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ID #SA769329
FOR SALE
£1,650
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"Four Kittens". Lovely Oil by Bessie Bamber.
For sale by William Greenwood Fine Art
for sale €1,931     $2,096
£1,650

William Greenwood Fine Art

Sellingantiques Verified Since Oct 2012
Browse dealers 220 items
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Id #SA769329
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"Four Kittens". Lovely Oil by Bessie Bamber.

1900 - 1920
Description

Title: "Four Kittens".

Artist: Bessie Bamber. (1870-1910).

Signed with monogram and dated 1903.

Oil on wood panel.

Size: 9"x 18". Framed size: 13.25"x 22.5" x 2".

Now in very good ready to hang condition. Free UK delivery.

A lovely charming painting. For more information please contact us at:

Tel: 01677 424830

Mob: 07885 175279

Email: williamgreenwoodfineart@gmail.com

Trade enquiries welcome.

Bessie Bamber lived and worked in Liverpool, and specialised in painting cats and kittens. She normally signed her paintings with a monogram, and often painted on ivorine, glass and wood panel.

Bamber’s style is detailed and her pictures are always carefully wrought. She was a clever creator of composition, her kittens are never mere portraits, but usually illustrated playing and surrounded by objects such as cotton reels, baskets, etc.

Bessie Bamber painted at around the turn of the century - her pictures have always attracted a wide following and are sought after by collectors today..

Date of Manufacture

William Greenwood Fine Art has dated this Victorian Kitten Oil Painting to the 1900s.

Independent Date Guide ID 06385303
Dealer's Item Date1900s
Sellingantiques Date1900s
Sellingantiques agingItem 115-130 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to THE 1900s:
Dated 1903 with monogram lower right: fixes the year of painting.
Fine craquelure across the pale fur: natural drying of old oil paint.
Solid timber panel with dark oxidisation to the reverse: many decades of exposure.
Exposed natural grain in the background: typical method for this artist.

This Independent Date Guide was compiled by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. It works only from the photographs shown on this page and is never told the date the dealer has declared. It is a guide, not a guarantee of age, and occasional errors can occur.

Physical Dimensions
Height
34cm (13.39")
Width
54.5cm (21.46")
Depth
5cm (1.97")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Reference
SA769329
Description
Title: "Four Kittens".

Artist: Bessie Bamber. (1870-1910).

Signed with monogram and dated 1903.

Oil on wood panel.

Size: 9"x 18". Framed size: 13.25"x 22.5" x 2".

Now in very good ready to hang condition. Free UK delivery.

fig 1. A horizontal oil painting depicting four fluffy kittens resting on straw against a wooden background, set within a heavily carved gilt frame.
fig 1. "Four Kittens". Lovely Oil by Bessie Bamber.

A lovely charming painting. For more information please contact us at:

Tel: 01677 424830

Mob: 07885 175279

fig 2. A horizontal oil painting depicting four fluffy kittens resting on straw against a wooden background, set within a heavily carved gilt frame.
fig 2. "Four Kittens". Lovely Oil by Bessie Bamber.

Email: williamgreenwoodfineart@gmail.com

Trade enquiries welcome.

Bessie Bamber lived and worked in Liverpool, and specialised in painting cats and kittens.

“
She normally signed her paintings with a monogram, and often painted on ivorine, glass and wood panel.
William Greenwood Fine Art
fig 3. A horizontal oil painting depicting four fluffy kittens resting on straw against a wooden background, set within a heavily carved gilt frame.
fig 3. "Four Kittens". Lovely Oil by Bessie Bamber.

Bamber’s style is detailed and her pictures are always carefully wrought. She was a clever creator of composition, her kittens are never mere portraits, but usually illustrated playing and surrounded by objects such as cotton reels, baskets, etc.

Bessie Bamber painted at around the turn of the century - her pictures have always attracted a wide following and are sought after by collectors today..

Date of Manufacture

William Greenwood Fine Art has dated this Victorian Kitten Oil Painting to the 1900s.

Independent Date Report ID 06385303
Dealer's Item Date1900s
Sellingantiques dating1900s
Sellingantiques agingItem 115-130 years old
ResultsDates match
Why Sellingantiques dated this piece to the 1900s:
Dated 1903 with monogram lower right: fixes the year of painting.
Fine craquelure across the pale fur: natural drying of old oil paint.
Solid timber panel with dark oxidisation to the reverse: many decades of exposure.
Exposed natural grain in the background: typical method for this artist.

This is an independent date report produced by Sellingantiques using its own proprietary system. The process uses the photographs shown on this page. The system is never told the date the dealer has declared. This report shows that the two dates corroborate.

Height
34cm (13.39")
Width
54.5cm (21.46")
Depth
5cm (1.97")
Reference Numbers
Sellingantiques Ref
SA769329
William Greenwood Fine Art
Sellingantiques verified Since Oct 2012
Dealer Profile

You can view the stock and full dealer information on the William Greenwood Fine Art Profile Page

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A horizontal oil painting depicting four fluffy kittens resting on straw against a wooden background, set within a heavily carved gilt frame.
1 / 5
Archive I A horizontal oil painting depicting four fluffy kittens resting on straw against a wooden background, set within a heavily carved gilt frame.

"Four Kittens". Lovely Oil by Bessie Bamber.

Archive II A horizontal oil painting depicting four fluffy kittens resting on straw against a wooden background, set within a heavily carved gilt frame. View II
Archive III A horizontal oil painting depicting four fluffy kittens resting on straw against a wooden background, set within a heavily carved gilt frame. View III
Archive IV A horizontal oil painting depicting four fluffy kittens resting on straw against a wooden background, set within a heavily carved gilt frame. View IV
Archive V A horizontal oil painting depicting four fluffy kittens resting on straw against a wooden background, set within a heavily carved gilt frame. View V
Enlarged Archival View

William Greenwood Fine Art
Telephone 01677 424 830 or 07885 175279
Location
Oakdene
Church Wynd
Burneston
Bedale
DL8 2JE
United Kingdom
Dealer Profile Page sellingantiques.co.uk/williamgreenwoodfineart
Verified Since Oct 2012
Items For Sale 220
Items Sold 518
William Greenwood Fine Art
Verified Since Oct 2012
View Dealer Info
Location: Oakdene, Church Wynd, Burneston, Bedale, DL8 2JE, United Kingdom
Profile: sellingantiques.co.uk/williamgreenwoodfineart
Verified
Oct 2012
For Sale
220
Sold
518
A horizontal oil painting depicting four fluffy kittens resting on straw against a wooden background, set within a heavily carved gilt frame.
"Four Kittens". Lovely Oil By Bessie Bamber.
Ref: SA769329
A horizontal oil painting depicting four fluffy kittens resting on straw against a wooden background, set within a heavily carved gilt frame.
Detail View 1
Detail View 2
Detail View 3
Detail View 4
Archival Detail

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Cataloguer’s note

Written by Sellingantiques from the dealer’s photographs and listing
  • ObjectPaintings
  • Period1900 - 1920
  • StyleVictorian
  • MaterialOil on Panel, Gilt Wood
  • ColourWarm Brown and Gold
  • MotifsFeline portraiture, Ornate carved frame, Wood grain background, Straw backdrop
  • SizeH 34 cm (13 in) x W 54.5 cm (21 in) x D 5 cm (2 in)

Four Kittens is an oil painting on wood panel by the artist Bessie Bamber, dating from the Victorian period in 1900. The artwork depicts four fluffy kittens resting on a straw backdrop against a rich warm brown wood grain background, and is set within an ornate carved gilt wood frame with prominent corner motifs and elaborate mouldings. The palette features deep browns, golds, and natural tones, complemented by a small blue ribbon tied around the neck of one kitten. Measuring 34 cm high, 54.5 cm wide, and 5 cm deep, this ready-to-hang piece follows feline portraiture traditions associated with the English Country House style. In a modern home, this painting works well placed above a sideboard, on a living room wall, or within a hallway display, bringing traditional animal art into domestic spaces.

FAQs

Victorian animal portraiture gained immense popularity during the late nineteenth century, reflecting the eras sentimentality towards domestic pets. Artists focused on realistic fur textures, expressive facial features, and narrative compositions, often housing the works in elaborate gilded frames.

Painters during this period frequently used oil pigments applied directly onto polished wooden panels, slate, or glass, alongside standard stretched canvas. Frames were typically crafted from carved wood or plaster with hand-applied gold leaf gilding.

Authentic period paintings show natural signs of age, including craquelure across the paint surface, subtle oxidation on the timber panel back, and original gesso or leaf gilding on the frame. Artist monograms or signatures are often integrated discreetly into the lower corners of the composition.

A horizontal framed oil painting can be styled above a sideboard or console table, integrated into a gallery wall, or placed in a classic study. The warm tones of the gilt frame complement both dark, traditional wall shades and modern neutral palettes.

Keep panel paintings away from direct sunlight, radiators, and sudden fluctuations in humidity to prevent wood warping or paint flaking. Dust the frame gently with a dry, soft brush and avoid using chemical cleaning agents directly on the paint layer.
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