Fine Art Trade Guild blind stamp image 43 x 57cm *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.Condition report: Unexamined out of glazed frame, in apparently very good and original condition.
*Dame Elisabeth Frink RA (1930-1993) 'Corrida II', 1973 lithograph in colours, signed 'Frink' in pencil l.r., archive proof with Curwen Chilford blind stamp, from an edition of 72 (and 10 artist's proofs) sheet 56.5 x 77cm, unframed Provenance: Acquired by the present owner directly from the Curwen Studio. An edition of this print is part of the Tate Collection. *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.Condition report: One small crease to the lower left corner, otherwise in original condition.
*Dame Elisabeth Frink RA (1930-1993) 'Rejoneadora II', 1973 lithograph in colours, signed 'Frink' in pencil l.r., archive proof with Curwen Chilford blind stamp sheet 57 x 77.5cm, unframed Provenance: Acquired by the present owner directly from the Curwen Studio. An edition of this print is part of the Tate Collection. *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.Condition report: In good and original condition with a few minor handling creases to the edges.
*John Piper CH (1903-1992) 'Oxburgh Hall, Norfolk' lithograph in colours, with Curwen Chilford blind stamp, from an edition of 120 (and 12 artist's proofs) sheet 60.8 x 48cm, unframed Provenance: Acquired by the present owner directly from the Curwen Studio. *Artist's Resale Right may apply to this lot.Condition report: Some minor handling creases, light surface dirt to the margins, foxing emerging evident on the reverse of the sheet, but not impacting the image. Overall, in generally good and original condition.
Brian Sanders (British, B. 1937) "Lord Arthur William Tedder and the Hawker Typhoon" Original Watercolor painting. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the Great Britain 22p Lord Tedder/Typhoon stamp issued September 16, 1986. Considered by Allied leaders as the world's most skilled officer in the use of the airplane as a tactical weapon, Lord Arthur William Tedder helped bring the Axis Powers to their knees in World War II. At the start of the war, Tedder was appointed Deputy Air Officer Commander-in-Chief for the Middle East. In 1941, he became full air officer of the Middle East Command, which covered the area from Malta to the Persian Gulf and extended south all the way to Madagascar. In this post, Tedder mercilessly bombed the Axis warships in the Mediterranean as well as Axis-held cities. In 1942, he aided Malta and later that same year, used the RAF as a front-line artillery against Axis forces operating out of Libya. Without question Lord Tedder's leadership helped defeat the Axis in Italy, Sicily and North Africa. So impressed was General Eisenhower with Lord Tedder's performance that he made him his deputy when he organized his top team for the invasion of Europe. One of the aircraft which is forever linked with the name Arthur W. Tedder is the Hawker Typhoon which was developed as the successor to the Hurricane and was planned from the start to carry twelve guns. Although it had problems in development, the Typhoon was nevertheless the fastest Allied fighter at low level in 1941. The aircraft proved ideal for the "cab rank" fighting technique in which standing patrols of Typhoons could be called down by ground forces to strike any target that lay in the path of Allied troops. Image Size: 11.75 x 14 in. Overall Size: 14.25 x 18.5 in. Unframed. (B10534)
Brian Sanders (British, B. 1937) "Siege of Leningrad Lifted" Artists notes in margins. Original Oil painting on Canvas. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which appeared on the Republic of the Marshall Islands 52c Siege of Leningrad Lifted 1944 stamp issued January 27, 1994. Planning an eventual takeover of the Russian capital of Moscow, Adolf Hitler first ordered an invasion of Leningrad. In August 1941, after failing to take Leningrad by direct assault, Hitler's forces embarked upon the longest siege ever endured by a modern city. For 890 days, Russian troops and the citizens themselves valiantly defended Leningrad. A coordinated effort by all Russian forces in the north finally succeeded in pushing the Germans back. On January 27, 1944, Leningrad resounded with the sound of cannon fire signaling the departure of the German invaders and the end of a grueling battle which had taken the lives of thousands of soldiers. More than 800,000 civilians perished as well, including 600,000 deaths from starvation. Image Size: 13.5 x 16.25 in. Overall Size: 17.5 x 20.25 in. Unframed. (B14577)
Charles J Lundgren (New York, Connecticut, 1911 - 1988) "Victoria Sailing Ship" Signed lower right. Original Oil Painting on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 20c Roanoke Voyages stamp issued July 13, 1984. Hoisting the flag of Spain, Ferdinand Magellan set sail from Seville to find a route to the Spice Islands -- by sailing west. At the outset, he commanded five proud ships: the Concepcion, San Antonio, Santiago, Victoria and his flagship Trinidad. Little did he know that at voyage's end his mighty fleet would be cut down to one vessel and a mere handful of sailors. Six thousand miles out, the ships wintered at San Julian Bay, far south on the South American coast. From there, Magellan struck out to accomplish the fleet's mission -- finding a strait which led to the sea of the Indies. On October 21, 1520, the jubilant explorer found the longed-for strait and sailed speedily around the tip of South America. However, his hopes for finding a quick route to India were soon dashed. Instead, he reached the vast Pacific . . . an ocean that nearly killed his crew through scurvy, lack of water and food. Finally, the starved, hollow-eyed men reached Guam, and salvation. But, they soon set sail again. And, after just one week at sea, Magellan sighted the Philippines. Tragically, Magellan was killed by natives on one of the lonely Philippine islands. By now, the ships were reduced to three. The crew continued on, finally reaching the Spice Islands where they loaded on cargo to take on to Spain. When the haggard men finally arrived home, only the Victoria remained. They had completed the unthinkable . . . they had become the first to sail around the world! Image Size: 18.5 x 18.5 in. Overall Size: 26 x 24 in. Unframed. (B08482)
Narcisse-Virgilio Diaz de la Pena (1807 - 1876) Large painting of figures in a wooded landscape. Signed lower left, estate stamp lower left. Oil on canvas. Housed in a massive exhibition frame. Provenance: Private Boca Raton Florida collection. Sight Size: 24 x 30 in. Overall Framed Size: 38 x 42 in.
David K. Stone (American, 1922 - 2001) "MacArthur Returns to the Philippines" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which appeared on the Republic of the Marshall Islands 52c MacArthur Returns to the Philippines 1944 stamp issued October 20, 1994. On March 11, 1942, with the Philippines virtually a lost cause, General Douglas MacArthur was ordered by President Franklin Roosevelt to leave Corregidor. Nonetheless, he vowed to one day liberate the Philippines, declaring "I shall return!" Thanks to the courage and determination of his fighting forces, MacArthur was able to fulfill that promise on October 20, 1944. An event considered by many historians as a "moment that defined the meaning of American honor," MacArthur's return also positioned the United States as a champion of liberty for nations around the world. Subsequently, his success in freeing the island nation made MacArthur one of America's greatest heroes. Image Size: 14.75 x 22.25 in. Overall Size: 20.75 x 24.25 in. Unframed. (B14818)
David K Stone (Oregon, 1922 - 2001) "George Washington" Signed lower right. Original oil painting on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 20c Treaty of Paris stamp issued September 2, 1983. A few times in history, a man and a moment have come together in such a perfect union of temperament to circumstances, that all the world marvels at the accomplishments. Such a union was that of George Washington and the American Revolutionary War. Washington enjoyed no more than eight years of formal education. Yet, he possessed such strength of character that he became a giant in the eyes of his countrymen, to be forever revered as the Father of his Country. On June 15, 1775, Washington was named head of the Revolutionary Army and for the next eight years, he led a rag-tag army of untrained, undisciplined soldiers in a war against the greatest military power of the age. Often, that army was held together by the strength of Washington's character alone. When at last the victory was won and the final peace sealed with the Treaty of Paris, no one was more pleased than George Washington to again become a private citizen. Yet, his service to his country had just begun. On May 25, 1787, he was named president of the Constitutional Convention. For four months he sat at a low dias, taking almost no part in the debate. Yet, it is entirely possible that the U.S. Constitution would not have taken the form it did if this man -- that every delegate asumed would be the first U.S. President -- were not in attendance. Two years later, George Washinton filled the U.S. Presidency with characteristic strength and dignity. Hereafter these qualities have been the marks of America's great Presidents. Image Size: 21.25 x 18.25 in. Overall Size: 27 x 23.75 in. Unframed. (B08271)
David K. Stone (American, 1922 - 2001) "Federal Hall in New York City circa 1780" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day of Issue Maximum Card for the U.S. 22c Drafting the Bill of Rights stamp issued September 25, 1989. The cry of freedom that rang through the first thirteen American colonies in the late 1780's was not carried by a single voice. It was the utterance of many separate voices, all crying for liberty. Yet many were uncertain just what liberty would mean, or how long it would last, and were hesitant to put their trust in a new administration. Post-revolutionary Americans wanted a guarantee that their national government would never turn against the premise it was founded on -- individual freedom. Thus, ten amendments to the Constitution listing specific basic freedoms and procedural safeguards were adopted. The amendments, called the Bill of Rights, specify freedoms and protections that are the core of American civil liberty and affirm that the individual may never be deprived by governmental power. This artwork shows Federal Hall in New York City, where America's First Congress drafted the Bill of Rights. Image Size: 15.25 x 21.25 in. Overall Size: 23.75 x 26.75 in. Unframed. (B12146)
Dean Ellis (New York, 1920 - 2009) "First Sighting by Spanish Explorers" Original Tempura Painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Republic of the Marshall Islands 55c First Sighting by Spanish Explorers, 1527 stamp issued May 2, 1996. In 1527, Spanish King Charles V ordered conquistador Hernan Cort?s to send support from New Spain, now known as Mexico, to forces in the Moluccas. Cort?s outfitted three vessels and dispatched them under the command of his cousin, navigator Alvaro de Saavedra. Arriving in the Moluccas too late to help the besieged Spanish troops, Saavedra determined to find a new route across the Pacific. Following a northeast heading, his flagship, the Florida, made landfall on October 1 at an atoll that, based on the ship's log, is believed to be either Enewetak or Bikini in the Marshall Islands. During this visit to the island, the Florida's crew established cordial relations with the natives and exchanged gifts. Eventually the Florida set sail, continuing on its northeast course, but less than two weeks after leaving the Marshall Islands, Saavedra succumbed to an illness. Image Size: 8.5 x 15 in. Overall Size: 10.5 x 16.5 in. Unframed. (B15331)
Dennis Lyall (American, B. 1946) "Ernest Hemingway" Signed middle center. Original oil painting on Canvasboard. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day of Issue Maximum Card for the U.S. 25c Ernest Hemingway stamp issued July 17, 1989. One of the towering literary figures of the 20th century, Ernest Hemingway received the Nobel Prize for literature in 1954. Affectionately known as "Papa," he was a master storyteller, encapsulating the most complex human dreams and fears in straightforward plots and simple words. Hemingway was born on July 21, 1899, in Oak Park, Illinois. His father was a doctor of medicine, and an avid hunter and fisherman -- introducing young Ernest to some of the themes which filled his later works. It was when Hemingway decided to forego college and become a reporter that he began writing, eventually guided in Paris through his first creative efforts by expatriates Ezra Pound and Gertrude Stein, then later covering the Spanish Civil War. From almost the beginning, his vast abilities were evident. His first major novel, The Sun Also Rises, made him a world literary figure at age twenty-seven. His total creative output of six novels and fifty short stories, brought to a close by ill health and suicide in 1961, is among the most influential American prose. Image Size: 15.75 x 23.75 in. Overall Size: 19.5 x 26 in. Unframed. (B12129)
Don Balke (North Carolina, B. 1933) "Bobcat" Signed lower right. Original Watercolor painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. Wildlife of the 50 States 22c Bobcat/New Mexico stamp issued June 13, 1987. Resembling a common house cat, the Bobcat hunts silently by night through the forests, swamplands, mountains, and deserts of North America. However, this resemblance is only superficial. The Bobcat -- named for his characteristically stubby, black-tipped tail -- is a powerful feline weighing some twenty pounds, standing fifteen in tall, and measuring about two feet in length. Its stealth and cunning have earned the Bobcat a reputation as an extraordinary hunter. His shy nature is underscored by the fact that the Bobcat hunts, and usually lives, alone. Bobcat dens are generally found among the rocks and caves or even in hollow logs. Here, the female gives birth to her young, nursing them for two months. Soon, she is leading them on forays into the night, teaching them the ways of the species. Fluffy and playful, the kittens learn quickly the serious side of life in the wild, and by the age of one year, they are ready to go out on their own. In captivity the Bobcat may live up to twenty-five years, but in the wild, exposed to the many dangers nature imposes, the lifespan of a Bobcat is quickly reduced to ten or twelve years. Image Size: 11 x 10.5 in. Overall Size: 20 x 19.5 in. Unframed. (B10997)
Don Balke (North Carolina, B. 1933) "Fawn" Signed lower left. Original Watercolor painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 20c Smokey Bear stamp issued August 13, 1984. The brightness of the sun creeps up slowly over the horizon, and only the very tips of the spruce are touched by the soft glow of the morning sun. This mom is special, for a doe has just given birth to a baby deer, or fawn. Within hours of entering the world, the young one is struggling to stand next to its mother, to rise up and view the world on four wobbly legs. With a proud motherly nudge, the doe caresses the beautiful coat of the newborn . . . and then leans aside and disappears into the brush. The fawn is left safe in its hiding place, although the mother never strays very far. A rich coat of ginger dappled with white spots makes the baby nearly invisible, for the camouflage blends well with the natural surroundings. For now, the doe will suckle her fawn . . . but soon, the young deer will begin to sample the tender plants of the forest floor. Exploring its world, the curious fawn will certainly meet some of its forest friends. Image Size: 12 x 11.75 in. Overall Size: 19.75 x 20 in. Unframed. (B07871)
Don Balke (North Carolina, B. 1933) "Mallard Duck" Signed lower right. Original Watercolor painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 13c Mallard stamp issued June 10, 1978. Best known of all ducks, the Mallard is the most abundant and heavily hunted waterfowl in North America and has provided an important source of food for thousands of years. The Mallard remains on Canada's northern lakes until the stiff, freezing winds of November arrive. Mallards can live with cold, but they must have open water. Hunters await these colorful birds on the marshes of Manitoba and along the lakeshores of Minnesota. Wintering Mallards concentrate most heavily along the Gulf Coast and in the Mississippi Valley. By then the males have shed their drab summer garb, and their stunning new dress of rich chestnut and green contrasts sharply with the mottled brown dress of females. At the thaw, the Mallards push north with steady wingbeats that rarely reach below the level of their bodies. Soon, groups of drakes pursue single ducks in courtship. The female usually stops the chase by turning to touch the favored suitor with her bill. Then the couple flies off. She selects the nesting territory; he guards it against intruding pairs. The duck usually builds her nest of grass and down among concealing reeds, but she may choose a brush pile or an old hawk's nest in a tree. In earlier times, nesting Mallards were uncommon in eastern North America where their close relatives, the black ducks, held sway. But Mallards breed well in captivity, and are now enjoyed by people of all ages in almost every city park. Image Size: 13.5 x 14.5 in. Overall Size: 14 x 17 in. Unframed. (B05050)
Ed Little (American, B. 1957) "Christmas Tree in the Mountains" Signed lower right. Original Acrylic painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 25c Christmas Tree stamp issued October 18, 1990. If the celebration of the birth of Christ were compacted into one year, the tradition of the Christmas Tree would be but days old. Though the exact date of origin is disputed, it is widely recognized that the Christmas Tree is a German invention dating roughly from the 16th or 17th centuries. Early legend has it that the first Christmas tree was cut down by Martin Luther and decorated with candles to represent the star-filled Holy Night in Bethlehem. This beautiful and moving symbol caught on and soon became a tradition, with German immigrants bringing their ways -- including the Christmas Tree as a holiday tradition -- to the New World. In 1856, the first White House Christmas Tree was decorated by U.S. President Franklin Pierce. Once the Christmas Tree found its way into the nation's most prominent home, the moving image rapidly spread, becoming a Christmas tradition in nearly every home across the nation, dazzling all who gazed upon its beauty. France and Great Britain adopted the tradition in the 1840s; Queen Victoria kept a tree at Windsor Castle during the holidays. Today, it is the centerpiece of Christmas celebrations across the nation, and can take on many sizes and shapes: from giant saguaro cactus in sunny, dry Arizona to rich, green fir trees in the snow-frosted New England states. Image Size: 13.75 x 12 in. Overall Size: 21 x 18 in. Unframed. (B12741)
Ed Little (American, B. 1957) "Santa Claus Going Down the Chimney" Signed lower left. Original Oil painting on CanvasBoard. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 29c Santa Claus Going Down Chimney stamp issued October 17, 1999. "As I drew in my head, and was turning around, Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound." Clement Moore's classic Christmas story is a timeless tale which merrily captures the joyful spirit of the holiday season. The mythological figure of Santa Claus incorporates legends and fables from many European countries, but he originally evolved from St. Nicholas, a bishop of the early Christian church. For many centuries, December 6 -- the anniversary of Nicholas' death -- was celebrated with feasting and merrymaking throughout Europe. After the Protestant Reformation, St. Nicholas was replaced as the center of festivities by Christkindli -- the Christ Child. Derivations of the name produced Kris Kringle, a ministering spirit who presented gifts at Christmas time. England's Queen Victoria revived St. Nicholas festivities when she married a German prince, Albert. In this incarnation St. Nicholas emerged as Father Christmas, who delivered presents to good children. In America, Santa Claus is strictly a Christmas Eve visitor who arrives by way of the chimney, places gifts under trees, stuffs stockings with toys and eats goodies left by grateful children. Image Size: 26.5 x 36.5 in. Overall Size: 30 x 40 in. Unframed. (B13500)
Ed Little (American, B. 1957) "Santa Claus Waving in Front of Chimney" Signed lower left. Original Oil painting on CanvasBoard. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 29c Santa Claus Waving In Front Of Chimney stamp issued October 17, 1999. According to Clement C. Moore's fictional Christmas Eve encounter with St. Nick, commonly entitled "The Night Before Christmas," the droll, chubby elf known as Santa Claus likes to enter and exit houses v?a the chimney. Laying aside their natural skepticism at the feasibility of such a feat, Americans have accepted this unusual habit as a matter of fact for nearly two centuries. If Santa can deliver presents to houses all over the world during the course of one night, they reason, then sliding his ample personage down a narrow chimney must be relatively easy. While Santa Claus as a character is Yankee to the core, some of his habits have European origins. Santa's peculiar mode of entry has Scandinavian roots, evolving from an old Norse legend which maintained that the goddess Hertha's appearance in the fireplace brought the home and its occupants good luck. Across the Atlantic in the United States, the legend replaced Hertha with Santa Claus, whose yearly dispensation of bounty is for many believers the ultimate indication of good fortune. Image Size: 26.75 x 37.5 in. Overall Size: 30 x 40.25 in. Unframed. (B13534)
Gherman Alexeyvich Komlev (Russian, 1933 - 2000) "Queen Isabella of Spain Pledging Jewels" Signed and titled verso. Original Oil painting on Masonite. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. $1 Isabella Pledging Aid stamp issued May 22, 1992. "By these presents we dispatch the noble man Christoforus Col?n (Christopher Columbus) with three equipped caravels over the Ocean Seas toward the regions of India for certain reasons and purposes." So read a royal decree announcing the funding of Christopher Columbus' grand scheme to find a westward route to the Indies. This great financial gamble was financed in a large part with more than 1,000,000 maravedis put up by the Holy Brotherhood of Spain -- Santa Hermandad. Another 500,000 came from Columbus himself on loan from his partner Mart?n Alonso Pinz?n. The legend that Queen Isabella pawned her jewels because the royal coffers were depleted from the war with the Moors is merely a fable. Although the Queen offered the jewels to the cause, this never was necessary, yet the story has endured for 500 years. It served as inspiration for artist Antonio Mu?oz Degrain (1843-1924) for his painting Isabel the Catholic Bequeaths Her Jewels, c. 1878. Although this painting was displayed at the 1878 Universal Exhibition in Paris, it was rumored to have been sold to an American. Since that time, the painting has disappeared, although it is presumed to still exist in either Spain or the United States. Image Size: 10.25 x 20.5 in. Overall Size: 13.75 x 23.25 in. Unframed. (B13763)
Gordon Beningfield (British, 1936 - 1998) "Prickly Pear" Signed lower right. Original Water Color painting on Water Color Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 29c Prickly Pear stamp issued July 24, 1992. One of the widest-ranging Opuntia species, plains prickly pear occurs from Mexico to the Arctic Circle. Found in dry soils of plains, deserts and pinon-juniper woodlands, plains prickly pear forms a prostrate, spreading mat or clump of flat, oval jointed stems. The pale green or yellowish pads turn reddish in response to extreme heat or cold. Rarely growing more than six in high, plains prickly pear often is hidden by taller grasses or covered by sand. The waxy yellow flowers bloom from May to July. In Colorado and farther north, the flowers tend to be more pink or reddish. Plains prickly pear spreads abundantly on overgrazed lands. Although considered a nuisance by ranchers, prickly pears have long been a staple in the diets of Southwestern and Mexican people. After the spines are removed, young prickly pear pads -- called nopalitas -- can be cooked and eaten as vegetables. Image Size: 7 x 6 in. Overall Size: 12 x 11.5 in. Unframed. (B12768)
Gordon Beningfield (1936 - 1998) "Large - Flowered Trillium" Original watercolor/gouache painting. Signed lower right. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 29? Large-flowered Trillium stamp issued July 24, 1992. One of the first spring wildflowers of eastern woodlands, large-flowered trillium often blankets forest floors with its snowy white blossoms. The flowers bloom from April to June, taking advantage of the extra sunlight before the overstory trees and shrubs leaf out. As the blossoms fade they often turn a delicate shade of pink. Large-flowered trillium grows in the rich soils of woods and thickets from the Northeast, south to the Appalachians, and west to Minnesota and Missouri. The genus name -- Trillium -- refers to the arrangement of the flowers and plant parts in combinations of threes, while the species name -- grandiflorum -- describes the large flowers. Another common name for trillium is wake robin, because the flowers usually bloom about the same time the first robins migrate back to the north in the spring. Native Americans used trilliums for both food and medicine. The young leaves were either eaten raw in salads or boiled for greens. Image Size: 7 x 6 in. Overall Size: 11 x 10.25 in. Unframed. (B12924)
Gregory Rudd (American, B. 1952) "F. Scott Fitzgerald" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Cold Press Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. 23c F. Scott Fitzgerald stamp issued September 27, 1996. Born on September 24, 1896, F. Scott Fitzgerald attended Princeton University, where he penned amateur musical comedies. In 1917, the restless writer left Princeton without a degree. He enlisted in the army, where he wrote a draft of The Romantic Egoist -- the original manuscript of what was to become his first published novel. Revised extensively and renamed This Side of Paradise, Fitzgerald's account of the newly-liberated generation of the Roaring Twenties was the first of its kind. Published in 1920, it garnered Fitzgerald instant fame. However, the gleeful excesses of his new lifestyle soon soured for the author, a sentiment reflected in Fitzgerald's second novel, The Beautiful and Damned (1922). In 1924, he joined the "lost" society of American expatriates living on the French Riviera that he later described in Tender Is the Night. Shortly after arriving in France, Fitzgerald completed his most celebrated novel: The Great Gatsby. Its haunting portrayal of the American Dream and its ultimate corruption made The Great Gatsby the quintessential American novel of its time and Fitzgerald's most cherished work. In 1940, the author died of a heart attack, leaving his most promising work, The Last Tycoon, unfinished. Fitzgerald was almost as renowned for his turbulent private life as for his timeless literary works. He brought to his short-stories and novels the intense romanticism and decadence that epitomized the lifestyle of his generation in the Roaring Twenties. Image Size: 14.5 x 12.5 in. Overall Size: 16.75 x 14.75 in. Unframed. (B15539)
H. Douglas Pratt (American, B. 1944) "Blue-gray Noddy" Signed lower left. Original Oil painting on Water Color Paper. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which appeared on the Republic of the Marshall Islands 32c Blue-gray Noddy stamp issued February 26, 1996. This graceful and delicate bird is unique among terns in possessing a uniform pearly-gray plumage. The Blue-gray Noddy's distribution is rather enigmatic and patchy in the North Pacific. It nests at scattered localities in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, the Line Islands (Kiribati), and on Taongi and Bikar in the Marshall Islands. Rarely wandering from the islands where it nests, this bird is seldom seen at sea. Blue-gray Noddies feed in flight on small fish picked up as the birds dip and flutter over the water's surface. Their flight is light and buoyant, making them a delight to the eye. On high islands, they nest in nooks and crannies on sea cliffs, but on atolls they will lay their eggs on the ground. The Blue-gray Noddy shown in this painting is perched on the shore among typical vegetation of the Marshall Islands, including the beach morning-glory with its ephemeral pink flowers. Image Size: 5.75 x 6.75 in. Overall Size: 7.25 x 8.75 in. Unframed. (B15277)
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