Catalog (18)

A sweet tinsel (foil) painting of a large bouquet of flowers. The painting itself is in very good condition, with no chips, breaks, or image loss. The period or earlier gilded wood frame has normal expected wear. Period wood backboard. The sight size is 11 1/4" by 9 5/8", and the overall size is 12 3/4" by 11".

NOTE: Between September 12, 2012 and January 13, 2013 the American Folk Art Museum held an exhibit on this art form. The following is excerpted from the catalog of that exhibition: "T...

Formerly owned by Ingrid Bergman and Alan Freed, this is a large and exceptional fine American tinsel or foil painting featuring a full wreath encircling an urn of flowers on a green base. Although the use of a wreath in a tinsel painting is not at all uncommon, this particular format is extremely rare, if not unique. The flowers are so densely packed as to make the execution of the painting quite difficult. Further, there are 6 birds amidst the flowers, and the lower area motif has switched fr...

A beautifully limned tinsel, or foil, painting, reverse painted on glass. The subject matter is a white urn, filled with a an array of various flowers, including a large rose and a lily. The period and probably original frame is of high quality.

This good-sized painting is in overall excellent condition, as is the frame. The sight size is 14 5/8" by 12 3/8", and the framed size is 19 5/8" by 17 1/4".

NOTE: Foil paintings were done primarily in the second half of the 19th century, and ...

A bold and beautiful tinsel, or foil, painting, reverse painted on glass. The subject matter is a yellow and white urn, filled with a bountiful array of various flowers, done in a rainbow of colors. The period and probably original frame is of high quality mahogany, which is very rarely found on this type of work.

The painting is in overall excellent condition, and the frame itself has some scuffing and wear, which could easily be touched up. The sight size is 12" by 10 3/4", and the framed si...

A fine American tinsel or foil painting depicting a wreath of flowers, with a bird, around a grouping of fruit and foliage. The wreath is on a variation of the relatively rare "snowflake" type of background. This technique appears to have been done primarily in the 1870's period. The frame and wooden backboard are original.

There is a crack in the glass at the top left, and a small piece of glass is missing. The frame is in good condition with a number of very small scattered flecks of paint ...

A charming tinsel (foil) painting depicting a variety of flowers in an urn placed on a stone slab. Dating from the last half of the 19th century, the painted frame, worth a bit of money on its own, is likely earlier, with a wood backboard The painting is in fine condition, with only some very small minor speckles in the black background. The frame could use a little spiffing up. Sight size is 9 1/2" by 13 1/2", and the framed size is 13 1/4" by 17 1/8".

An unusual and attractive pair of tall mirrors, each reverse painted with a basket of flowers suspended from a green and gold tassel, further decorated with swags of bellflowers suspended from green and gold ribbons. Encased in original carved mahogany frames with original wood backboards .

Excellent condition with no issues. The sight size of each is 23 1/2" by 11 3/8" and the overall size of each is 34" by 22".

An unusual foil, or tinsel, painting depicting two birds hovering over a large flowering plant. The painting is done basically in tones of taupe and green. The frame is period and is most likely original. The back is sealed with paper that appears to have been a student's calligraphy practice.

Condition is very good, with some very minor paint separation at some points on the edges. The grayish areas in the painting are shadows from when the photograph was taken. The sight size is 15 1/2" ...

A fine tinsel, or foil, painting. The relatively uncommon subject matter is a basket of fruit, nicely reverse painted on glass with tinsel backing. What unfortunately doesn't show well in the photo, because of the lighting, is the bunch of grapes directly under the basket.

The painting is in very good condition, with what is probably its original gilded frame and wood backing. The overall size is 16" by 14".

An uncommon tinsel, or foil, painting on glass. Extremely vibrant, with deep colors, the painting shows a bluebird surrounded by a variety of fruit, with a compote of fruit behind it. It is rare to have a foil scene without a lot of open space between subjects.

The painting is in excellent condition, as is the later frame, which measures 16 1/4" by 13 1/4".

A large and exceptional example of fine American tinsel or foil painting featuring a pair of pheasants on branches, surrounded by a wreath of flowers. The scene has the rare "snowflake" type of background. Although tinsel painting was at its height in America from 1850 to 1890 the snowflake technique appears to have been done primarily in the 1870's period.

The sight size is 19 5/8" by 15 3/4", with a framed size of 23 1/4" by 19 1/4". The condition is excellent, with no cracks or breaks, nor...

An extremely nice tinsel, or foil, painting, showing a pearlescent urn overflowing with a wide variety of flowers, with a fallen rose bud at the base of the urn.

Housed in a period and probably original frame, measuring 17" by 13 1/4", the painting itself is 12" by 8 1/2". The condition of this gem is excellent.

Tinsel paintings of this type are almost a completely American form, becoming highly popular around 1870, and continuing into the mid 20th century. Earlier pieces, such as this on...

This is a rare and striking folk art example of a tinsel or foil painting. The vast majority of tinsel paintings are of flowers, but this one, as does item a1175, focuses instead on fruit. This particular gem shows a rose colored glass compote with plums, cherries, strawberries, pear, etc. Colors are deep and very vibrant, and include blues, purple, orange, yellow, greens, etc.

As mentioned in other listings, tinsel paintings of this type are almost a completely American form, becoming h...

This is an unusual, wonderful, and beautifully done folk art example of a tinsel or foil painting. The vast majority of tinsel paintings are of flowers. This rarity depicts a bluebird hovering over a basket filled with pears, a melon, and apples. A cluster of cherries, and bunches of grapes and foliage surround the basket. Colors are deep and very vibrant, and include blues, purple, brown, various shades of yellow and green, white, reds, and others.

Tinsel paintings of this type are almost ...

This is an unusual, wonderful, and beautifully done tinsel or foil painting. It depicts a large bouquet of flowers in a an urn. The urn has been painted to look like it has a mica or quartz type surface, with the stand being done in the same manner. Colors are very vibrant, and include deep blues, purple, pink, various shades of yellow and green, white, reds, and others.

Tinsel paintings of this type are almost a completely American form, becoming highly popular around 1870, and continuing ...

A vibrant and charming American folk art tinsel painting showing a variety of fruit and foliage in a white compote set upon a slab of marble. Wonderful condition, with a sight size of 12 inches by 15 1/4 inches, and a beautiful, non-period frame of 16 3/4 inches by 20 inches.

One of the largest and best tinsel paintings we have seen, depicting a large urn of various flowers, with other blooms scattered about; original frame; 28" by 24"

Most tinsel paintings have suffered a fair amount of paint lifting or loss, whereas this example only has a few spots of very minor age loss in a couple of small areas in the white background, making the overall condition excellent

A reverse painted tinsel painting, unusual for its combination of geometric and floral elements, and for its forceful colors; period gilded frame; sight size 9 1/2" by 7 1/2"; framed size 12 1/2" by 10 5/8"