The Mystery Of A 100 Year Old Watercolor Kit
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- Опубліковано 29 вер 2024
- I dive into the mysteries of this antique watercolor palette and its former owner. I pay homage to its history by creating a painting of the old owners home in Bournemouth, Hampshire, England. Thanks to some awesome subscribers for the information and the ideas for painting. To support the channel please consider a membership or contribution at: buymeacoffee.c...
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Video production and content: Marty Owings
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Bach Cello Suite #1 - Cooper Cannell
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This is fantastic, I’m so happy I was able to help! I also got a bit obsessed with this story and tried to find out more, especially how the box made it across the big pond 😊 I will try to summarise what I learned, maybe it will take a few comments… And what a wonderful idea to paint the house with his colours - it turned out beautifully!!
Jane née Pocock was indeed Alfred’s mother. I found her marriage certificate from 1902 with Alfred Joseph Matthews, who was 21 at the time and working as a ship steward.
@@brigitteitg Bingo. Great work! That's awesome and helps answer that question. That creates another question about whatever happened to Alfred Joe Matthews??? Originally you mentioned you correlated the address with the census info, but I couldn't find a way to do that. How'd you track down the address? Anyway, I really appreciate your detective work on this. Unraveling the mystery of this one item has been really awesome.
@@owingsart What great work. To me it makes sense that Alfred and his Mother would lodge with her parents whilst her husband was away at sea. ( UK Censuses only record those present on that specific day.) Bournemouth is only 25 miles from the port of Southampton where the transatlantic liners like the Queen Mary sailed from. Perhaps the Mathews eventually emigrated to the USA as a family if he had that connection ?
@@owingsart I’m mainly looking on the Ancestry database and the census shows the address, sometimes on the next page. I found the 1921 census information for the address too and Alfred was still living there with his mother (no other relatives mentioned). He was 16 and working as an apprentice in an electrical supplies store. It’s interesting that his mother was described as single in 1911 and widowed in 1921. However, another Ancestry user has the dad filed as immigrant to Canada with another family, where he died in 1942. I couldn’t completely verify this version as the birth years don’t always match, but that’s not unusual for records of this time. There seems to be a social security record of him in the USA. It does seem that the father wasn’t part of their lives. Alfred got married in 1929 and died in 1971 in Wales.
@@brigitteitgwhat a wonderful research! Thanks for sharing all that information. It certainly offers a deeper view about Albert's life.
This was fun to watch. What a great antique to find. It really fires up the imagination about Alfred's life. Great job on the rendering too. Fantastic idea to paint the house.
Thank you Steve. I'm about halfway through the Grand Canyon video and loving it. Thanks for the comment my friend.
Lovely. 💖👍
Many many thanks!
Fascinating!
Wonderful commentary, Marty! I agree it is likely a Reeves palette. Next step is to frame your painting in a vintage frame and display it with the Paint box or in a shadow box. Make sure you sign it and someday someone else will have the collection and looking you up!
Thanks for the kindness Paulah. Good things to consider for sure. Not so sure the painting is, "frame", worthy, but I am humbled you think it is. Hope you have a great day!
Sadly it was frequent in Alfred's time for the child of an unmarried daughter to be brought up by his grandparents as their own, believing their Mother was their sister.( This happened in the past in my own family to give legitimacy to a child when an unwed mother would have brought real shame on all the family and also blighted the child's life.) I am however cheered that he was obviously loved enough to be given what was a quite an expensive good quality paintbox and so happy that times have now changed. What an excellent idea this was and a great painting. Thank you.
Thank you for the comments and insights. I'm glad times have changed and this isn't a stigma anymore. It sounds like Jane was married to a man named Alfred Matthews (same as son). So it sounds like the Pocock family took Jane and young Alfred in. Beyond that, we don't know the circumstances as it was likely a private family member. Thanks for watching!
One of the best narrators in the game! I wish you narrated audiobooks because I'd snap those up. Sooo glad you are uploading frequently again. Love the history you share in your videos about people, products, companies and places you visit. Lovely house painting as well. You're a treasure, Marty.
Wow! That's high praise and not sure I can live up to it, but I sure appreciate the kindness. Thanks for taking the time to be kind and thoughtful.
My grandfather, who lived in England, sent me Reeves watercolour palettes every year. We had left England when I was three. When I was eight, he sent me a black metal Winsor and Newton palette for my birthday. I think he was aware it was the last gift he would give me before he died from cancer. When I was 10, we moved cities in a company paid move and my mother tossed my beautiful watercolour palette out. Otherwise I would still have it. I remember repeatedly taking out the little pans of paint and marvelling at the names of the colours. Love this story about an English schoolboy, and what was very probably a cherished possession.
Wow alisonjames8082, that's a wonderful story of your own. Sounds like your Grandfather really hoped you'd enjoy watercolor painting. Hope you are still exploring art. Thank you for sharing this and for taking the time to comment and to watch the video. All the best, Marty
@@owingsart thank you for your kind comment. I have become a collector of watercolour palettes, and have way more than are sane. My grandfather did bookbinding - the Morocco leather and gold leaf kind - and drew really well. Yes, I love making art and I love your channel.
@@alisonjames8082 Bookbinding is an art all on it's own. Making good books takes tremendous talent and patience. I went down lots of YT rabbit holes when I was learning about bookbinding for my little sketchbooks, it really is an art. That's really cool and I hope you have a book or two from him. Thank you for sharing this and the support.
I feel like you should do a painting of the palette too, as a companion painting to the house. For posterity. I absolutely love this story and video ❤
I'll consider it. Thanks for the suggestion and the kind remarks.
It's a detached house rather than a semi-detached (duplex) or terrace (rowhouse), so we can infer that the family was middle class and reasonably well off but not necessarily wealthy.
Young Master Alfred would have attended a "public" (private) school rather than the local free school for working class kids, another indication that his family was of better than average means.
Alfred was a grandson, legitimate or not, raised as a son of the (maternal?) grandparents. Perhaps his actual mother was a widow and Matthews was her married name.
My story for Matthew is that he emigrated to the USA, had a family of his own, and when he passed away his heirs let his belongings go in an estate sale, where an antique dealer bought the paint set and perhaps other things.
I would start looking for him in your own community. Perhaps he has descendants who might be delighted to see a portrait of their great-granddad's childhood home.
Great info and some nice leads here. It looks like Edward Socock's occupation was was listed as RETIRED COMMERCIAL TRAVELLER FANCY GOTHS. Not sure what that means though. I did spend some time trying to track down the Mathew's here, however there are just loads of Mathews.
WOW! Just WOW! All of it. The story, the contributions of the viewers, your research, the painting. I wonder if descendants of Alfred see this video at some point. Awesome!
Thank you so much for the kind words and fro checking out the video. It's nice to think that maybe a descendant will see this someday and remember Alfred.
This has been great to follow. Love your rendering of the home.
Thank you for watching and the kind remarks.
Thank you Mr. Owings. And thank you Alfred!!! 👉👦👈 🎉🎊🎉🎊
Thank you for the kind comment.
This story is so fascinating. I love that you and your subscribers did so much research and were able to sketch and use the paints from the paint tin belonging to the subject of your research. So cool! Thanks.
Thank you so much for the comment and for taking the time to watch.
❤❤❤❤ I loved this so much!❤❤❤❤
Thank you so much for sharing the painting and the story.
Thank YOU for watching it CarolSue.
I love everything about this so much! I teach technical theatre and love bringing together history and art. It's what we do in theatre to design shows. My colleagues share this passion too.
Thank you for sharing this wonderful art history journey and tying it together with the found object. What a rare find and surreal experience! (UA-cam really needs a "love" option above just the "thumbs up".)
Awwww, this is so awesome and kind of you. Technical theatre sounds like a blast. Thanks for watching and thanks for taking the time to comment.
Why wouldn't Americans know what surname means? Lol I'm American and I knew. Js. Also, you're incredibly talented.
Not sure, but many people don't seem to know what that means, even in context. Thank you for the kind remarks and for watching. Much appreciated.
Voice quality, music, history, thoughtful commentary, beautiful painting: all add up to an extraordinary video. Thanks, Marty, for bringing us along in this adventure. You have a true gift for this combination of history, art and story-telling. I super appreciate it!! ❤
Wow! Thanks so much for the support and the kind remarks.
What a romantic story! Great idea for a video. Thank you for bringing it to us. And, thank you for a lesson in grisaille, Marty. Maybe in the near future you could continue using more of the colors in a painting. Hmm. Bournemouth landscape? Different angles (since you have a 3/4 right image)? I guess that you might not want to deplete these historic colors, but it would be cool to see more and hear more if additional info becomes available. Again, thank you! 15:59
Great ideas and I'll consider them. I always wish I had more time for things like this, but life keeps pestering me for other duties. Thank you so much for the kind remarks and taking the time to watch the video. There might be a part 3 in the future at some point. 🙂
Beautiful picture and video. Those houses would have originally had a front garden with fence and a path up to the front door. I guess it will always be a puzzle as to how that paint tin ended up in America.
Thank you for the comments. I'll keep digging for a while. Sometimes there are more dead ends than wed like.
Such a wonderful painting you've done and a tribute to this young boy. I think that it would be a wonderful idea for all of us to maybe at your name address and age at the time on the backs of our pallets. That way someday someone will know where they came from as well. Carrying the past into the future helps us to know more about where we came from and where we're going.
That's a great idea and something I mean to do soon. Thanks for watching the video and for taking the time to leave a nice comment.
Delightful picture, Marty! What a nice hommage to Alfred Matthews. I am glad you liked my suggestion! I also went down a rabbit hole and gound out Matthews seems to be a common name in Northern Ireland. Perhaps Mr Matthews left NI for his job and they settled in Alfred's mother's place? I ❤ everything about this story: the doscovery of the tin, the swatching, the community sleuthing and, finally, your lovely painting. I hope someone down Mr. Matthews's family line finds this and can share more.of the story. Thanks ever so much, Marty!
Hi BerolinaStrassmann - Thank you so much for your great suggestion. Seems like the rest of the channel subs loved it as well. So many mysteries involved when you try to track down common folks who didn't have histories written about them or weren't infamous/Famous in some way. I think the hunt for clues is great fun and so happy to have the help from the great people on the channel. I hope you stay in touch as there might be a part 3 coming. 🙂
@@owingsart ooohh! A cliffhanger! I will be there for it.
What a wonderful and thoughtful painting to create. You never know who this video may be passed on to . Thanks Marty.
Thank you kindly for the comment and for watching. It's like putting a message in a bottle.
Such an awesome story! It's so nice to appreciate something old and wonder about It's history!
Might be a part 3 coming Francinebrown1944. 🙂
@@owingsart cool!
This was a little, delicious poetry...
Thank you!!
Hullo Marty, I am enjoying watching this video and your voyage into the past and how it was sparked by a name and address on a watercolor palette that you purchased in a second hand shop! I thought your version of the home created from your curiosity and the paints in this old palette! Well done sir, thank you.
Thank you kindly and I really appreciate that you took time to leave a few kind words here. Thanks for checking out the video, it was a fun mini-project..
Thank you for a very interesting video. It’s wonderful that you were able to get all the information that you did, and then do the painting!
Glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for watching! 🙏😊
Marty, what a compelling video of the history and imagined life of a young boy and his watercolor palette from so long ago! You did a marvelous job and your viewers are to be commended on their contribution!!!! Thank you so much for taking us along on this wonderful journey!
Thank you for the kind comments and for watching. This is was fun mini-project and I'm so glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for being a kind human.
Loved this video Marty, thank you for sharing the adventure and your beautiful painting.
@@dneel468 Thanks for the kind words and for taking the time to watch. 🙏😊
What an adventure through a time travel machine disguised as a palette!
Nice drawing of the house.
This would be an awesome magical Time Machine. Might make a great sci-fi story. 🙂
What wonderful fresh content, Marty. Thank you for taking us along for the ride!
Thank you for watching and taking the time to leave a nice comment.
What a wonderful hommage!
Thank you for watching. Much appreciated.
Makes me want to sign my own palette, maybe someone will find it one day too
@@amazingdollart4676 I think this made a lot of us think the same thing. Appreciate the comment and thanks for watching.
What a great mystery that must be solved!
Thanks for watching!
That was lovely!
We still use the word Miliner herein the UK.😁🇬🇧👍
Hat makers. :-)
Definitely enjoyed listening to the story while you created. Beautiful piece. Thanks Marty!
Hi Pete - Thanks a done for the comment and for checking out the video my friend. If anyone else is reading this, please go check out Pete's channel at: www.youtube.com/@IllustrationsByPete
@@owingsart Thanks Marty! I appreciate you. 🙂
Great video ! I really enjoyed it !😊
Glad you enjoyed it!
Wonderful story Marty!
Thanks for watching Wendy.
I still have my watercolor from when I was 10 or so… it is over 50 years old. I replaced the paint in it and am still using it!!!
Did you put your name on it somewhere for posterity sake? 🙂
@@owingsart No, I didn’t want to ruin it! That was something the boys did. 😆
Food for thought perhaps mister Matthews as a child never made it to adulthood and The Grieving couple his favorite things away I know it's sad but it could be. After the family moved to America Maybe the Boy passed away with some kind of sickness or perhaps an accident. It seems to me is Mr Matthews would have been an artist any length of time in his life he would have used all of the watercolors. Food for thought😢.... thank you so much for the research that you have done Define the owner of this ten.( H o w treasure) ... so fascinating and interesting❤ thank you for sharing.
In addition to my statement. Maybe the Boy was left in England and only a few of his favorite things we're able to remain with the grieving family😢
Are very soon after moving to America became ill or had an accident any favorite favorite thing was treasure from The Grieving family😢
Thanks to the fine research of BrigitteITG we can follow Mr. Matthews from birth until his passing. Planning to explore more of this in an upcoming episode, which will be part 3 in this fascinating journey. Thank you for the comments and for watching the video. Stay tuned for part 3 to learn what really happened to Mr. Matthews.
Such a lovely video!
You are so kind! Thank you!
This is the best kind of content.
@@marielouiseweeksb33attitud33 Thank you! 😊
That was awesome ❤
Thank you Carolyn.
Art is history.
Yes!
💙 TY