Authentic 1920s Watercolor Fashion Illustration by Klapproth: Models at the Door

This authentic 1920s original watercolor illustration is exceptionally well rendered in every value of warm gray watercolor washes. The artist was Dale Klapproth. 

Although we have researched his name and work extensively, little is known about Klapproth. A portfolio of his early work came to light recently as an estate discovery. The only history that has been found to date is that Klaproth studied to become a fashion illustrator, but went on to a 3-dimensional career as a department store window designer. The drawings, sketch studies and paintings offered here at The Gilded Griffin are likely his only originals. 

This watercolor painting portrays models waiting to go through those big double doors before the beginning of a fashion show. Typically during this era, customers were invited for an afternoon designer fashion show and English tea at glamorous department stores. Children also modeled the latest designs to clientele who were mothers and in this illustration, the youngsters are trying to patiently wait for the show to begin. You can see the haughty look on the model’s face in response to when one of the tired, or insecure little girls asks to be held. 

The clothing in the illustration includes small and tight cloches, gauntlet gloves and tightly cropped hair. The skirt lengths, as well as the shirred and draped flounce design to the back of one dress, dates this illustration to circa 1929. 

This wonderful original 1920s artwork is in superb condition overall. It is so beautifully rendered that you may be inclined to believe that it is a print at first glance. It is not. This is an authentic, original watercolor painting. If you examine the artwork closely, you will see areas where Klapproth rubbed the paper while painting in a watercolor technique called wet on wet. The paper remains strong and is not brittle. There is an uneven area around the outside edge where Klapproth removed the paper from its binding. The lower edge has a small “test” area in one corner where Klapproth tried the strength of his mid-tone gray. There are a few minor smudges of watercolor from the artist's handling on the back. None of these issues create any type of visual problem with the painting's image in any way. This is in vintage mint condition and will make a fabulous framed piece of art for anyone who appreciates the Roaring Twenties, whether curators or collectors. Klapproth’s signature is found in the border of the painting to the lower right edge. 

The painting measures approximately 8-7/8 inches or slightly over 22.5 cm by 11.5 inches or slightly over 29 cm.

This exceptional purse for discerning collectors dates to the 1940s. The purse is a master’s work of textile art. It is in outstanding condition, which counts most of all in purse collecting. Also, it is rare to find a purse from this era in its original, custom made presentation case. 

Micro-petit point purses of this quality were made in Austria and France during this era and are utterly breathtaking to examine. It is believed that the label on the bottom of the box is the price, and although difficult to discern, it appears pencil marked in French francs. 

The purse is entirely hand embroidered in micro petit point using exquisite silk floss. Please refer to the photographs. Under loop magnification, a single line counts as 40 stitches to the inch, which totals 1600 handmade stitches per square inch. Such fine hand work often took a master embroiderer as long as a full year to complete. 

The magnificent petit point figural scene is alive with movement and placed along a waterfront. As a woman walks by, a man on shore is depicted tossing a rope out to the fisherman who are about to dock their boat. The perspective in this exquisite petit point rendering is deep and perfectly executed, with buildings and waterways that disappear into the horizon line. Another sailboat is anchored in the background, and almost appears to bob up and down with the gentle movement of the water. 

The purse is sewn onto a silver-gilt frame. The frame is in outstanding condition without damage. The lacy floral design that makes up the clasp is connected at every point. The clasp is on a strong hinge and it only takes a gentle nudge to tilt the clasp back in order to open the purse. The interior, rich satin lining is deep ivory in color and the pockets are lined with burgundy moiré taffeta. The pockets are two different shapes, oval and squared at the top. 

There are no hallmarks or identifying marks whatsoever on the purse. The box, with brass hinges, moire´ taffeta. The only identifying mark on the interior is the monogram WSW. These initials have been researched and neither manufacturer nor department store can be connected to the monogram.
 

The presentation case is obviously original and its interior was custom made to fit the exact dimensions of the purse. The box is both paper and cloth covered and its interior is lined with glistening

The overall condition of this purse is outstanding. The colors are bright, clear and it is pristine both inside and out. In fact, the purse at first appears as though it was never used, but very close examination reveals a very tiny pencil mark at the very bottom of the interior lining and a tiny, red lipstick smudge. Both slight issues are only a few millimeters in width and one must to actually take the time to try to find these marks. The box has obvious rubbing on the exterior with original paper pricing label still attached to the bottom. The hinges are strong. 

The gracefully curved purse measures approximately 8 inches or slightly over 20 cm at the widest point. It is 8 inches or 20 cm from the bottom of the handbag to the top of the clasp. The wonderful presentation box measures approximately 10 x 12 inches or 25.5 x 30.5 cm. This is a magnificent example of micro-petit point from the 40s era, and is considered to be in near mint condition considering age. 

Authentic c 1929 Fashion Illustrator's Jewerly Design

This is an authentic 1920s original watercolor illustration. It is not a print. The painting depicts a jewelry design which likely came from the artist's imagination. 

The illustrator’s name was Dale Klapproth.
 Original 1920s illustrations are scarce and jewelry themed work may be considered all the more unusual. 

Although we have researched his name and work extensively, little is known about Klapproth. A portfolio of his early work came to light recently as an estate discovery. The only history that has been found to date is that Klaproth studied to become a fashion illustrator, but went on to a 3-dimensional career as a department store window designer. The drawings, sketch studies and paintings offered through The Gilded Griffin were likely his only originals. 

This illustration dates to circa 1929 based on the rest of the portfolio from this collection. The necklace shows a glimpse of the Egyptian revival influence which was popular during the late 20s. 

This wonderful original 1920s artwork is in superb condition overall. This is an authentic, original watercolor painting. This is in vintage mint condition and will make a fabulous framed piece of art for anyone who appreciates the Roaring Twenties or jewelry design, whether curators or collectors. Klapproth’s signature is found in the border of the painting to the lower right edge. 

The actual image area measures approximately 6.5 inches or slightly over 16.5 cm by 9 inches or slightly over 23 cm.

Exceptionally Rare Trifari Alfred Philippe Jelly Belly Butterfly Patented 1949

Collectors will delight in this lovely brooch created by Alfred Philippe of Trifari. 

It is a very rare jelly belly design dated by patent in 1949. The body is genuine silver gilt metal with genuine gold plated accents. The butterfly’s wings are clear Lucite. The glistening body is accented with round, square and baguette rhinestones.

This piece is absolutely magical. The Lucite wings create incredible prismatic reflections in the light; little rainbows in the sun. The Lucite also magnifies the colors and textures of the fabric that the butterfly is pinned to.  An estate find, this magnificent Trifari butterfly measures approximately 2.25 inches or 5.5 cm in width.

Antique Victorian Amethyst Necklace circa 1898 to 1901

A most stunning necklace…. 

This is one of those wonderful, rare, and very romantic Victorian necklaces. It dates to circa 1898 to 1901 and has strong art nouveau design influences. 

Obviously, this piece has been treasured for well over a century in time…. The necklace is beautifully handcrafted and genuine gold-washed. It features 15 genuine, multi-faceted amethyst stones that delicately catch the light. They are all original to the necklace and were carefully, individually mounted in bezel settings. 

The necklace literally drapes around the neck. The articulation to the overall design is marvelous. The choker styled necklace measures approximately 16.75 inches or about 42.5 cm. 

Antique Edwardian Brooch c 1900 Art Nouveau

Exquisite and entirely authentic, this brooch was created during the bridge between the last breath of the Victorian era and the very beginning of the Edwardian period, circa 1900. 

It has a rich Art Nouveau design and is so stunning that one of the assistants here in the Studio called it Poor Man's Lalique. 

The brooch is entirely gold-washed in genuine yellow gold with genuine rose gold highlights across the centers of both flowers. The brooch is set with three glowing, opalescent cabochons. The largest cabochon is 7/8 of an inch or slightly over 2 cm in length. 

The deep emerald green glass cabochons are distinct and impressive. The color is breathtaking and will be absolutely eye-catching when worn. 

You may find yourself absent-mindedly turning the brooch to study the light within, because the colors are so unusual…and ever-changing. The largest and center cabochon has incredible brilliance … similar to fine antique paperweight glass. 

This brooch has the typical riveted hinge pin with c-clasp fastener, indicative to circa 1900. The fastener is quite sturdy. 

The brooch measures an impressive 3 inches or 7.5 cm in length and is 1.75 inches or nearly 4.5 cm wide. It is a glowing example of late Victorian through early Edwardian style. I

Antique c 1860 Paisley Shawl with Gustav Stickley's Designers' Peter & Ruth Hansen Provenance Ref: Pashima Kashmiri Kashmir Shawl

This Kashmir Shawl dates to circa 1860 and was likely worn through the American Civil War era. It is an interesting find beyond the simple truth that it is over 150 years old. 

Paisley shawls such as these are described in many fashion publications such as Lady’s Godey’s Book beginning around 1853. They were so popular that they are found in fine art portrait paintings, such as in this oil by Claude Monet, "Madame Louis Joachim Gaudibert" dated 1868. Paisley shawls are represented in the finest museums. One example is seen on this mannequin, “Day Dress with Shawl” dated 1865-1867 from the Costume Institute at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

Passed from mother to daughter over generations, these expensive shawls continue to inspire. This example is so large that it is slightly older than the museum pieces used as illustrations here. It is in such exquisite condition that one can immediately see that it was obviously cherished. 

The shawl was created on a jacquard loom and finished with hand embroidery. It measures approximately 77 inches or 196 cm on each side, square, and was designed for wear over exceedingly large crinolines or hooped fashions. It was difficult to wear a coat for warmth with such large skirts, therefore shawls large enough to drape over such wide gowns
were worn instead. 

This exquisite paisley mantle comes from the estate of Peter and Ruth Hansen. Peter Hansen designed furniture for Gustav Stickley, one of the greatest furniture makers in America. Peter’s wife, Ruth was an artist and also worked as a draftsman for Stickley. Items from their great artistic careers and stylish home are found in many superior private collections and museums. 

The shawl is attributed as to having once belonged to Ruth Hansen. The only real peculiar flaw in the condition of the shawl is that (only) on the back, there are small spots of true vermillion pigmented oil paint. (See photograph of back, upper left) 

Paisley shawls were a favorite in artists’ studios and often used as colorful backgrounds in portrait studies. We have searched for photographs of Ruth Hansen’s studio, but have yet to find one…yet we cannot give up hope that this shawl might be recognizable in one. The small areas of oil paint on this shawl is most assuredly artist’s paint and this color that was made from the mineral cinnabar was classically used on artists’ palettes for centuries. 

This shawl is rich in color and has no areas of fading. Our conservationist examined the entire shawl under magnification. She found that there are very few and only minor issues with several pinholes and one small area of missing fringe that is barely discernible measuring not quite 2 inches or 5 cm from an edge. There are one or two nearly century old mends and the longest, barely discernible mend is 5 inches or 12.5 cm. These were carried out where the structure and most are in the same quadrant. Due to the overall embroidery and design, the mending is practically invisible. 

This shawl or mantle is dated due to structure and design. It is likely Scottish made and dates circa 1860-1865. It is a gorgeous, magnificent example and could be worn with tender loving care. The Hansen provenance makes this remarkable 150 year old treasure all the more special.