Q & A

J. T. from Innisfil, Ontario writes:

I was hoping to get an idea of the history and value of a painting I bought last year. The young woman I purchased it from said her parents had brought it to Canada from Germany when they moved here. I don't know when that was. The signature is G Kloss which can faintly be found on the painting and again on the stretcher at the back of the painting. The stretcher manufacturer is Keltz and Meiner in Berlin. I hope it's okay that I sent several pictures. I thought it might help.

We asked Uno Langmann to respond:

Although the signature is hard to read I think it is most likely "G. Kloss". This painting points to being by a German artist, however there is a California artist Gene Kloss (Alice Geneva Glasier Kloss 1904-1996) who travelled and painted extensively in Europe in the 1930's. Our records show that she signed "G. Kloss" and I feel that she may have been the artist of your painting. The stretcher and canvas looks to be from the 1920's or 1930's, but I can find no reference to a German artist G. Kloss of this period.

Should this painting be by the American artist Gene Kloss I would estimate a value of between $1,500. to $2,000 for insurance. I would estimate less ($1,000. to $1,200.) if it was an unrecorded German artist of the early 20th century of this quality.

This is the best we can do from these photographs and hope that this is helpful.