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Antique F. G. Coover Co. \"Coover\'s Studies\" China Painting Portfolio (Partial)Original Watercolor Treatment & Cover • Lincoln, Nebraska • c. 1915–1922
Offered is a scarce surviving portion of an original instructional portfolio published by the F. G. Coover Company of Lincoln, Nebraska, one of America\'s early commercial china-painting schools and mail-order suppliers during the golden age of china painting.
Included are:
- Original illustrated cover
- Coover\'s Studies
- Outlines & Watercolor Treatments for China
- One original watercolor treatment (study sheet) featuring an elegant peacock-inspired decorative design created as a color guide for decorating porcelain or china.
About F. G. Coover
During the early twentieth century, F. G. Coover Company advertised nationally in Keramic Studio, America\'s leading publication devoted to china painting and ceramic decoration. The company offered:
- China painting instruction
- Correspondence (mail-order) courses
- Original decorative studies
- Outline transfers
- Watercolor treatments
- Design rentals
- China painting supplies
By the early 1920s, Coover had expanded into a substantial commercial enterprise, publishing catalogs containing thousands of decorative china-painting designs.
This surviving portfolio fragment represents one of those instructional studies produced for students and decorative artists.
About the Watercolor Study
The watercolor treatment is not a finished painting, but an original instructional study demonstrating the intended colors and decorative techniques for painting porcelain.
The stylized peacock feather motif reflects the strong Art Nouveau influence that characterized American china painting during the 1910s and early 1920s.
Comparable designs appeared in period publications such as Keramic Studio, making this an excellent example of the decorative art movement that flourished in America before the Great Depression.
Details
Title:
Coover\'s Studies
Subtitle:
Outlines & Watercolor Treatments for China
Publisher:
F. G. Coover Company
Location:
Lincoln, Nebraska
Estimated Date:
Circa 1915–1922
Contents:
- Original decorative cover
- One original watercolor treatment/study
Condition
This is an incomplete portfolio, consisting of the original cover and one surviving watercolor treatment sheet.
Both pieces remain in good antique condition for their age.
Cover
- Light age toning
- Minor edge wear
- Handling wear consistent with age
Watercolor Treatment
- Attractive original color
- Light age toning
- Minor handling wear
- Well preserved overall
Please review all photographs carefully, as they form an important part of the description.
