velvet paintings

Hi! Im new here, I thought id post a Tyree velvet i found in a "Shabby Chic" shop yesterday, you never know where they'll end up!

Also a Dusky Maiden from 1964

Thanks to all for sharing their Velvets and knowledge!

Cheers!
Reefcomber

Welcome, Reefcomber. Love your name!

I found this today. I almost fell over until I read the back. Thought it was odd Edgar Leeteg jr gave his assistance. Searched TC and found info on Barney Davis copies but did not find any info on this type of copy. I like it and will probably never find the real thing, but is it worth $75 price tag?

That Leeteg copy has seen a bit too much sun but 75.00 seems reasonable.

Now what isn't reasonable is finding a Tyree in a thriftstore- that's amazing! Is that the same one that is on ebay now?

had a thread going for this but didnt get any replies so ill try the velvet thread.....

clearly these two are not the same but both are signed leeteg and both have the same davis gallery/leeteg of tahiti labels on the back. whats the process here? surely he didnt hand paint every single one so that every one is original. there must be some kind of printing on velvet process

*the bottom one is much bigger in size. the two dont even seem to be painted by the same person

I know there are some artists who will embellish prints with some relatively minor detail work, sign, then sell as, well, maybe not originals but certainly more than a print. I wonder if this is a case of having random artists crank out a bunch of Leeteg-style velvet paintings, then have Leeteg come through and do touch-ups and add his name? Business often plays fast and loose with mass-produced art.

Nomeus, the Davis Leeteg of Tahiti book say's that this painting "Hina Rapa" was painted by leeteg at least 27 times and as far as I can tell he only painted it in the 24x34 inch size. His paintings just of heads were 20x24 as far as I've seen from the Davis galleries ad in 'Leeteg of Tahiti- Paintings from the Villa Velour' book. Leeteg also stated that some differences could be seen from one painting to the next. At some point Davis galleries started having "certified authentic copies" painted the ones I have are 14x18. As to these two you posted I'm pretty sure because of the size, face and the fact that there were 2 others along with it on ebay the other day (now pulled) that you could see a poorly done job of someone trying to remove the word copy from them. I suspect that the bottom one is a copy also because the teeth don't look right but I may be wrong about that one. The Davis copies have been said to have painted in Japan but the Philippines and even somewhere in China (Macau?) have also been suggested as the source. As to the possibility Leeteg may have remarked a print he sail he never used any sort of mechanical device, airbrush or projector to create his paintings, the original were all done by his hand.

thanks for the replies.

this one looks like it just sold for 3600

https://www.ebay.com/itm/EDGAR-LEETEG-FATHER-OF-BLACK-VELVET-ART-OIL-PAINTING-TAHITI-NUDE-WOMAN-PINUP-/192493331755?hash=item2cd17f252b%3Ag%3ARfAAAOSwqVdauX-S&nma=true&si=m%252FNTEG6qrVlfmRD6uy%252BaVFsSYl8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

and i picked this one up for like 100. who cares if its a copy for that price!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Leeteg-1956-Repro-Tahiti-Colored-Lithograph-Hina-Rapa-Tiki-Hawaiian-Arts-/263491878264?hash=item3d5956fd78%3Ag%3AiCAAAOSwEyRafynM&nma=true&si=m%252FNTEG6qrVlfmRD6uy%252BaVFsSYl8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

*this one was 31x21 so close to maybe being original at least in size? and even cheaper than the smaller one that just sold

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1940s-Tahitian-Velvet-Painting-034-Hina-Rapa-Tahitian-Beauty-034-by-Edgar-Leeteg-Xan-/123019480896?hash=item1ca4884f40%3Ag%3A0gAAAOSw-btaqCo3&nma=true&si=m%252FNTEG6qrVlfmRD6uy%252BaVFsSYl8%253D&orig_cvip=true&rt=nc&_trksid=p2047675.l2557

[ Edited by: nomeus 2018-03-29 18:31 ]

Hi All-

Those two "Leeteg" (actually Davis copies) didn't sell on ebay. They were pulled down after I. and I assume others, reported them as being labelled and described as originals. You could tell from the size, the vestigial "copy" which had been scraped off the velvet, and the Davis Gallery labels which had been defaced. Davis copies in good shape are worth anywhere up to a few hundred if they are decent enough, but they aren't worth anything like 3600.

Now as for those two above- the top one is an obvious copy. It is one of the two from ebay. The cracking in the paint gives it away. That's normal in a lot of junk velvets. It is caused by slathering on the paint. Leeteg and other good velvet painters (notably Tyree but also Erwin, Rodriguez and many others) paint slowly in thin layers keeping each tuft of velvet separate. If it cracks it is wack.

The second one isn't the best example, but even he allowed that not every Leeteg is "super duper". The label and size is consistent with it being one of the Leeteg originals Davis had stockpiled and sold for years after his death. If you compare the two, the skin and lighting on the real one is a hell of a lot better than the copy.

[ Edited by: Aloha pinball 2018-04-14 11:37 ]

[ Edited by: Aloha pinball 2018-04-14 11:42 ]

[ Edited by: Aloha pinball 2018-04-14 11:47 ]

thats good information. i forgot about these listings actually

any info on this artist? cant make out the name

Looks like "Wigington," which comes back with several results. Victor Wigington perhaps?

On 2018-05-03 10:12, Bam Bam wrote:
Looks like "Wigington," which comes back with several results. Victor Wigington perhaps?

anyone got any info on this artist?

nomeus - Victor Sloop Wigington (1923-1979), a member of the merchant marines, photographer and painter.

San Francisco Chronicle, 26 May 1958, pg 31.

[ Edited by: ClassicSanDiego 2018-05-07 11:59 ]

I collect Joy Caros velvet paintings. This is one I am in the process I buying. If you have any of her artwork please email me on [email protected]

My mother recently gave me this velvet painting of my Great Grandmother

This week's find. :)

If you can paint at all then you can certainly paint on black velvet. It's a bit "draggy" on the brush, but I have seen people paint the full silhouette of their subject completely white with undercoat first then just paint conventionally on that, leaving the velvet untouched as the background.

However it is my understanding after quite a bit of research into the subject that true "black velvet painting" style is not just a fully painted item/figure that happens to be done on black velvet background instead of say canvas or a prepared board. The black of the velvet should be incorporated into the subject itself as the "darks/shadows", which are in fact NOT painted at all, but left out to show the velvet itself. This integrates the velvet and uses it as an integral part of the work rather than just being relegated to being merely the support of a fairly conventional painting. When this is done properly it gives a far more striking effect than just a "cutout" sitting on the velvet.

There are two small black velvet paintings that have been sitting in a charity shop here for quite some time. Fairly competent works too, if a little "cute" ! Unfortunately (for me as it happens!) the subjects are a little Dutch boy and girl in national costume.........

[ Edited by TIKIGIKI on 2022-12-22 18:07:57 ]

Wish I could paint

Anyone have one signed by “Christian”

Didn’t see any here

Framed and up

(16x20)

Saw this By Gervais

[ Edited by hang10tiki on 2023-04-22 20:49:11 ]

Found this at a local charity sale over the weekend. Hard to tell behind the glass but it appears to be painted on very fine/short red velvet. I'm told the motif and inscription indicate a Vietnamese origin! The purists of course were dismissive of it as just "Southeast Asian" but the collection in the Tiki Sun Room is rather pan-pacific anyway, so it fits. Especially nestled away from close inspection!

I could see that fitting in nicely with the proper mood lighting. Nice find 👍

Sometimes black light brings out the right vibe and makes the colors snap on these paintings...

Here’s a cool Leeteg copy I got today, painted by Victor Sloop Wigington. It has a note attached to the back that tells where it came from.

[ Edited by Cavemoai on 2024-04-01 16:12:23 ]

Nice

I found this painting at a flea market. It's titled Oasis 1967, but as far as I can see (without removing it from its frame) it is unsigned by the artist. I've also discovered that it is based on an album cover from the early 1960s called "Love Songs of Tahiti." It appears the painter has copied the album cover art, with the exception of removing the lei that covered the wahine's breasts.

That's a great flea market find! The only velvets I've ever come across are torn clown pictures!