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MORE KNOWN ART 2
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Because of the continued addition of more of Vern Parker art, this second page has been added to avoid extensive download time for each page and item. | |
| On July 7, 2009, this most delightful message was received by Richard and Irma McGuiness of Auburn Maine:
"I thought you would like to know that my wife visits "garage sales." I do not go with her, but I may go in the future. She found a painting and bought it because she liked the frame. A few days later when I removed it from the clutter in the trunk of the car, I liked the detailed western painting by someone named Vern Parker.
Obviously, the person who sold it had no idea. I carefully cleaned it (after I found your website), took pictures and hung it on the living room wall."
This charming painting much resembles the one that hangs in my own home. The vivid colors and brilliant contrast suggests Parker's early style, which probably dates the painting back to the 50s, at least. The canvas measures 12" x 16, frame not included. For more information on this painting, contact Richard and Irma at: rmcguinnes@megalink.net |
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This unique plaque is listed on eBay July 22, 2009 for $39.95. The description reads: " Plaque size is 5" x 9". Marked on back C 50 Special Plaque, Silverton, Colorado. It is unsigned and undated, but the image is from a famous painting by Vern Parker titled "Battle of the Stallions". Published by Petley Studios, circa 1958. Parker is best known as a painter and woodcarver in the 40's and 50's, when he carved gates and signs for the wealthy ranchers of the Santa Ynez, California. His original works are prized by collectors throughout the world. Plaques like this are rarely offered and highly collectable."
| This unique plaque sold on eBay December 14, 2009 for $30.45 to Barbara Mullin. The sale came from Silt, Colorado. The description reads: "Vintage Vern Parker Wall Plaque. Published by Petley Studios in 1955. Parker was a famous wood carver and painter, known for his western scenes. About 6" x 9". In Very Good condition. Vern Parker plaques like this are very scarce. (Note: Postcard is Appaloosa and Arabian Stallions.) Contact for Barbara Mullin: eileen6060@bellsouth.net |
In July, 2009, while waiting for my physcial therapist, I was thumbing through the May, 2009 issue of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC. To my great interest, I came across an article called "Photo Journal" by Drew Gardner. He does a fascinating pictorial journal involving the descendents of famous people. Among his photos were Robert Geronimo, great grandson of Geronimo, famous Chiricahua Apache hero. This grabbed my interest quickly, because the portrait of Geronimo was the inspiration for Vern Parker's "Apache Warrior,' presently housed at the San Juan Historical Archives, Silverton, Colorado. I am sure it will be of interest to the admirers of Vern Parker and his art.
  
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Robert Geronimo, great grandson of the Chiricahua Apache hero. Geronimo, Chircahua Apache hero. Vern Parker's "Apache Warrior." |
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Great Descendents
History is wonderful but nebulous: hard to fathom, harder still to “see.” This project is my attempt to look it in the face, literally. By comparing modern people with their famous forebears—vital figures who shaped the world and continue to influence us—we can learn about how the past is passed on.
To create a pictorial family tree, I have to find descendants, verify lineage, acquire replicable portraits, get props and costumes, build backgrounds, mimic lighting. It’s painstaking and inexact; you can see, for instance, that Geronimo (right, in 1886) and his scion hold slightly different rifles. But the work is worth it, even when ancestry isn’t visually obvious. Most everyone wonders about their genealogy. I’m trying to satisfy that curiosity on a grand historical scale.
More of Drew Gardner’s work can be seen at drewgardner.co.uk.
On December 27, 2009, I received this informative email:
I lucked on to the Vern Parker webpage the other night and thought that I would drop you a note to let you know that my parents were the former owners of the San Pedro Valley newspaper in Benson. They also owned the Superior Sun (may not have the names exactly right). I was born in Benson in 1950 and we moved to Denver when I was very young--probably three or four. I heard about Vern many times during my childhood. My dad told the story of having Vern carve the sign for the newspaper in Benson--seems they even had some photographs of the sign. We have several paintings by Vern--as a matter of fact, if he only painted one "King of the Range," we probably have the original oil painting. We had the painting hung in our living room with a copy of the post card stuck in the frame for most of my life. We have since divided up the paintings (after the death of my father--Henry "Jim" Bradley) and I have a water color of Tucumseh, my brother has a water color of Pontiac, my sister has an oil of Sitting Bull and I believe the King of the Range is with my mother (I will check tomorrow--we will be traveling to her home in Central Arkansas). At one time, we had a small booklet (actually about ten pages of paper held together by a string) of water colored ranch and desert scenes Vern painted as he traveled around Arizona. It was good to get to see the neat webpage and thought you might want to hear from someone who knew something about Vern--my parents used to comment on him frequently when visitors would ask about the paintings. We were always so proud to have originals from someone so talented.
Upon leaving Arizona (probably around 1954), we moved to Denver where my father went to school at the University of Denver and worked for the Denver Post. In 1957 went moved to Arkansas and bought a small weekly newspaper in Alma--I am still in Alma, Arkansas and my parents relocated to Hot Springs in 1970. I don't remember but a little about Benson. We visited Benson about ten years ago for the first time since we moved. I found the old newspaper building in about ten minutes! I could even remember a bit of my childhood activities, even though I was very small when we moved. Again, it was good to see a bit of history on the webpage and catch up on a very talented man.
Regards,
Merrill Bradley
And then, a following email:
I am at my mother's house now and she has given me a bit more of our Benson history. She does not remember all of the details but she indicated that we obtained the paintings and probably the sign for the newspaper by trading out advertising in the San Pedro Valley Sun for Vern's work. The article written about the sign for the Benson newspaper was probably written by my father--Jim Bradley. Until my review of the webpage with my mother, I had not noticed the lady with her copy of the King of the Range---there my be several. The postcard we had was identical to the painting. I will take some pictures and dimensions of the copy and get them to you. My mother could not remember when we moved to Denver from Benson--probably around '53 or '54. I had a sister born in Superior in February 1954--I believe, so it may have been a bit later than that. We bought the Superior Sun after we bought the Benson paper. My mother says there was a lot of "running back and forth" to Superior. I was born in "Mrs. Finn's" hourse---I think my doctor's name was "Fink," but that is a guess--she could not remember either. She does remember that I was the 204th child born in Mrs. Finn's house.
I did not visit any place in Benson other than the old newspaper building. I drove around a bit and tried to figure out what took my mother and father from the East to the West! My mother says my father bought a newspaper "we hadn't even seen!" She thinks he found it through a newspaper directory of some kind. They packed up and moved--and loved Arizona, other than being so far from their families. I drove around Benson and found what I thought was the old newpaper building (from my few recollections) and confirmed that it was the right building with an older fellow who I found sitting on his porch a few blocks away. We lived in the building where the newspaper was housed.
I would love to visit one of these days and catch up on some of the Vern Parker/Benson history. If we ever plan another trip, I will let you folks know. In the meantime, I don't mind you placing my information on the webpage--I might be able to make contact with some of the folks who knew of my parents (Nell and Henry "Jim" Bradley). As mentioned in my other email, I was very young when we left there and my memories of Benson are few (I do remember seeing trains run on the hillsides---I assume they had something to do with the copper mines).
I will attempt to get you some more information on the paintings in our possession and I will check to see if any are dated in any way.
I took a number of pictures of the Parker art that we have. My brother has one watercolor that I will probably not be able to get a copy of but I will send you some of what I have. I may switch to a different email address in that I believe it will be more efficient than Cox's web mail. Also, I may send you the pics in a number of emails simply because of the limitations on email data transmission (there may be better ways to email pics but my skills are certainly limited. If you will, please have the Benson museum director get in touch with me. I am extremely interested in that town's history and what information may be available regarding the newspaper. My mother is 83 and her memory of Benson details weren't very good. What information I have came from my recollection of stories from years ago. Thanks again for your assistance and hopefully my information will be helpful to you.
And then a third email with wonderful photos of Vern Parker art, including the original painting of the very popular postcard, "King of the Range."
Here are some of the King of the Range pictures. I took the picture down and noticed that Vern had made a note on the back. I sent you a copy of the note also. This picture was open on the back and did not have to remove any backing to see the back of the canvas—the other pictures are framed with back plates that I did not want to remove. Although, he may have some notes on them also. I am thinking that this picture was painted between 1950-51 to 1954. That is the period of time my folks and Vern had their relationship. To contact Merrill Bradley: MBradley@baldor.com |
 
Signature of "King of the Range." On the back is written: "Original Black Stallion of Postcards $75.00.
More Vern Parker Art in the Merrill Bradley Collection
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Watercolor signed by Vern Parker, described, "Tecumseh 1768-1813 -Shawnee-" |
 
| Oil Landscape Signature Oil Landscape |
| In December, the following jumbo sized postcards were auctioned on eBay, selling for $33.50. The Tennessee Walking Horse, Western Ponies, and Appaloosa and Arabian Stallions are extremely rare, and are a valuable addition to the buyer's collection. Note King of the Range, also a difficult to find postcard. |
 
In January, 2010, I received this email from Sue Culverhouse of Springfield, Tennessee:
I bought a small oil painting by Vern Parker today. It is about 11 inches by 14 inches. The subject is a pinto stallion with his head up with mountains in the background. The horse is standing on a rock, it appears. On the back in pencil it reads, "Silverton, Colorado 1971." Some numbers have been blacked out on the back. I have read about Mr. Parker's life in Silverton on your web site. Could you tell me an approximate value of this painting? It was out of the frame when I bought it but I have put it in a frame. I am a music and writing teacher in an elementary school and I also am a writer. I write a weekly column for the Robertson County Times and am a staff writer for clarksvilleonline.com; my book is called Seven Keys to a Successful Life. My husband, Bill, is an accomplished sculptor. His web site is culverhouseart.com and you may see some of his sculpture there if you wish. Thank you for any assistance you may give me.
After a follow-up, Sue gave me this additional information:
Here is the picture of the painting I bought recently at a thrift store in Springfield, Tennessee. I would be happy for you to post it on your website. It is dated 1971 on the back and has the location where Mr. Parker was living at the time he painted it also on the back. It is hanging in my music classroom at Watauga Elementary School in Ridgetop, Tennessee.
I am happy to post yet another Vern Parker discovery, thanks to Sue and her will contribution. To contact Sue or Bill, email sue.culverhouse@rcstn.net
| In early April, 2010, I received a most inviting emails:
Hello, my Aunt, Frances Ewing recently passed and left me 2 of Mr. Parker's paintings. I had no idea he was the painter of the Petley postcards I cherished as a child. I thought she told me that she bought one of the paintings and the other was given her by her next door neighbor. I don't see how this could be correct seeing now how famous he was. It was a long time ago that she acquired the Works. Did he ever have a house in Tucson? It would be nice to know if my memories are correct. Would you want any pictures of the paintings to document them? I am not sure how many of his works are out there. One is of a Navajo man saddling a horse and the other is a pallet knife painting of 2 people under a bright canopy of fall trees. I love the paintings and am thrilled to have them.
Brenda Everill, Phoenix, Arizona
Then the second one:
Joanna, Here are the two paintings. I hope they reproduce okay. I am not the best photographer.Thank you so much for the Info on Vern Parker. It is so nice to know about the artist of the paintings. My Aunt and Uncle lived on Timrod street in Tucson and my aunt told me that she would watch the house for the Parker's while they were away for the summer and gave her a painting by way of thanks. I believe it is the smaller painting that was the gift, but I don't really know. That would be the painting of the horse being saddled.(8" x 10") I believe my aunt had that framed. It is sealed on the back so I don't know of any writing that may be on it. The larger one done with the pallet knife (19" x 25") looks to me like it was framed by Mr. Parker himself. That too, I can only surmise. It is open canvas on the back and the frame does look handmade. I have no dates on the paintings. My aunt did get dementia so I was not able to find out much later in her life about the paintings. You have my permission to use the photographs on your web site if you wish.
Thank you, Brenda Everill
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Again, the magnificent display of color and style appears in these most recently discovered paintings. What a find!
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