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Estate of Richard and Shirley Roberts, Virginia Beach, Virginia | October 29, 2026

Thu, Oct 29, 2026 10:30AM EDT
  2026-10-29 10:30:00 2026-10-29 10:30:00 America/New_York Brunk Auctions Brunk Auctions : Estate of Richard and Shirley Roberts, Virginia Beach, Virginia | October 29, 2026 https://live.brunkauctions.com/auctions/brunk/estate-of-richard-and-shirley-roberts-virginia-beach-virginia-october-29-2026-23916
Dick & Shirley Roberts assembled a world-class collection of American furniture, paintings, maps, early Catesby prints, silver and porcelain, working with top dealers including Israel Sack, Liverant & Son, Deanne Levison, Arader, Shrubsole and others. Major centers of furniture making are represented: Boston, Portsmouth, Newport, Connecticut, Philadelphia and Charleston, with paintings by Jane Peterson, JC Beckwith, Childe Hassam, Willard Metcalf & Edmund Tarbell, among others. Silver by John Ewan, John Carter, Robert Reading, extensive selection of Francis I pattern; and early Chinese export. Brunk Auctions support@brunkauctions.com
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Edmund Tarbell
Lot 594

Edmund Tarbell

Estimate: $20,000 - $30,000
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$10,000
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(American, 1862-1938)

My Favorite Doll, 1918, signed lower right "Tarbell 1918", oil on canvas, 22-1/4 x 18-1/4 in.; original period gilt and painted wood frame, 26-3/4 x 22-3/4 x 2-1/2 in.

Provenance: Thomas E. Kirby, New York, NY; by descent to his son, Gustavus Kirby; by descent to his daughter Wilhelmine Kirby Waller, the sitter; Northeast Auctions, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, May 22, 2005, lot 774; Northeast Auctions, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, March 9-10, 2013, lot 217, sold for $73,500; The Levison and Cullen Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia, March 15, 2013. This lot is accompanied by a copy of the original sales receipt for $79,750; Estate of Richard and Shirley Roberts, Virginia Beach, Virginia

Literature: Patricia Jobe Pierce and John Douglas Ingraham. Edmund C. Tarbell and the Boston School of Painting, 1889-1980, 1980 (addenda). A certificate attesting to inclusion in this catalog raisonne (as Portrait of Wilhelmine Stewart Kirby), signed by the author, is attached to the original backing board.

Note: The original owner of this painting, Thomas Ellis Kirby, was an important figure in the American art market. Along with James Sutton and R. Austin Robertson, Kirby co-founded the American Art Association in New York City in 1883. An art gallery and auction house devoted to promoting American artists. AAA merged with Anderson Galleries in 1929, and not long after, that firm was taken over by a group of former AAA employees, including Mr. Parke and Mr. Bernet and Parke-Bernet Galleries was formed. In 1964, they were bought by Sotheby's.

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Thomas E. Kirby, New York, NY; by descent to his son, Gustavus Kirby; by descent to his daughter Wilhelmine Kirby Waller, the sitter; Northeast Auctions, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, May 22, 2005, lot 774; Northeast Auctions, Portsmouth, New Hampshire, March 9-10, 2013, lot 217, sold for $73,500; The Levison and Cullen Gallery, Atlanta, Georgia, March 15, 2013. This lot is accompanied by a copy of the original sales receipt for $79,750; Estate of Richard and Shirley Roberts, Virginia Beach, Virginia

original stretchers and canvas, areas of pigment related fluorescenceï¼› frame with minimal wear Note - Brunk Auctions makes every effort to offer accurate and thorough information, but encourages prospective bidders to inspect items in person whenever possible. Condition statements are provided as a courtesy for general guidance and should not be considered complete or definitive. They do not represent a warranty or assumption of liability by Brunk Auctions. Certain condition issues may not be specifically noted in the report but may be visible in the accompanying photographs, which are considered part of the overall condition report. Please refer to our Terms of Sale for complete information and contact us for additional photos or information as needed.

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