Antique Hand Painting on Glass Ornate Gesso on Wood Frame Schwind - Victorian Cottage/Shabby ChicGlass Painting Circa 1800s

This is an antique frosted glass picture in a large and heavy wood frame from the Victorian era. The tall rectangular picture was hand painted with a white and green floral image, which I believe are roses, on glass. It was made and sold prior to 1895 at a shop run by Ferdinand Schwind of Grand Rapids, Michigan. The original sticker from the shop is still intact on the back - see photo. (To photograph the complete picture, as it is so tall, I had to take it outside and lay it down - second photo.)

The white flower hand painted in reverse on the glass that is inside the frame is wonderfully shabby chic. Much of the paint has fallen off or worn off, and the wood backing of the frame or painting actually shows through and you can see the paint has flaked off. It is very delicate and care would need to be taken to limit further flaking.

The wooden frame is what sets this apart from the others! It is in amazingly good shape for the age - about 120 years old - and very heavy, sturdy and typical of the Victorian era with its ornate Gesso design. The gold accent trim serves to highlight details in the ornate design on this heavy wood wall hanging. Some of the decorative gesso trim has fallen off on the bottom left corner (see close up) and off the top right corner and in other places around this heavy frame but it is still gorgeous.

The original sticker on the back dates from the mid to late 1800s. It says "F. SCHWIND, DEALER IN PICTURES AND DECORATIONS, 32 WEST BRIDGE ST. GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN". After Mr. Schwind's death, the store was then run by the famous painter Mathias Alten who married Mr. Schwind's daughter, Bertha. See note below about this fact.

I have a copy of an obituary clipping from the Wednesday, May 9, 1894 edition of the Grand Rapids Press of Mr. Ferdinand Schwind that validates the age of this frame and lists the address of his store in the write up. I will include a copy of this obituary with this purchase.

Measures 29” x 16” and weighs 15 lbs. This antique wood frame and glass painting is so heavy and delicate that I am only offering shipping to the US.

NOTE:
**The following information is taken from the Mathias Alten Catalog by James Straub to validate the timeframe for this hand painted image on glass that was sold by the F. Schwind store in Grand Rapids, Michigan in the late 1800s.**

In 1895, Mathias Alten marries Bertha L. Schwind. Charles Gibson, pastor of the Peoples Church in Grand Rapids, officiates. The couple operates Schwind and Alten, a paint and wallpaper store at 32 West Bridge Street, formerly owned by Bertha's father, Ferdinand (who died May 9, 1894). Alten advertises himself as a "Scenic Artist" and designs an academically drawn advertisement for Schwind and Alten reading, "Sign writing in all its branches. Church and frescoing in any style of ornamentation. Theatrical work a specialty."

I do not know if this painting is by Mathias Alten but it is similar in style to his early works.