Silver Washed Fritillary Butterfly, 19th C. Watercolor gouache I purchase at the incredible

I purchase at the incredible estate sale of a Michael Leininger in Melrose

with terrific midnight blue hand-painted strips and circles against bright white body

It would make sense for wartime use that the lid be attached via chain to prevent losing it--and happily this yielded these gorgeous weld marks attaching the chain to the lid and back of the vessel

Such a fabulous fellow

Each one is a bit different

Silver Washed Fritillary Butterfly, 19th C. Watercolor gouache I purchase at the incredibleA couple more today from a group of beautifully executed 19th c. ink and watercolor butterflies, likely done by a young woman, 1870s or so I would guess, this one with the identification hand written at lower left: Silver Washed. How to argue with the beauty and magical feeling ness of a butterfly, and I love this one centered precisely on the white page, as if glimpsed mid air. 9 1 4" x 7 1 4", very good condition.