Sunday, March 31, 2013

Shoes Made from the Skin of Big Nose George


Shoes made from the skin of outlaw and cattle rustler George "Big Nose" Parrott.

Read the tale here.

Flickr photo credit here.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

Sisters

Circa 1850 oil on canvas by William Stamms Shackleford. 35 x 27 in.

Sold at Brunk Auctions for $21,000.00 (w/o premium).

Friday, March 22, 2013

Thursday, March 14, 2013

A Confederated "Dead Head"

Seller's description:
Very rare, original, ca1861, Anti-Confederate States Civil War Illustrated Patriotic Envelope / Cover with a fantastic, skull and crossbones cache. This fantastic, Anti Confederate Civil War Cover measures approx. 5 1/2" x 3 1/8" and is titled “A Confederate ‘DEAD HEAD’”. It features a human skull above crossed bones. The skull wears the hat of a court jester and donkey ears. Text on the crossed bones reads “20 Dollars a Head” and “Dead or Alive”. There is a bullet hole in the forehead of the skull and the initials “JD” (for Jefferson Davis” can be seen on the donkey ears).

Available here.

Sunday, March 3, 2013

Still Life

American School, 19th Century

Still Life with a Basket of Fruit, Flowers, and a Cornucopia. Unsigned, possibly the work of Joseph Proctor, who reportedly was a black artist working in New York in the mid-19th century.

Sold at Skinner for $400,000.00 (w/o premium).