Virtual Watercolor Museum Main Entrance updated January 9 2010

Early  American Made & Brands of Watercolor Paint Blocks, Palette & Supplies 1700's to early 1900's

 

Most watercolor paint & paper was imported until the Revolutionary War and war of 1812 when America was more isolated from British imports and became dependent on domestic sources.   Unfortunately less is known about the early American watercolor materials suppliers than is known of British manufacture. We are gathering information and items to fill in this American history. Please contact us if you have any items or information available. Please check back as we are adding information as it comes in through research..                    AMERICAN MADE ANTIQUE WATERCOLOR PAINT BLOCKS       American Made Antique Paint Blocks 19th century   Marked A P HOMER PHILA. (Philadelphia)   Other side is a shield with branch of leafs.   photo enlarged for detail To fill out the collection we are searching for more American blocks like these or with "Osborne" label c. 2011 R M Bodoh             American Made Artists watercolor paint box by George C. Osborne 1830- 1850   Osborne was was one of the few 19th century American makers of artists paint. Many artists of the time believed the especially clear paint colors by Osborne to be equal or better to any made in Europe.   The paints for an Osborne paint box were made by Smith & Hodgson which later became the Bullock & Crenshaw's Drug and chemical store, in Philadelphia from 1820 to possibly the 1860's                                   Trade card in the box saying "OSBORNE'S SUPERFINE AMERICAN WATER COLORS, WARRANTED EQUAL TO ANY IMPORTED" The rest of the label are testimonials   Please contact us with any availability of American brands such as this we are trying to fill in the history & collection.               PAINT PALETTES c. 1700's -1800's Most American manufacturing suppliers imported the materials for paint making. But palettes were often special ordered from Europe for American brands, as can be seen below     F R & Co. New York , made in Germany   This is called a Georgian design palette first used in England in the early 1800's, but the date of this palette is probably mid to late 1800's   Favor Ruhl & Co. was an art supply dealer from the 1800's to early 1900's They began in New York and later New York, Chicago and Boston They were also a vendor of Winsor & Newton Ltd. in 1905 or earlier to 1926 or later Request: information on F & R Company New York   F& R Co. New York , made in Germany       FW DEVOE & Co. palette late 1880's to the early 1900's 4 3/4 by 6 inch approximately Devoe was the first US Art Supplier in the to carry Winsor & Newton in the late 1880's or earlier to the early 1900's           Curious case of Antique Paint Blocks 1700's   The paint block on the left is a misspelling and wider than the original Reeves paint from England in the same box (below right). Is it possibly a forged brand paint?   It was found in a British paint box from the 1780's by William Reeves along with other paint blocks from England, France and Germany.   We believe the box has been in America since the 1700's it seems to tell the story of having to resupply the British box with paint from other countries during the Revolutionary War and the War of 1812.   This is an example of puzzles of history created by a collection of objects.     c. 2012 R M Bodoh

 

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Not all of these are for sale , some are shown for historical interest.

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