hello to all - i could use some help with a recent purchase.

i bought a very nice impressionistic oil painting from the 20s/30s era. is a changing leaf tree in fantastic color - great sky and purple mountains behind

while the frame is not original, it carries a gallery tag from newburgh, ny

finally, it is signed with the initials SMR followed by the roycroft orb

any help would be much appreciated -

i am very impressed with this forum and website

Welcome to the Arts & Crafts Society. Do you have the ability to photograph your painting? We live for pictures! It also makes it easier to identify and research.

Best regards,
Rikki

thanks rikki - i will post photos within a day or so.

There were a few paiters and sculptors who were involved in the Utopian experiment of the Roycrofters. My research finds no individual with those initials. It was not customary for the artists to follow their signature with the orb and R mark of Roycroft. It is possible that this symbol could represent something else. Does the orb in your painting include the Roycroft R?

Looking forward to seeing the image of the painting.

thanks for the feedback fred. the pictures will have to wait until the weekend - i am away from home now and thought i could get them up before i left

i am getting similar feedback from another source about the mystery initials. thankfully, i did not buy the painting for the orb - it is a very nice impressionistic piece - heavy impasto and fine coloring. could very well be the mark of another group - just seems so close

there is no R - it is the circle with a "cross" on the top and hung in the area

i think we can get closer when i finally post the picture

thanks again for the time - hoping that i can return the favor for someone in an area that i am better informed

Hello MS Billings,
I too welcome you to these forums where there is a host of information to be had just for the asking as you already have figured out.

Since we have reached our limit on posting pictures with the server, the only way that you may post on here now is through Photo Bucket or Flickr photo albums. Just thought I would let you know this information before to attempt to upload some on the forum.

Respectfully,

Ralph Jones