I need help on a painter named Robert J. Smith. I recently found some paintings and I was wondering if they were worth something or just from someone's hobby. Any help will be great. Thanks.
MESSAGE BOARD
Does anyone know Robert j. Smith?
I work for the Fine Arts Program within the General Services Administration (GSA), an agency of the federal government. There is an oil painting in our collection by a Robert J. Smith. If you would like to view an image of the painting, you can access it through GSA's website.
Go to click on public buildings, click on art in public buildings, click on fine arts program, and then you can access the database from that page.
By any chance, do the paintings you found have any labels or tags refering to the Works Progress Administration, New Deal, Federal Art Project Public Works of Art Project, or Treasury Relief Art Project?
The painting in our collection has a Federal Art Project of Ohio brass tag on the frame.
Go to click on public buildings, click on art in public buildings, click on fine arts program, and then you can access the database from that page.
By any chance, do the paintings you found have any labels or tags refering to the Works Progress Administration, New Deal, Federal Art Project Public Works of Art Project, or Treasury Relief Art Project?
The painting in our collection has a Federal Art Project of Ohio brass tag on the frame.
Robert J. Smith was my grandfather. I was SO shocked to find this message thread on the Internet -- I enter his name from time to time, and this is the first time anything interesting has come up!
Nicole, I would love to know what your paintings look like. As for their value, I can only say that my family spent a bit of money during the '80s trying to buy many of my grandfather's paintings back from his former (now deceased) agent. Sadly, we only own a few of them.
In 1993 I drove through the Midwest and East looking for examples of my grandfather's public work. He did many murals as well as portraits and paintings for churches (work he did for a church in Dayton, OH was destroyed in a fire). The Dayton Art Institute still has a couple of his paintings, and I have seen work in Indiana, as well as a 12-still life series owned by a family outside of Chicago.
You cannot imagine how this e-mail has made my day. My week. OK, my year. I would love to hear from all of you if you have any more information.
Thanks.
Nicole, I would love to know what your paintings look like. As for their value, I can only say that my family spent a bit of money during the '80s trying to buy many of my grandfather's paintings back from his former (now deceased) agent. Sadly, we only own a few of them.
In 1993 I drove through the Midwest and East looking for examples of my grandfather's public work. He did many murals as well as portraits and paintings for churches (work he did for a church in Dayton, OH was destroyed in a fire). The Dayton Art Institute still has a couple of his paintings, and I have seen work in Indiana, as well as a 12-still life series owned by a family outside of Chicago.
You cannot imagine how this e-mail has made my day. My week. OK, my year. I would love to hear from all of you if you have any more information.
Thanks.
Amelia,
I have one of your grandfather's still lifes hanging on the wall of my Kitchen. It was a piece that my mother-in law purchased many years ago at an estate sale, I admired it and she gave it to me about 8 years ago. It also is a kitchen theme, with a glass container full of flour, rolling pin and other ingredients, including what I think is a pommegrante, all on and old baking, or kitchen table. It is signed and dated 62. It seems to be in it's original green frame. I would love to know more about him and this painting.
I have one of your grandfather's still lifes hanging on the wall of my Kitchen. It was a piece that my mother-in law purchased many years ago at an estate sale, I admired it and she gave it to me about 8 years ago. It also is a kitchen theme, with a glass container full of flour, rolling pin and other ingredients, including what I think is a pommegrante, all on and old baking, or kitchen table. It is signed and dated 62. It seems to be in it's original green frame. I would love to know more about him and this painting.
I also have a painting by Robert J. Smith. I typed in his name and up popped your website. I'm so glad I found this message board. This picture is called (Lemonade). There are lemons laying beside the pitcher, with a sugar urn next to that. There is an american flag in a tiny jar next to those. I don't know anything about the artist or, if I have an origial or not. Can you help me out with that? I will be glad to email you a picture of it.
I also have a painting of Robert J Smith. I too have a kitchen theme that sounds a lot like the one mention above. Mine has a table with a egg basket, grater, salt shaker, nuts, pitcher, jar of flour, rolling pin, spoon and what looks like acorn squash and few other items on the table. It's signed and dated 62. If someone knows more information about this painting I would love to know and wondering how much it's worth.
I was in NYC over the weekend (11/14/03) and saw about 15 oil paintings by a Robert Smith (no "j" in the sig). They were in the apartment of an elderly relative who acquired them from the artist in Dayton, Ohio, in the years following WW II. They were mostly still lifes, but two were landscapes. I don't know if this is the same Robert Smith. My relative stated that he bought them for several hundred dollars apiece at various times, and that Smith at a later date bought a couple of them back. I have queried the Dayton Art Institute, and am awaiting a reply.
I have a painting signed by a Robert J Smith it was given to me by an aunt in Alabama and was dated 62. It looks like and oil painting and has fruit and a lamp on an old type table. Would love to know any more information on him as a painter. I always loved it and thought it was of a good quality. Many thanks.
I have a piece of art (not original oil) with the same name dated 62. Handed down from a relative from Andulusia, Alabama.
I have a picture of a Robert J. Smith painting too! It is named (Lemonade). There are lemons laying on the table and a pitcher next to it. Also, an urn with sugar in it, an american flag in a small vase standing onthe table with it.