highwaymen art official business

That's right, official.

In my other blog today (go read it) I'm commenting on AOL's take on cutting prices in this economy and what I've been doing.

Howevah................ there's another side to our AOL "welcome to Nov 3, 2010".

AOL attracts one's attention by posting this picture of what they believe a small business owner should look like in today's day and age. Worried.

Now this is a sort of brainwashing on a subconcious level and one of the reasons I put so much blame on the media for helping to sustain this pathetic economy.

This guy pictured is every small business owner and by God, he's WORRIED.

America, you too better be worried. That's the message, no question.

I see this picture and the Travelers Insurance (the one with an umbrella) advertisment that I see on television all the time runs in my head. The one where the cute little white terrier frets about where to secure his bone for a rainy day. In the background is this great blues song that goes. "Trouble, Oh, trouble, trouble...been dogging me since the day I was born. Worry. Oh, worry, worry, worry...". You must have seen it, I've seen it about a million times. Very effective.

This one : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G7bGBUlx2M

That's the little AOL guy for ya way up top. I don't look anything like him.

Actually, he looks like my cousin's husband, Jim. Not that he's worried, just looks like him.

Highwaymen art market

Got these words from an auction description and I like them so much that I'm copy/pasting them here.

About the market itself as a pleasant change from the usual re-hashed history.
Well done.

Here you go, boys and girls:

They regained their place in the sun—and ardent fans are creating a perpetual demand. The paintings of the Highwaymen are now considered to be an important sector of American Art. Perhaps the art of the Highwaymen can best be de- scribed as a marriage of rich arresting color and stark simplicity of form. If the viewer lets his or her imagination soar, the effect is almost hypnotic—these scenes appear to be embedded in time. For many individuals it’s a trip down memory lane, evoking fond recollections of grow- ing up in Florida. For the neophytes, these paintings offer a look into a culture with storybook appeal. For the urbanites, the “trendy” aspect is proving irresistible, and for still others, they provide a visual foray into the lush Florida landscape. Whatever the individual fascination, the born-again popularity of the Highwaymen has collectors strongly intrigued...and vying with each other to supplement their collections.

alfred hair appraisal

Here's a classic from Alfred Hair, 24 x 48 upson of course, pristine condition with original crown molding frame. I appraised this one for an estate about 6 months ago.

I've had a few of these golden sunrise seascapes, 48 and 36 inchers, mostly he did the longer ones. There's one of these in the Fitch traveling highwaymen display thing he's got going. Or there used to be.

Anyway, these are classics. Enjoy the pic.

Fake Livingston Roberts on eBay

Be careful out there.
This link, while it lasts, takes you to a L Roberts fake or mis-attribution on eBay 10/23/10.

http://cgi.ebay.com/HighWayMen-L-Roberts-Vintage-Swamp-Landscape-/170555564910?pt=Art_Paintings&hash=item27b5e7636e

Well here we go, boys and girls. I understand how this can happen, but.........
here's what the seller writes in his description : (copy/paste)

After much research the Highwaymen signed their work in many formats / ways depending on what they had and could afford for tools and paint at that time.
I personally cannot portray that this is one of Livingston Roberts earlier pieces- but it does carry the ambience of one through his style, technique and vivid colors.
All of Livingston Roberts paintings of Florida landscapes are painted in oils on Upson board or Masonite. He signed each work in a way unusual for many Highwaymen –
******by scratching "L. Roberts" into the wet paint with a PALETTE knife.******



First he states that Roberts always scratched in the signature. Then he shows a nice close-up of a painted-on signature. Go figure.

L Roberts sometimes painted on his signature, so this seller/researcher's first premise was incorrect to begin with. Although signed L Roberts, the signature was not done by "highwayman" L Roberts, maybe it was done by Leo Roberts or Lenora Roberts or Lucy Roberts, an amateur grandmotherly hobbyist/painter.

The signature is wrong, one indication is that Livingston used a lower case "b", as in L, RObERTS" when he signed. Don't know why, but he did.

I might as well mention that the style is wrong, the technique is wrong and Livingston painted on canvases and canvasboards as well as upson and masonite.

The most obvious difference between this painting and a genuine L Roberts painting is the talent level portrayed by the finished product. Livingston was talented.

This L Roberts, whoever it may be, ain't what you could call "talented".

Or maybe someone just added the signature for fun and possible profit, although that would be against the law, so that certainly wouldn't happen, eh ?

Be careful out there.

Appraise and evaluate highwaymen paintings

Well, here's how you get a stronger google presence, I'd have to guess.
Seems to have worked for THEM, let's see if it works for me.

This is copy/pasted from another site with only the names changed to protect the guilty.

GUILTY OF WHAT ? (you may ask)
Guilty of nothing, sez I.

Her you go, boys and girls. It is what it is.

Florida Highwaymen Painting. Sell Highwaymen art and paintings. Appraise Highwaymen painting and art. Buy Highwaymen paintings and art. - Florida dealer and appraiser of Florida Highwaymen paintings and art. Appraise Highwaymen - Our appraisers evaluate, appraise and value your Highwaymen painting. Appraisers of single Highwaymen paintings to complete Highwaymen art collections. We will purchase Highwaymen paintings outright or offer you the best consignment terms in the industry in the next fine art exhibition. Our marketing and West Palm Beach venue are unparalleled. Florida Highwaymen artists and works remain in strong collector demand. Contact us for appraisal consultation for your Florida Highwaymen paintings or other works of fine art. We travel Florida for fine art and collections.

Highwaymen collectors should contact us for our current offerings of Highwaymen paintings.

Harold Newton Prices

Here's the article published in Antique Shoppe August 2010 Newspaper.

http://www.antiqueshoppefl.com/articles/sept10/newton0910.htm

Harold Newton Market Report

Harold Newton Market Report.

You pronounce it "ray-poor" like the Colbert Report.

Anyway, it's all good news. The season is upon us and the investment quality listed and deceased highwaymen market resurgence has begun.

Two classic 1960's Harolds have sold for decent money, rather than lowball give-away prices around $1000.00 that the plain ones sell for.

The savanna is a 24x48 upson board

The sunset is 24x36 upson

The reason, of course, is that they are high end drop dead gorgeous examples of his work, and when you want the best, it always costs a premium.

Here they are for you to enjoy. Look at them separately, together they clash, each with it's own charm and look.