oldironsides Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 This can is on Ebay: buckby can Anyone have thoughts on who painted it? Has an older patina, maybe not best quality painting? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the grinch Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 don't know but seen it on FB bit over priced !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BargeeSpud Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 (edited) Having looked at all the photo's for the item, it looks a bit crude to be by one of the "names" in traditional narrowboat painting, but its definately not by Frank Nurser. Could be one of the other famous names though. Edited November 2, 2012 by Spuds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurence Hogg Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 From the design of the can I would suggest it is from Joseph Ash in Birmingham, that makes it a minimum of 60 plus years old. I would also suggest that the "roses" are by a different hand to the castle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 looks totally amateurish, I can't believe it is anyone famous because nobody could paint that badly and achieve fame, surely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Speedwheel Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 It's a 1 gallon can isn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek R. Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 It looks small. There's what looks like a half gallon painted can in Stretton - £25. Not for me. But I did come away with a carpenters toolbox. (One born every minute). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MtB Posted November 2, 2012 Report Share Posted November 2, 2012 It looks small. It IS small. the listing says its 10" tall with the handle folded down. That makes it about a gallon, as Speedwheel says. Mike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek R. Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 I think, as Laurence does, a different hand painted the castle on the bottom. It's rather crudely done, yet it has all the hallmarks of being quite old, not that that means it was done by any established canal painter but more likely by a boatman with inadequate brushes and perhaps technique. Still quite attractive for all that in a naive sort of way. I bet someone was proud of it at one time. Maybe still is. The half gallon can I saw in Church Stretton wasn't a patch on it. Too tidy, and too 'commercial'. A fireside novelty though the handle and proportions were good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Schweizer Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 The Castle on the bottom might be a give away. When I showed Ron Hough the castle painted on the bottom of my water can, he laughed, saying something like "You paint castles on dippers, but not usually on cans" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 Still quite attractive for all that in a naive sort of way. Isn't that the essence of canal art's appeal? No one expects the artists to be Leonardo da Blooming Vinci. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tuscan Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 A couple of years ago I was fortunate to buy an old can and dipper together with two old windlasses (that turned out to be brass) from an antique shop not far from Aylesbury via eBay. Only paid £70 if I recall so this one looks expensive. I took it to Dave Moore who has a fine collection but we couldn't identify the painter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Athy Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 Given your forum name, it is only appropriate that you should have a can. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luctor et emergo Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 Wow, up to £130. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dave moore Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 Hi all I agree that the landscape may well be the work of someone different to the painter of the roses on this can, but I'm not able to suggeest the identity of either. If the can is around 60 years old, then a boatman painter is a possible contender. Despite the crudity of the floral work, it has a "rightness" that I can intuitively feel tho' find it hard to explain. Values of old ware is difficult to determine theses days, in that some pieces are sought by those willing to pay virtually any price to acquire them. My personal opinion is that £130 so far is on the high side for a can of little provenance, but perhaps the bidders know more than I do! I've paid around £100 or so for old cans by known and noted painters tho' I'm not an avid collector. I'm happy to have a collection representing them, along with the work of more modern painters including Ron Hough, Ian Kemp, Judy Vedmore, Mavis Waldren and Bunny Bunford - and of course Tony Lewery and Phil Speight! As someone working in the business I see no harm in aiming for high standards in painting. While most of the working dockyards had painters with no artistic training, their output had a life and vibrancy not always seen in more modern work. The boaters were a knowledgeable quality control in those days - not all modern boaters have their discernment and not all (very little) of the souvenir work for sale in canal side outlets has the panache of the old days. Cheers Dave Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antarmike Posted November 3, 2012 Report Share Posted November 3, 2012 (edited) Can I say I feel it was by some member of the general public with no canal art background who thought that looks easy I'll have a go at that....The can is probably too small to be any use... Boatman wouldn't have room for a useless can, so doubt it has ever seen a boat. I reckon it is a small unpainted can, never intended to be more than a decoration on a noddy boat, made 20 years ago aimed at the amateur "have a go" painter, no history, no value, rubbish???? Same artist copied??? roses and castles from a book or pictures and images they used were from different artists, hence the mismatch. Edited November 3, 2012 by antarmike Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blossom Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Can I say I feel it was by some member of the general public with no canal art background who thought that looks easy I'll have a go at that....The can is probably too small to be any use... Boatman wouldn't have room for a useless can, so doubt it has ever seen a boat. I reckon it is a small unpainted can, never intended to be more than a decoration on a noddy boat, made 20 years ago aimed at the amateur "have a go" painter, no history, no value, rubbish???? Same artist copied??? roses and castles from a book or pictures and images they used were from different artists, hence the mismatch. Whilst I agree that the can has more than likely been painted by an unknown painter, probably either repainted by a bored housewife or by a boatman' I have to disagree with 'boatman wouldn't have room for a useless can' back in the day, most boats had what they called a 'cabin can' usually a one gallon can which they kept in the cabin in the winter months when there was a risk of their crucial water supply freezing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jeannette smith harrison Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Whilst I agree that the can has more than likely been painted by an unknown painter, probably either repainted by a bored housewife or by a boatman' I have to disagree with 'boatman wouldn't have room for a useless can' back in the day, most boats had what they called a 'cabin can' usually a one gallon can which they kept in the cabin in the winter months when there was a risk of their crucial water supply freezing. I agree with Blossom on the use of a cabin can,used during the winter when the water in the outside cans often froze. but find it hard to belive a boatman would have been happy to have had this particular can in his cabin & if so not on display its to crude & rough & the boatmen took pride in their painting being just right. Has anyone noticed that the seller also has a painted kettle for sale??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek R. Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Isn't that the essence of canal art's appeal? No one expects the artists to be Leonardo da Blooming Vinci. No, but a good effort requires skill and proper brushes. The 'essence' is in getting a presentable representation of the basic themes through care, and with continued practice - speed. That can just shows clumsy handwork, especially the dividing black lines. It could be a child's attempt at copying something bigger, which presents the possibility of a boatman's young family member having a 'go', and fair play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurence Hogg Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 One should also remember this is almost certainly a Joseph Ash produced peice of holloware, they supplied GUCCCo, FMC and DIWE/BW I visited them just a month after they ceased holloware production and was shown the order book. They had disposed of all the patterns sadly as scrap. The giveaway is the press forged handle, difficult for a small one man band to have produced and seen on almost all of their cans. So in my mind this isnt a piece of giftware although the painting to my eyese is awful. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BuckbyLocks Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 One should also remember this is almost certainly a Joseph Ash produced peice of holloware, they supplied GUCCCo, FMC and DIWE/BW I visited them just a month after they ceased holloware production and was shown the order book. They had disposed of all the patterns sadly as scrap. The giveaway is the press forged handle, difficult for a small one man band to have produced and seen on almost all of their cans. So in my mind this isnt a piece of giftware although the painting to my eyese is awful. The base green screams Will King as the painter. Fits the time scale too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MarkyP Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 On the subject of size.... pics of cans on London-based short haul H.Sabey &Co Ltd craft look like they may have used smaller cans... WB PHOENIX Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldironsides Posted November 4, 2012 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Well, £185, who would have thought it!!! For me it was poorly painted but someone obviously knew better. I hope they enjoy it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek R. Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Let's guess: Wide boat PHEONIX during the 1937 Coronation? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alan_fincher Posted November 4, 2012 Report Share Posted November 4, 2012 Well, £185, who would have thought it!!! For me it was poorly painted but someone obviously knew better. I hope they enjoy it. No! - I think you were right all along! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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