Who painted this can?

[oldironsides]

This can is on Ebay: buckby can

 

Anyone have thoughts on who painted it? Has an older patina, maybe not best quality painting?

[the grinch]

don't know but seen it on FB bit over priced !!

[BargeeSpud]

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

[Laurence Hogg]

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.

[antarmike]

looks totally amateurish, I can't believe it is anyone famous because nobody could paint that badly and achieve fame, surely.

[Speedwheel]

It's a 1 gallon can isn't it?

[Derek R.]

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).

[MtB]

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

[Derek R.]

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.

[David Schweizer]

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"

[Athy]

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.

[Tuscan]

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.

[Athy]

Given your forum name, it is only appropriate that you should have a can.

[luctor et emergo]

Wow, up to £130.

[dave moore]

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

[antarmike]

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

[Blossom]

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.

[jeannette smith harrison]

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???

[Derek R.]

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.

[Laurence Hogg]

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.

[BuckbyLocks]

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.

[MarkyP]

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

[oldironsides]

Well, £185, who would have thought it!!!

 

For me it was poorly painted but someone obviously knew better. I hope they enjoy it.

[Derek R.]

Let's guess: Wide boat PHEONIX during the 1937 Coronation?

[alan_fincher]

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!