Dear Friends..

Are any of you familiar with the Wunderly Brothers (1920-1930????), fine art dealers, of Pittsburgh? About thirty years ago, I bought two paintings at a yard sale from an old couple and am curious about them.
I can't quite read the artist's name or the title of the work......On the back of the paintings is a seal saying Wunderly Brothers, fine art dealers of Pittsburgh, Pa.
Lila

The name of the art gallery was "Wunderley Gallery" on Penn Avenue in downtown Pittsburgh. These people were distant relatives of mine (note the small spelling difference) but I did not know them. I think the store has been closed for 20 years or more.

I am currently travelling on business, but returning to Western Pa. in several days.

Glenn Wunderley
glenn@wunderley.com

Dear Lila,

My grandfather Emil and his brothers, August and Charles, operated the Wunderly Bros. Gallery. Our family was originally from Alsace and lived in the Old Allegheny area of Pittsburgh near the old St. Mary's Church (which is now a hotel).

I don't know Glenn Wunderley who posted earlier. The advertisements for the gallery were written as Wunderly, and I have a photo of the building with the same spelling. The name would have changed in immigration anyway from the original Wunderle to be Americanized.

I have been searching for a copy of this seal to add to our family album. If you want to contact me directly I could mail you a photocopy of my materials, in exchange for a photocopy of the seal?

patricia.philbin-searle@wanadoo.fr

best wishes -

This is an update to my previous posting...my grandfather Emil worked at the Wunderly Gallery in Pittsburgh, along with his brothers Charles and August. ItÕs amazing that people are still interested in the gallery, but IÕm always glad to try and help.

Here are answers to typical questions that I receive:

- I have never heard about any paperwork that lists the artists whose work was sold. My grandfather did most of the framing and his brothers acquired and sold the art. Some artwork came from Europe -- they went to Europe up until WW II to acquire European art and they also went to NYC.

- Unsigned paintings with the Wunderly seal: I often get this question and I do not know the answer. Local artists probably had their paintings framed at the gallery. And my grandfather and his sister Margaret were also amateur painters...who knows?

- The gallery sold and framed paintings for fine art collectors as well as museums. You could contact some museums and see if their staff could identify the age of your painting. Also ask if they noticed the Wunderly gallery seal on any of the pieces in their collections. IÕd appreciate any new info that you can pass along!

- Tip: take a few shots of your painting and save it as a JPEG file Ñ for example: Nature oil.jpg Then you have a digital file that you can send to museums or have on record for insurance purposes, once you have the painting appraised.

- I like to hear about your paintings but please don't assume that I want to buy paintings from the 18th century with the Wunderly seal. I am not a sentimental person in that regard and my home is filled with artwork from...Africa and Asia!

- I'm sorry to have to say this, BUT --- the Internet is a great way to get in instant contact with people and I try to reply to the inquiries I receive (an average of 1 - 2 each month!) I have received emails that start without any type of greeting or closing statement, do not contain the word 'please' or 'thank you', and ask me for detailed information. Please treat others with the same courtesy that you would like to receive yourself. : )

In the future I'll update this with new info. I have some very poor quality photocopies of the gallery exterior and interior show rooms, and I am trying to get the orignals.

best wishes - Patricia

my name is andrew temmel.
my grandfather was August Wunderly, who owned and ran
Wunderly Art Galleries in Pittsburgh, Pa.
Nice to hear about other Wunderlys.
We have numerous paintings from the gallery, and I vaguely remember Emil, Julius and Charles.
Interesting.

Hello Andrew,

It's a nice coincidence to read your message! I had not checked back at this site in a while, so I just saw your posting. A lot of people are still curious about the art gallery and appreciate the fine paintings.

I have a lot of family history info, including a photo of your grandfather that is in a digital file format. I'm happy to send it to you, if you would like to have it. : )

If you'd like to correspond, my email is flying.brain@yahoo.com

Best wishes,
Patricia Philbin

I wrote concerning a Robert Dodd lithograph that we have. I would like information on it . It is Plate2 of the Collection of the Sea Ports & The River Thames.
If anyone has any information on this seemingly old picture I would love to know anything. It is pretty large, about 36 X 24 and is really pretty.
It has the wunderly Galleries seal on the back of the framing.Thanks. Sharon

Hi Andrew,
It's been quite awhile since your post, but I'm hoping you might get this. I'm a student at the University of Pittsburgh, and through one of my courses this semester, I've been working as a preservation consultant to nominate the former Ursuline Academy in Bloomfield/Friendship to the National Register of Historic Places.
Forgive me if I'm being too personal, but were your parents Beatrice Wunderly and Andrew Temmel? If so, your mother and four of her sisters (Laura, Adelaide, Claire, and Mary Grace) attended Ursuline Academy in the 1920s and 30s. There were two other Temmels (Ruth and Hilda), who perhaps are some relation.
As I've found information about former students, I've cross-checked it with census records to determine where the school's population came from in the city. The five Wunderly girls lived on Pressley St. on the North Side. In a strange twist of fate, my great-great-great grandparents (and subsequent relatives) lived on Lockhart St., and shared a backyard with the Wunderly family.
As an historian and amateur genealogist, these kinds of finds are the most rewarding. If they can help fill in someone else's missing puzzle pieces, that's even better! If you, or anyone in your family, would be interested in discussing my research, please don't hesitate to send me an e-mail at ceg6@pitt.edu.

Hope to hear from you!
Colleen Gribbin

Hi,
i have in my pocession 2 original watercoulor framed in abour 1935 with the seal of Pittsburgh fine art gallery.......your grand father art store.
Those 2 watercoulors are signed F"WRIGHT.......and i beleive they are from Frank Lloyds Wright.....did your parent told you anything about and account with Frank Lloyds Wright framing anything in their store.....
Thank you for answering,
Patrick Blaizel from Canada

P.S.:the pictures are on www.liveauctioneers.com ...an auction comming on the 27th of november 2011...by Montreal Auction House, alsovisible on www.infoauctions.com

Hello, I have come across a Wunderly Gallery piece of art with the seal on back. It looks to be an original frame and it is a J C Clays oil painting. It is signed by the artist. It is a beauty. This painting has ended up in Piedmont,Oklahoma. This is a small horse and farming town. An elderly woman, in her 90's, has been living in Piedmont for about 10 yrs. with family, but her origins are from Germany, then Pennsylvania. We are going to try to get an appraisal of the piece. Your family seems very interesting, it is nice to know the history. Thank you

Hi,
Came across your posting for "Wunderly Galleries".
I too have a print with the sticker on the back.

Did you ever find anything out about the gallery?
Was it an upscale gallery?

I'd appreciate any info you might have. Thanks.

Sharon

Hello again. I just read the other postings. Nice information.
But I still want to know if they dealt in prints, color relief haltones or what at that time?
Thanks,
Sharon