Don Balke (North Carolina, B. 1933) "Bobcat" Signed lower right. Original Watercolor painting on Illustration Board.
Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.
This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.S. Wildlife of the 50 States 22c Bobcat/New Mexico stamp issued June 13, 1987.
Resembling a common house cat, the Bobcat hunts silently by night through the forests, swamplands, mountains, and deserts of North America. However, this resemblance is only superficial. The Bobcat -- named for his characteristically stubby, black-tipped tail -- is a powerful feline weighing some twenty pounds, standing fifteen in tall, and measuring about two feet in length. Its stealth and cunning have earned the Bobcat a reputation as an extraordinary hunter. His shy nature is underscored by the fact that the Bobcat hunts, and usually lives, alone. Bobcat dens are generally found among the rocks and caves or even in hollow logs. Here, the female gives birth to her young, nursing them for two months. Soon, she is leading them on forays into the night, teaching them the ways of the species. Fluffy and playful, the kittens learn quickly the serious side of life in the wild, and by the age of one year, they are ready to go out on their own. In captivity the Bobcat may live up to twenty-five years, but in the wild, exposed to the many dangers nature imposes, the lifespan of a Bobcat is quickly reduced to ten or twelve years.
Image Size: 11 x 10.5 in.
Overall Size: 20 x 19.5 in.
Unframed.
(B10997)
Condition
- By registering to bid for this auction either in-house or online and/or placing a bid in this auction the BIDDER/BUYER agrees to all the terms and conditions of Helmuth Stone Gallery Auctions.
- All silver, gold and/or jewelry lots or invoices containing said lots MUST be paid for via WIRE TRANSFER, no other forms of payment will be accepted.
- All items are sold as-is where-is and no guarantees are made of any kind. All sales are final; no refunds will be given under any circumstances.
- Helmuth Stone Gallery provides condition reports as a courtesy to our clients and assumes no liability for any error or omission. Any condition statement is given as a courtesy to a client and is only an opinion and should not be treated as a statement of fact. Descriptions are our opinions and should in no way be construed as a guarantee of any kind as to age, condition, mater. The bidder assumes responsibility for ensuring that the condition of the item(s) meets with their satisfaction prior to bidding. The absence of a condition statement does not imply that the lot is in perfect condition or completely free from wear and tear, imperfections or the effects of aging.
- Online images can sometimes be low quality due to the uploading process, original high-resolution images can be requested via email at HelmuthStone@gmail.com
- We recommend looking into shipping quotes prior to bidding, shipping quotes can take up to a week or more post-sale as we host our auctions through multiple online platforms and shipping can become backlogged, if you would like a list of local shippers please email us directly.
- Our auction catalogs are hosted through multiple online platforms along with phone and in-house bidding. Bids placed on other platforms are not shown through this catalog. Because of this, even if it appears you are the only absentee bid or bidder on a lot, you may already be outbid or may have placed a bid equal to another bidder. Therefore, we always recommend bidding live.
- Unless otherwise stated in the description, all items are sold without additional documentation or COAs. If any supporting documentation is available an image will be available online via the catalog listing.