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Friday, February 1, 2008

Show & Tell Friday "Love for Baby"


Show and Tell Friday is hosted by Kelli at There is No Place Like Home .

A few years ago, I found this picture in a junk shop for about $1.00 and bought it for the frame. I needed it for framing a piece of embroidery. However, once I had it at home I took a closer look at the picture, which seems to be a watercolor.

It is a whimsical composition of a stork carrying a baby suspended above two little girls and a boy amid delightful flowers and hearts.

The more I looked at it, the nicer it seemed, so I have kept it. It now hangs in my bedroom.
As for the artist signature, I can make out something like "Pario" in the lower right corner.

On the back of the frame an inscription is written in black marker on cardboard:
"Love for Baby"
designed by Marion
for Gordon Fraser, Bedford
England

Pasted above this is a business card for "Gallery Frames/ Ermita, Manila", indicating that this was framed in the Philippines.

It seems strange, though, that such a nice picture should be backed with regular cardboard and wide sticky tape.

One of these days I will remove the backing to see what is underneath, and to give it a proper acid-free backing.


To visit other show and tell posts, please go to Kelli’s.

Thanks for stopping by. I hope you found this picture as delightful as I have. Please leave your comment and come back again soon.



31 comments:

Cheryl said...

That is a sweeeeeeet painting. You should try to contact the gallery to find out who the artist is/was. You could then google his/her name and maybe see some other works of art by the same artist :-)

Lana G! said...

That is an adorable painting! How fun to discover more and more about it!

La Tea Dah said...

What a lovely watercolor. It's so soft and serene. I like the history on the back as well.

LaTeaDah

Anonymous said...

What a pretty picture, I'm not surprised you decided to keep it :)

Hootin Anni said...

gorgeous [I personally, would leave the backing on it....or save it somehow...that tells a whole history of the painting!]

Happy show n telling

Anonymous said...

Oh, what a wonderful find. I just love this one.

Anonymous said...

Thats pretty painting and i like painting too. Happy weekend.

Constance said...

Don't you wish it could talk? I mean, the journey it made to end up in your hands and then treasured! Pretty interesting!
Connie

Abounding Treasures said...

What a delightful painting!

I agree with Constance ~ Don't you wish it could talk and tell you of the journey it took to reach your hands?

Susan said...

Glad you didn't junk the true "find" for the $1 frame!!
Susan

maryt/theteach said...

Carrie I googled "Gordon Fraser" because the name sounded familiar. He was a famous British publisher. I think you should look into this watercolor. It might be valuable... :)

maryt/theteach said...

And yes, the picture is delightful! Where's the Antiques Roadshow when you need them? :)

Linda said...

What a sweet watercolor, a very lovely piece. I think there is a treasure behind the backing. Linda

Anonymous said...

Lovely painting! Thrifting is so fun!
xo
mary
hoganfe handbags

Irene said...

It's such a sweet painting! You do well to take care of it.

Tara said...

I would have trouble parting with it, too!

nannykim said...

That is delightful!! I love water colors!! It would be so cool to know the history of that picture!!

Julieann said...

I love that picture--I would have bought it too--ohh, I am curious as to what may be behind it.

Julieann

Yellow Rose Arbor said...

What a nice Show and Tell! The painting is beautiful! It looks a little familiar, I'm wondering if I've seen something like it before. I'm glad you left it in the frame!

Katherine

mrsjojo said...

Absolutely beautiful-I enjoyed looking at it. Thanks for sharing!!

Anonymous said...

What a great discovery for $1. An interesting story of the prints history.
Kathy b

JEWELGIRL said...

Amazing find, I would be
so curious and the back
would be ripped off.
I would have to see
what's under the
cardboard.

Carrie said...

Thank you all for your comments. This is one of my favorite items.
Yes, Teach, I did a Google search too and found that Gordon Fraser, Bedford, England published various titles in the 1950's. The framer in Manila, Philippines had nine shop locations. Some time ago, an art appraiser friend looked up the artist in ArtFact but had no result.
I will continue to seek information.
Carrie

Anita said...

So sweet - I don't blame you for looking for more info on it! I'll bet it just makes you smile every time you look at it! :)

Anita said...

So sweet - I don't blame you for looking for more info on it! I'll bet it just makes you smile every time you look at it! :)

Esther Sunday said...

This is such a sweet painting. I am glad you didn't take it apart. It is amazing to find things like this that obviously have a history. You wonder who, what, where and when... Love, Esther

Karla Cook @ Roads to Everywhere said...

What an interesting piece! Thanks for sharing!

Alice said...

What a sweet little painting and it has its own mystery too!

Love Bears All Things said...

It looks like an illustration. Maybe from a book and the gifter had it framed. Too bad there's no date.
Mama Bear

Eleanor said...

Dear Oak Rise Cottage! First of all, thank you for visiting Thatchwick Cottage. I am so pleased I found you (or you found me). I love Oak Rise Cottage! You also gave me lots of ideas. Sandy Lynam Clough, a Christian artist, also has published lovely tea books and has a special tea network. She's in Texas, too far for me! I will visit again! Eleanor at Thatchwick

Anonymous said...

What a sweet picture!

Manuela