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Art Wanted: Sell your 19th Century Ship Portrait
 

We are looking for works by:

Artist:
Lai Fong (Indian-Chinese, active c. 1887-1910) - Oilpaintings on canvas
Place:
Worked and lived in Calcutta, India.
Motifs:
Ship Portraits of sailing vessels, often four-masted barques.
Prices:
Oilpaintings starting at BP 750 (Great Britain), Euro 1,200 (Continental Europe) or $ 2,000 (in the USA) for unsigned works. For very large, full signed, calm sea ship portraits of certain full-rigged ships in very good original condition and frame we pay up to 7,000 Dollars. Prices depend on subject, size, date, quality and condition. Please send us an e-mail to receive an exact offer for your painting (free of charge for persons considering to sell their painting).
Notes:
Lai Fong was the leading pierhead painter in Calcutta, who produced a remarkable number of large size oil on canvas portraits of sailing vessels from all over the world. His style is rather monotonous, but the ship itself is accurately depicted, and even the sea is painted realisticly, something which is not often found with Chinese artists. Information about the artist and his oeuvre can also be found in our book "Ship Portrait Artists".
Contact:
The FineArtEmporium is interested in the direct purchase of fine works by Lai Fong and can pay a good price. Please refer to our page "Contact" and send an e-mail to bais@gmx.de with the information requested there. You will receive an answer usually within 48-72 hours (up to a week in rare cases).

Example of a picture by Lai Fong:

Image of Lai Fong Painting

Ship Portrait of the British four-masted Ship "Liverpool II" 1898, the full-rigged ship at calm sea, signed, inscribed "Calcutta" and dated, Oil on canvas, 61 x 85 cm, good condition, ex-collection of the maritime historian Holm-Petersen in Troense, Private Collection Northern Germany - Note: the typical signature of the artist is as follows:

, but not all of his works are signed.

Lai Fong
Known works in Private Collections and in the Art Trade - Fine Art Emporium World Register of Ship Portraits

*Andorinha* c. 1898 – The English four–masted Barque under full sail at calm sea – 64 x 90cm – not signed, but well attributed to Lai Fong

*Andorinha* 1898 – The English four–masted Barque under full sail at sea – 89 x 148cm – signed, inscribed "Calcutta" and dated – this is supposed to be the largest painting ever done by Lai Fong - Private Collection in Great Britain

*Aubepine* 1887 – Portrait of the British full-rigged Ship at sea – 65 x 90 cm – signed and dated - Private Collection Great Britain

*Avoca* – Portrait of the British full-rigged Ship – 65 x 88 cm – attributed to Lai Fong

*Avon* 1893 – The English Ship under full sail at sea – 66 x 90 cm – signed, inscribed "Calcutta" and dated - Private Collection in Germany

*Avon* 1898 – The English Ship under full sail at sea and in a gale (two oilpaintings – a pair) – each 72 x 96 cm – signed, inscribed "Calcutta" and dated

*Bann* 1898 – Portrait of the British Clipper in calm sea – 64 x 87 cm – signed and dated - Private Collection in Great Britain

*British Peer* 1893 – Portrait of the English iron full–rigged Ship – 25 x 38 cm – signed and dated

*Beech Bank* 1898 – Portrait of the Clipper Ship under full sail at sea – 86 x 137 cm – signed and dated - Private Collection in the USA

*County of Linlithgow* 1898 – English sailing vessel under shortened sails in a gale – 61 x 86 cm – signed and dated - European Collection

*County of Roxburgh* 1893 – The English four–masted full–rigged Ship under full sail at sea – 62 x 85 cm – signed and dated - American Collection

*County of Roxburgh* 1892 – The English four–masted full–rigged Ship in a storm – 62 x 87 cm – signed and dated - American Collection

*County of Sekirk* – English four–masted full–rigged Ship at sea – attributed by the compiler to Lai Fong – 66 x 90 cm – Private Collection in Germany

*Dalcairnie* c. 1895 – The English Barque under shortened sails in stormy seas – 44 x 57 cm – signed – good condition, in the original maple frame

Lai Fong Painting

Ship Portrait of the Scotish four-masted barque *Dowan Hill* in the Indian Ocean, ca. 1895 - the barque is shown on the high sea with a steamer in the far distance - Oil on canvas on original China Trade stretcher, 45 by 60 cm (17 3/4 by 23 5/8 inch), with frame 52 x 67 cm (20 1/2 by 26 3/8 inch) - inscribed on the bow with the ship`s name - usual China Trade crackle (not extensive), small repair in the sky, only few areas with inpaint, good condition, period frame - Private Collection Germany

Note: This China Trade painting can clearly be attributed to Lai Fong, who worked from 1890 to 1910 in Calcutta. The Dowan Hill was built in 1893 and is flying the house flag of J.R. Dickson & Co. from Glasgow. Please refer to the illustration page for more information. Photo Copyright is with the FineArtEmporium.

*Dunskeig* – The English full–rigged Ship under full sail at sea – 66 x 89 cm – not signed, but well attributed to Lai Fong

*Dunstaffnage* 1898 – Iron four–masted Barque from Liverpool shown in fair weather – 62 x 88 cm – signed, dated and inscribed "Calcutta" – very nice work, appeared in original and good condition (was under glass) 1995 on the art market - British Collection

*Emms* 1905 – The English full–rigged Steelship in a storm – 62 x 92cm – signed, inscribed "Calcutta" and dated – good condition

*Ganges* 1892 – The English Barque under full sail on the open sea – 63 x 87 cm – signed and dated – Private European Collection

*George R. Skofield* 1892 – Portrait of The American full-rigged Ship – 66 x 89 cm – signed and dated - American Collection

*Holkar* 1899 – The English four–masted Barque under full sails at sea with a steamer in the distance – 61 x 83 cm – signed, inscribed "Calcutta" and dated

China Trade Painting

Large Portrait of the Scotish Ship *Janet Cowan* mastering a Storm, ca. 1880s - the large three-masted sailing ship at high sea and with reduced sails - Oil on canvas, 65 by 89 cm (25 / 1/2 by 35 inch), with frame 78 x 102 cm (27 1/2 by 39 inch) - inscribed on the bow with ship`s name - relined, usual China Trade crackle, small sign of age and expert restoration in the sky, overall good condition - Private Collection, Tokyo, Japan

Note:
This China Trade painting can be attributed to Lai Fong, who worked as a China Trade artist in Calcutta. The Janet Cowan was built in 1866 in Greenock (later refit) for the Scotish owner, Shankland in Greenock. It was a large ship of 217 feet and measured at 1278 tons. Photo Copyright is with the FineArtEmporium. Click here or on the image to see larger illustrations

*Lynton* c. 1895 – The English four–masted Barque under full sail at calm sea with a steamer in the distance – 45 x 60cm – not signed, but well attributed

*Obanasia* Captain Abraham Greig 1893 – The English four–masted Barque under full sail at sea – 32 x 42 cm – signed, dated and inscribed "Calcutta"

*Pass of Melfort* 1898 – The English four–masted Barque under full sail at calm sea and in a cyclone in the Bay of Bengal Dec. 27th 1897 (two paintings – a pair) – each 65 x 89cm – signed, inscribed "Calcutta" and dated - Private Collection in Great Britain

*The Highfields* 1896 – Portrait of the four-masted Barque - 63 x 89 cm - signed "Lai Fong" inscribed "Calcutta" and dated

*Trafalgar* 1889 – Portrait of the English iron four–masted Barque – 55 x 84 cm – signed and dated – very nice work by Lai Fong in good condition

*Waterloo* – English four–masted full–rigged Ship at sea – attributed by the compiler to Lai Fong – 62 x 92 cm – restored - Italian Collection

*Woolton* 1892 – Portrait of the three–masted British Sailing Vessel – 43 x 59 cm – signed and dated

Please note, that we have no photos or additional information about the above ship(s) or painting(s). The paintings shown on this page are only shown as examples of works by the artist and are NOT for sale. If you are interested to check paintings available for purchase please refer to our For Sale Category.


Detail

Please note, that we have no photos or additional information about the above ship(s) or painting(s). The paintings are only shown as examples of works by the artist and are NOT for sale. If you are interested to check paintings available for purchase please refer to our For Sale Category. Thank you


Detail
Our company was founded in 1989 in Hamburg, participate in our long Experience with Fine Maritime Arts and Antiques. Copyright © by Karsten Buchholz 2006