Can anyone ID the artist's name?

[ambridgebuckskins]

Four framed prints of vintage years. All four have horses, camels and rugged looking men near wagons.

Same artist's name on each of them.

I've searched for Booth and Boott so far and gotten no where.

[ambridgebuckskins]

Photos not real clear as taken with my phone.

Now l know who the subjects are, l can start to piece what each print is.

l guess the bottom photo here is when brothers Alexander and John Forrest were on the search for Leichhart. They were to meet a group of Aboriginals who were to show them a spot where they found 11 horse skeletons belonging to Leichhart. Turns out they were from another exploring party, not Leichhart.

[siddieswans]

That's great. Or what about this expedition

"In 1874 John Forrest led an expedition from Geraldton, travelling west to east through the arid western centre to the north-south telegraph line in South Australia. The Forrest Expedition, including John and Alexander Forrest, entered the Murchison District and Yuin Station on 9th April. The expeditionary party travelled north, north-east and left the district on the 2nd May at a point near what was to become Berringarra Station."

Possibly centenary in 1974?

There are some prints in this publication (about that trip)

http://gutenberg.net.au/ebooks/e00051.html#forrest5

which bear some similarities.

Do you know anything about this "Federal Insurance"? You would think to be celebrating WA explorers they would have to be a WA Company? A calendar makes perfect sense; banks here is NSW used to produce similar things in the 1960's - I am thinking State Bank NSW - the illustrations were often kept and framed. But the illustrations were usually taken from contemporary historical prints. These looks as though they may have been specially commissioned? And that's a fairly decent size for a calendar.

[ambridgebuckskins]

The family member l spoke to didn't sort of seem to know much more. l have googled the town where the house is closest to and cannot find any mention of Federal Insurance. Mind you, the town has a big old building called the Federal Coffee Palace.

http://yarrampa.customer.netspace.net.au/fcp-hist.html

l were looking into this Federal Insurance but got side tracked. The house that l went to has a great history .There is a house behind a house on this property, the original house was just left. Sadly its falling down and perished but you can see signs of the house prior to that. It was built onto over the years.

One thing told to me was about an elephant used to clear the farm (wealthy owners from England)

It was the first (and only) elephant to be bought into the area to clear the scrub. The local Aboriginal work teams took off (along with the cart horses) because of this strange animal with 'two tails'.

The elephant didn't like its work conditions so bolted and was lost for good. It's bones turned up many years later not far from where l live now (right next to my horse paddock).

Sometimes walking along side of history is totally fascinating.

I think if l can find this Federal Insurance, l might come across something about the calendar. The key might be 'Federation'.

[ambridgebuckskins]

Forgot to add: l got a reply back from the WA Forrest Centre.

They don't know of the prints nor the artist.

[siddieswans]

What a great web site - I'll read it properly later.

Possibly the clue is Federation Insurance Ltd - they are now part of the Wesfarmers Group and still have an office in Ararat apparently

http://www.communityguide.com.au/community.cfm?/ararat/profile/professionalservices/insurance/175900...

There is a bit of history about them on  the Net. I really think those frames look 1960's 1970's to me - if it was a calendar it would make sense to have them framed up at about the date of issue.

[lemmehavit61]

Perhaps if you contact Twiggy Forrest at Fortesque Metals or (Mining) not sure exactly the name of his company. He is a direct descendant of those in the paintings. I am sure he could shed some light on them.

Best wishes,

laurie,

[sandrab5929]

Hi,

I had some of these framed prints and also searched for Booth - my prints were dated 1970's.

Nothing came up in the searches. I think they are Australian but I don't know why he is not famous as he is a great artist from the look for the prints.

May remain a mystery.

Cheers

Sandra

[thecatspjs · Accepted solution]

Might be this bloke - Francis James (Bob) Booth (1927-2002) Australia - signature below looks similar

[thingsmostneeded]

Wow!!!! You found the artist!!!!

Big toe nail nibbles to you.

Ohhhhhhhhhhh....l searched and searched and searched.

Thank you so much.

(l am Ambridgebuckskins, the OP )

[thecatspjs]

No worries Ambridge - love mysteries

I got to discover and view some magnificent work by Australian artists along the way, that I never would sighted otherwise .  just love this great Southern land and images of it.

A little more biographical information is mentioned on a family history webpage that his daughter has compiled and comes up via a google of his name.