The Talking Machine Forum — For All Antique Phonographs & Recordings

FROM: http://www.artdaily.org/index.asp?int_s ... _new=51943

Christie's to offer American masterworks from the Philadelphia Museum of Art
"...the Museum deaccessioned a total of nine works. Five of them are included in Christie’s November 30 American Paintings sale. The highlight is Portrait of a Lady by William Merritt Chase (estimate: $250,000-350,000), which depicts Mrs. Elsie Reeves Fenimore Johnson, wife of the successful Philadelphia-area inventor and founder of the Victor Talking Machine Company, Eldridge Reeves Johnson. The small dog peeking around the corner of her chair is perhaps a sly reference to the company’s famous advertising mascot: a dog listening to a Victrola. ..."




http://www.christies.com/LotFinder/lot_ ... ID=5509029

Wouldn't this look great hanging above your Victrola?

DS

Lovely, except that is the 'second version' that has the Edison Opera she was listening to painted out.

David Spanovich wrote:...
Wouldn't this look great hanging above your Victrola?

DS

Wow, Only 4 zero's out of my range, but what a unique piece.

At about 6 feet tall, you would either need a room with a very high ceiling, or a table top machine sitting on the floor

Still, a few thoughts come to mind:

-Should we consider it sad that such a piece of history is being eliminated from a museum?

-Who would be the likely buyer: Someone connecting it the VTM Co. or to the artist?

A beautiful painting, makes me wonder who would be the end buyer? a collector of VTMC phonos or would it be for the artist? This is where it gets iffy. one of a kind paintings like this might be better off in a museum, but not everyone can travel hundreds of miles anyway. with the advent of the internet its just the same to see it online i guess. its all debatable.

It's a fine painting, but unfortunately not one that would draw crowds in a museum: She's on the plain side. I suspect the Philadelphia Museum of Art probably has several works by Chase and this one is seldom on exhibit. She might be better served by going to a smaller museum where she would be more than just another piece in storage.`