Chuck Ripper (American, B. 1929) "Carnegiea gigantea Cactus" Signed lower left. Original Gouache/Watercolor painting on Illustration Board.

Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation.

This painting was originally published on the Fleetwood First Day Cover for the U.N. 32c Carnegiea gigantea Endangered Plants Series stamp issued March 14, 1996.

They can rise more than 30 feet above the desert sands of the American Southwest. Their fragrant flowers feed birds, bats and bees, and their fruit can be made into a tasty jelly. Venerable examples have survived in their harsh desert environment for two centuries or more. Yet today America's saguaro cactus is an endangered species. Photographic evidence provides proof that the population of these candelabra-like plants is waning. Pictures taken just a few decades ago show hills filled with saguaros. Recent photographs of the same hillsides proclaim a tragedy in the making. For some reason as yet unknown, the saguaros are dwindling. Where once they were plentiful, they are becoming scarce. Unfortunately, saguaros are notoriously slow-growing plants. In their arid habitat, they grow less than five inches per year, and it can take up to 60 years for a plant to form its trademark "arms" paralleling the main column. That fact, coupled with the increase in human development throughout the Southwest, creates a discouraging scenario. Were the saguaro to disappear, many species of birds that depend on it for nesting space and shelter would suffer. And a living reminder of the legendary American West would vanish into history.

Image Size: 12.5 x 14.5 in.
Overall Size: 14.75 x 17.75 in.
Unframed.
(B15322)

- 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.

- Due to the size of our gallery not all items are out for preview at one time. If you plan on coming to preview any lot(s) we recommend letting us know prior so we can have them collected and prepared for your preview.

- 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.

- All artwork is listed and sold per section (10) of our terms and conditions, please read over all definitions of authorship prior to bidding to better understand artwork listings.

- 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 visit our website. All listed sizes are approximate.

- 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 and listed in the description.

- Important note on Frames: Frames are not guaranteed to be in the same condition as they are in the item photograph. Due to handling and shipping, many frames, especially antique ones, are prone to losses.