A large body of newly discovered works by Robert Weber Bruner (1881 - 1972), just recently found in the estate of Kansas artist David Melby (1942 - 2014). David Melby was an artist, a teacher and a museum curator. He was a lifelong collector of Fine Art, Photography, Prints, Antiques, Folk Art and Outsider Art. In the old days of printed media he subscribed to The Clarion (now Folk Art Magazine)and Folk Art Finder. David's collection included works by, and attributed to, Howard Finster, Mose Tolliver, Jesse Howard and Mary Tillman Smith. Somewhere he came up with this collection of more than 30 works by Robert Weber Bruner (1881 - 1972) of St. Louis, Missouri and Ames Iowa. Even though he was more naturally drawn to the Arts, Robert W. Bruner attended St. Louis Manual Training School (now St. Louis University) and graduated in 1898, destined for a job in his father's concrete business. He did go to work after graduation, but in the evenings he taught an elocution class and participated in plays and small productions. This nighttime distraction overtook his college training and after a short stint as an engineer he went on tour with an acting company traveling by train to theatres and opera houses around the country. This lasted until 1915 when the onset of motion pictures sounded the death knell for these traveling performances. Mrs. Bruner, an actress herself, decided it was time to settle down. They returned to St. Louis and Bruner returned to his father's firm, the P.M. Bruner Granitoid Co. of St. Louis, Missouri. He stayed on until 1951 when, as president of the company, he dissolved it and retired to his son's home in Ames Iowa. His wife had passed away that same year. During the 1950s he enrolled in the Iowa State University Fine Arts program under 'special student' status. He was "active in the Ames Center for The Arts and ... belonged to several of its painting and drawing groups, exhibited in local art shows and was represented in the Des Moines gallery show of Iowa artists". During this period he also landed some small television acting roles and took drawing classes in New York. "He traveled to Mexico for two months each summer during his residence in Ames, visiting The Institute Allende at San Miguel Art... programs." He continued to live in his son's home until his death in February of 1972. On the afternoon of Mr. Bruner's funeral, family and friends were invited to stop by and select a painting, or two, from the collection of works on display at his son's home in Ames. It's unclear as to whether or not anyone did. Fast forward to David Melby. Somehow, David acquired what remained from R.W. Bruner's estate, which is comprised of twenty oil paintings, many in frames made by the artist, and some works on paper. All are signed and many are thematic, dealing with characters of classic theatre and literature. Nearly all are titled or have a back story. The works in oil number twenty and they range in size from 36 x 24 inches to 9 x 12 inches. Works on paper total six in number plus a stapled group of studies on tissue paper. The entirety of the collection of works signed R.W.B. for Robert W. Bruner found in David Melby's estate are offered here as a group in this one lot.We are happy to offer in-house shipping for all but very large or very fragile items. Some international orders may need to be handled by a third party shipper. Handling and materials fees begin at $7 per box for items under 12 inches. Larger and or more valuable items and those that warrant double boxing will have higher material costs.

Good original condition throughout. A very few will have might storage soiling and grime. There is no serious damage or loss or restoration needed.