Orrin Peck

"The Rug Merchant"

In the early 1900's, Impressionist Painter Orin Peck, long time San Francisco resident and boyhood friend of William Randolph Hearst (his portrait of Heart is in San Simion with others of his paintings, and he was Hearst's best man in his second wedding), had his office in the Palace Hotel in San Francisco until his death in 1921. Every Wednesday afternoon a Persian Rug Merchant would set up his stall in front of the Hotel, and Peck painted this portrait of the man.

The medium is oil on canvas. Size is 19-1/2" x 15-1/2" (sight size); 28" x 23-1/2" (overall frame).

Appraised January 12, 2000 by William and Catherine Hemmerdinger, Fine Art and Appraisal.

From the Official Appraisal:

"A superior painting by an established California master. Rare and desirable. Orrin Peck was a popular and inspired artist working in San Francisco at the turn of the last century. The artist studied in England and France. Where Peck became best known for his work which utilize expressive brushstroke in a post-Impressionist style. He was a accomplished portrait painter known for his extraordinary portraise of children. These projects were commissioned by members of wealthy shipping families. He also completed numerous celebrity portraits of entertainers, opera singers, musicians and Hollywood film personalities. Peck traveled widely in California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, Oregon and Washington. The artist always returned to the bay area where he taught painting and drawing at the San Francisco Art Museum School. the artist maintained a studio in the Palace Hotel, San Francisco, California until his death. This painting depicts a well-known oriental rug merchant who operated a stall on the sidewalk outside the Palace Hotel. Various markings on the verso as follows: "sanborn vat co" "rug merchant". Portfolios of Peck works and illustrations were reprinted in the Hearst newspapers; the Sacramento Bee and the New York Daily News. His works are in the permanent collections of the Oakland Museum, Oakland, California; J. Paul Getty Museum of Art, Malibu, California; deSaisset Musum of Art, Univeristy of Santa Clara, Santa Clara, California; Laguna Art Museum, Laguna Beach, California; California Center of the Arts, Escondido, California; Santa Paula Historical Society, Santa Paula, California; Public Library, City of Oakland, Oakland, California; Palace of the Legion d'Honour; State of California, Sacramento, California; Crocker Art Gallery, Sacramento, California; University of California, Berkeley.

"Peck was collected widely by distinguished private collectors. His works are in the family collections or the estates of numerous early California collectors: William Randolph Hearst; E. B. Crocker; Pearl McCallum McManus; Conrad Buff; William Reynolds; W. E. McClatchy; Mary Pickford; Douglas Fairbanks, Jr.and Lawrence Powell. Peck is listed in Patricia Pate-Havlice, Index of Artistic Biography, Metuchen, New Jersey: The Scarecrow Press, 1981; Daniel Trowbridge Mallett, Index of Artists, New York: Peter Smith, 1948. The painting has excellent family provenance. Artist, artists's wife, to family of present owner (see description below)....

(On file, list of dealers who handle artwork of this or similar nature)

...A review of international public and private sales comparables indicates a range of value from $45,000 on the high end for a major work in good condition, downards to $1,000.00 for a minor work in fair condition. Some specific sales comparables include: $19,500.00 (1999); $3,460.00 (1999); $14,500 (1999); $17,400.00 (1998); $15,000.00 (1998); $16,600.00 (1998). A recent sale of note: Western Landscape, initialed on verso, oil on board, 8 3/4" x 12", oil on board, which sold on 09-18-98 at Milwaukee Auction Galleries, 318 North Water, Milwaukee, Wisconsin 53202, (414) 271-1150 for $16,500.00. According to pertinent data preserved in our confidential client files (HFAA reference # A-10-00), a recent sale price for another painting from a similar series, was $14,950.00.

Value: $18,500.00 (as of appraisal date 12 January 2000)

The painting, "The Rug Merchant," by Orrin Peck, came into my possession through my step-mother Mrs. Marcella Willis Rose. It had been in her family through her aunt, her father's sister, Mary Marcella Willis, who was good friends with Janet Peck and her brother, the artist Orrin Peck.

Mary Marcella Willis was born in San Francisco in the1870's and lived in a little cottage on 23rd Street in the Mission District of San Francisco. She worked as a bookkeeper at the law offices of Bancroft Whitney, founded in 1856, corner of McCallister and Hyde, in San Francisco. Janet and her brother Orrin Peck had stock in the company of Bancroft Whitney, and Mary Willis became good friends with both of them through their association together at the law offices.

Janet and Orrin were owners of the SAnborn Ranch in old Los Altos, and at that time a Mr. Sanborn was president of Bancroft Whitney, law book publishers. Janet and Orrin Peck also had a residence in San Francisco, in a big Victorina home.

Mary Willis was given this original painting by the artist Orrin Peck himself, and considered it one of her treasured possessions. Upon her death during the 1920's, Orrin Peck's painting "The Rug Merchant" went to Mr. and Mrs. Edward Norton Willis, Mary Willis' brother and his wife, Vera. It stayed with Vera Willis at 1739 McGee Avenue, Berkeley, California, until her death in 1960.

In 1960 the painting was passed to my stepmother Marcella Willis Rose, second wife of Roderick Rose, my father. They lived on Stone Pine Lane in Menlo Park until 1993, when they moved to 1860 Tice Creek Drive in Walnut Creek, and the painting was given to me in Indian Wells, California.

I had the painting appraised by William Hemmerdinger, Ph.D. who told me at the time he first saw the painting that he could tell immediately that it was an Orrin Peck, for he had just finished appraising a collection of Peck's work for the William Randolph Hearst, Jr. Collection.

My step-mother Marcella Willis Rose has always told me that this painting was called "The Rug Merchant" because once a week the man would be in front of the Palace Hotel selling his Persian Rugs. The artist, Orrin Peck, maintained a studio in the Palace Hotel in San Francisco, until his death in 1921, so in this original piece, he was depicting a familiar scene.

(Signed) Karen Rose Beckwith

To purchase this paiting, interested parties may contact agent for the sale: Karen Krooskos (619)697-7269 karen@karenskitchen.com