Woodcuts & Wood engravings

Both woodcuts and wood engravings entail creating a relief image on a block of wood by cutting away the parts that are not to hold ink. The design is usually drawn directly onto the block and then all other parts are cut away. In a woodcut (illustrated below on left)the image is cut from the block parallel to the grain using a knife or a pointed tool called a graver. In a wood engraving (illustrated below on right) the image is cut using a graver on the end of the grain.



Because these processes print in relief, they can be printed on the same press as typeface. Because of this, early on wood cuts were often used to illustrate books. In the nineteenth century, wood engravings were used to illustrate newspapers such as Harper's Weekly.

Woodcuts were introduced to Europe in the early fifteenth century (the earliest European woodcut is the “Brussels Madonna” of 1418), but were executed in the Orient as early as the ninth century. The use of woodcuts was spread by the inventions of moveable type and of the printing press in the 1450s. Wood engraving was developed in England in the early eighteenth century, firmly established in Europe by Thomas Bewick at the end of that century, and popularized in America during the Civil War.

Prints On Screen: Little Dorrit

A large percentage of antique prints were issued in order to be displayed in the home or work place. As paintings were expensive, only owned by the relatively wealthy, up through the nineteenth century prints have been one of the most common forms of wall decoration. Even to the present day, antique prints have remained a popular means of decorating the home, office, bar, restaurant or club. Thus one would expect to see a lot of prints on screen, either in movies or television programs, especially period pieces. However, it seems that most scene designers do not think of prints when put together their sets. Once in a while, though, one can spot some original antique prints on the screen. It strikes me that this is a topic worthy of an occasional blog...

Last night I watched Little Dorrit, a wonderful British production of this Dickens work. The British tend to be more aware of antique prints than Americans, so it is not surprising that prints have appeared prominently in a few scenes in this BBC produced story set in mid-nineteenth century London. At that time, prints would have been a common form of wall decoration for the classes of people who appear in this program, and the producers have shown this nicely.

A print that was unrecognizable appeared in the front window of a bookstore that appeared briefly, but then two engravings were shown prominently in the rooms of John Chivery, the turnkey's son, when he invites Amy in to warm her hands. I didn't recognize these prints, but maybe some else did? Then a group of colored aquatints were shown in the Meagles drawing room during a soiree scene. I did not recognize these scenes, but they appeared to be a from a plate volume from a "foreign" land. Did anyone recognize these?

As I spot other prints on screen I'll post that information, but would love to hear from any other print spotters.

Ephemera

Ephemera are items that were originally produced for an immediately purpose, with the expectation being that they would be discarded after use. This would include items like posters, tickets, invoices, broadsides, and so forth. Those that have a graphic aspect can be called "prints," so antique ephemera would fall within the scope of this blog. However, the way I am using "prints" implies that the graphic aspect is of principal significance for the object. So, a ticket, even one with a small vignette, would generally not be something that I would be concerned with, whereas an advertising poster which includes a substantial view of, e.g., an exhibition site, is something I would include in this blog. The distinction between ephemera that fits this blog and that which doesn't really fall within its scope is vague, however without question the subject of ephemera is relevant to this blog and so I have asked Marty Weil, from Asheville, NC, to write a guest blog on the topic....

Marty Weil, Ephemera blog

I'm interested in ephemera from the standpoint of its value to researchers, writers, artists, historians, genealogists, collectors, and others; therefore, the mission of my blog, ephemera, is designed to primarily showcase the world-class ephemera collections of others. Although I have a few pieces of ephemera, my personal collection is extremely limited. Rather, I'm interested in seeing what exists in the collection of others, and the contest was one means of tapping into the extraordinary wealth of ephemera that is held in public and private hands throughout the world.

The ephemera I cover is solely based on what I personally like and think my readers would find interesting. The items didn't necessarily have to be G-rated; however, I seldom feature anything on the site that wouldn't be appropriate for a general audience. Nonetheless, the site is not intended for children, as the nature of ephemera often broaches decidedly adult topics.

To me ephemera means items made of paper that were not necessarily intended to last beyond a short period. There are many definitions of ephemera. Of all the definitions of ephemera that I've seen, my favorite is "raw, unedited history."

There are a variety of reasons why certain old paper has survived to the present day. In some cases, it's just a fluke or luck or happenstance. More often, people save old paper deliberately for a variety of reasons, such as sentimental value, nostalgia, reference, and/or for collecting purposes. As opposed to offering excuses, most people take pride in the items they've saved or collected, especially those people that consider themselves to be true ephemera collectors.

While I'm not planning to write a Covey-esque book, after interviewing so many established and successful collectors on the subject of creating world-class ephemera collections, I've distilled the seven habits of highly successful ephemera collectors:

1. Patience. Effective collectors know the value of patience, and may, if need be, wait months or even years before acquiring a particularly rare and important specimen for their collection.
2. Persistence. Effective collectors have the fortitude to continually search and scour until they unearth (sometimes literally) an item to add to their collection.
3. Scholarship. Effective collectors know that knowledge is power in the world of collecting. It provides an edge that separates the expert collector from the rest of the field. Effective collectors become, in effect, experts on the subject of their collectible.
4. Understanding. Effective collectors understand that their collection may never be perfect or complete. The joy of collecting is in the gathering and studying of whatever it is they find fascinating and worthwhile.
5. Preservation. Effective collectors know that it is not what they have, but how well they take care of it that matters. Effective collectors think like archivists, and care for their treasures like a Brinks guard protects the cash coming out of a Vegas counting cage.
6. Internet Search Savvy. Effective collectors know the value of the Internet, and they have learned how to bend search engines to their will. Like Major Nelson summoning Barbara Eden from the bottle, they know how to use search engines to bring forth items they seeks.
7. Fraternity. Effective collectors reach out to others in the collecting community, and share their wisdom and knowledge freely. They understand that sharing their expertise is its own reward, and that by contributing to the knowledge base, they expand the availability of collectibles and increase the value of their collection.

This is what I've learned at the feet of the masters.

If ephemera is your passion, visit the ephemera blog and explore the world of old paper.

Prints by William Nicholson

Another guest blog by Kelli Lucas, suggesting a wonderful series of British prints to use for decorating purposes...

Decorating trends swing like a pendulum from one extreme to the other, so it’s not hard to find inspiration for today's hand-made craze in the last revival of interest in handcraft. Fueled by both corporate entities like Martha Stewart and grassroots organizations like Etsy, the current interest in craft has strong parallels in the Arts and Crafts movement of the turn of the twentieth century. Bringing prints from this period into modern craft-inspired interiors can be a great way to add depth to a hand-made aesthetic.



Reacting to a swift spread of industrialization, Arts and Crafts pioneers like William Morris and Gustav Stickley encouraged designers and artisans to explore pre-industrial methods. Though most design buffs know this period by its furniture or ceramics, it was also a movement that produced a revival in historic print-making techniques. As mechanical printing methods like photogravure and half-tone began to spread, printmakers like English artist Sir William Nicholson (1872-1949) returned to woodblock printing, the earliest and most basic form of printing. Cutting their designs into blocks of wood, inking the blocks, and pressing them into paper, Nicholson and his contemporaries were returning to the same methods employed by early printmakers like Albrecht Duerer. Incorporating the Arts and Crafts emphasis on simple, vernacular forms, Nicholson used those woodblocks to create an alphabet series in 1898 that highlighted local London characters with simple outline designs. Charming images with titles like “U for Urchin” offered a tongue-in-cheek look at the personalities that populated the city at the turn of the twentieth century.



With their deliberate simplicity and artful whimsy, prints like Nicholson’s fit beautifully today with interiors that are accented by modern hand crafts. The current hand-made aesthetic abounds in personality and character, but any room that focuses on one style or period exclusively runs the risk of appearing one-dimensional and flat. Choosing a design theme of handmade allows homeowners and decorators to explore the idea of craft across many periods, looking to movements like the Arts and Crafts of 100 years ago for inspiration today.

Basic print reference books

Reference books and articles are an important resource for anyone interested in antique prints. In recent years there has been an significant number of new books coming out on all sorts of print-related topics and there is also, of course, a library of classic references which are still relevant. The journal Imprint contains new articles twice a year and more articles appear in other periodicals on a fairly regular basis. Luckily, in 2006 there appeared an excellent Bibliography on American Prints of the Seventeenth through the Nineteenth Centuries , compiled and edited by Georgia Barnhill. Divided into subject categories, this work lists virtually every text on American prints from the period noted that had been published up to 2006, providing an excellent means of finding references on topics of interest.

In a regular series of blogs, I plan to post annotated lists of print references on different topics. As with this blog, the lists I will compile will be focused similarly to Barnhill’s bibliography, that is, on references related to American prints from the seventeenth through nineteenth centuries. These lists are not intended to be comprehensive, but rather to call attention to the most useful print references that are relatively easy for someone to either purchase or find in a library. Most of the references are on specific topics, such as Civil War images, prints by various printmakers, or views of particular locations, but I will start by considering general print references.

Frank Weitenkampf. American Graphic Art. 1912. Out of print. The classic history of American graphic art from colonial times to the beginning of the twentieth century. Though somewhat dated, this is the place to start when considering most aspects of American prints. It belongs in every collector’s library, though this volume is now available on-line.

Carl W. Drepperd. Early American Prints. 1930. Out of print. This is a nice introductory book intended for print collectors. It covers American prints from the colonial period up through Currier & Ives and contains chapters with useful information for a collector, including how prints are made and lists of different printmakers and their works.

A. Hyatt Mayor. Popular Prints of the Americas. 1973. Out of print. A large, well illustrated book with brief essays on different subjects. Not that well organized nor comprehensive, but with lots of interesting information and a wide selection of topics, including printmaking in Spanish America. A nice book as an introduction to the subject, but not for a serious researcher.

John & Katherine Ebert. Old American Prints for Collectors. 1974. Out of print. Another general book intended for the collector, this work has its flaws, but it also contains much of interest. Designed for a beginner collector, it does show a wide variety of different types of prints and has some useful information included, such as a glossary of print terms.

E. McSherry Fowble. Two Centuries of Prints in America, 1680-1880. 1987. Out of print. One of my personal favorite print references. Though limited to a selection of prints from the Winterthur Museum collection, the extent and quality of that collection and the variety of prints selected by Fowble means that this book still provides an excellent over view of prints in the period noted. Fowble includes two insightful introductory essays and each print is beautifully illustrated and well described. Along with Weitenkampf, I would recommend this as an essential book for anyone interested in the topic.

Christopher W. Lane with Donald H. Cresswell and Carolyn Cades. A Guide to Collecting Antique Historical Prints. 1995. Designed as an inexpensive, basic guide on the subject. Though fairly short, this guide covers most subjects that a collector should know about. Most of the content of this guide likely will eventually find its way into this blog...

Leila Lyons. Collecting Prints. 2006. An “Instant Expert” guide, similar in intent and content to Lane’s. Contains useful lists of museums and collections, places to purchase prints, and a glossary of print terms.

All but the last two of these books are out of print, but they can still often be found for sale from print dealers or in used books shops around the country. Here, and in future blogs, I will use this symbol [] to indicate that the Philadelphia Print Shop sells a particular reference work mentioned. Just click on the symbol to go to our listing of that book. Also, these are fairly basic works, so many good libraries will have a copy of these books.

The $2 million print

In early 2002, I received a call from the Associated Press about a “$2 million print.” A couple from Florida had somehow come to believe that an historical print from 1846, showing the proposed Washington Monument, was worth $2 million dollars. There are a fair number of American prints that sell in the five figure range, and very few that sell in the six figure range, but no single American historical print I can think of that would sell for over a million dollars; certainly not a print showing the Washington Monument. As I told the AP reporter, for me the interesting story here was not that a $2 million print was found, but that the couple believed it was worth $2 million.

The print in question is, without doubt, an interesting one. Charles Fenderich was an important American lithographic artist whose portraits of American statesmen in 1830s and 40s are of particular note. According to Alice Lee Parker and Milt Kaplan’s Library of Congress catalog, Charles Fenderich. Lithographer of American Statesmen (1959; p.59f.), around 1846 Fenderich issued at least three folio variants of an image of the proposed of the Washington Monument as designed by Robert Mills.

The Washington National Monument Society was organized in 1833 with the goal of erecting a monument to George Washington. The society’s fundraising campaign had elicited $87,000 by the time construction on the monument began on July 4, 1848. One of the ways the society raised money was by selling prints made by Charles Fenderich showing Mills’ design.

The purported $2 million print is one of the prints created for the fundraising campaign, and the particular example in question is an unusual variant. The name of the city is misspelled in the caption, where it states that the monument was “to be erected in the City of Wasihngton.” The owners felt that this example of Fenderich’s print, with the misspelling, was unique, and based on that they claimed it is worth $2 million.


At the time, we had never come across this particular variant, but having some fair experience with the nature of nineteenth century printmaking, we doubted that this was a unique example. Then subsequently, we have come across two examples of this print (one of which we currently have in our shop) with the same misspelling. Indeed, as this error had not previously been documented, it is even possible that every example of this print has the misspelling, just that no one noticed. The fact that this print is listed in some references (for instance in Parker & Kaplan’s catalog) with the right spelling might simply be because the authors didn’t look for the error.

So, the print in question was not unique, but even if it was, would that make it worth $2 million? While there are no set prices for antique prints, I cannot imagine even the most high priced dealer nor the most high-powered auction house selling this print for over five figures, much less over six figures. Stamps and coins with mistakes do sometimes have extraordinary values, but these are official, Government-made items. Mistakes on privately-made prints do not create anywhere near the same increase in value. There are mistakes on prints all the time, some corrected and some not. It is inevitable that with private businesses producing prints such mistakes will happen (remember that text is written in reverse on the lithographic stone), and while these mistakes do create extra interest, any increase in value is marginal. And as discussed in an earlier post, the print’s purported scarcity (we know now that at least three examples exist and there are almost certainly more) would add some value, but not anything like what the owners hoped.

Taking all factors into account (Fenderich’s importance, the subject matter, the mistaken spelling, and the print’s scarcity), we have listed the print for sale at $2,400. So how did the owners of the print in question come up with a value almost a thousand times greater? And what are we to think of the related story that an antique dealer offered the couple $30,000 for the print, that they had invested about $8,000 in conservation and research, and that they had an appraisal of the print for well over $1 million?

It turns out the story has a longer history than at first appeared. The story did not break with the AP article in early 2002, for in the News Herald of July 18, 2001 an article about this print had appeared, though with some differences. In that article, the owners gave an appraised value of “between $1.45 and $2 million,” and then they said they had invested $5,000 in conservation and research, of which conservation was “only a small part.” I think the increase in the numbers given in the AP article hints that these values are perhaps more wishful than actual.

Would any antique dealer offer $30,000 for this print? Unlikely. If conservation is only a small part of the $5,000-$8,000 spent by the owners, how did they spend all that money on research? Doesn’t it make more sense that the figure quoted is chimerical, created to impress the news media rather than to reflect actual money spent? And did the owners really get an appraisal of the magnitude they are quoting? Who, with any knowledge of American prints, would give such figures? That these numbers were generated out of self-delusion, a desire for self-promotion, or simply wishful thinking is more likely than any other explanation.

Some American prints are beginning to bring big dollars (Audubon and Currier & Ives come to mind), and stories of huge prices realized for “found” antiques are talked about by everyone interested in antiques (the lost Declaration of Independence printing and the famous Antique Roadshow table are good examples). The story of this $2 million print seems like a classic case of someone’s hopes of hitting it rich overwhelming better judgement. Whether the owners have received bad “expert” advice or have built their story on their own dreams, this story is a sorry one. It’s an interesting print, but a sad story.

Decorating with antique prints

From time to time I will post guest blogs from members of our terrific staff. Kelli Lucas and Vicky Koursaros are both very interested in the use of original antique prints for decorating and so they plan to write an occasional series of blogs on related topics. Here is the first...

Guest blog by Kelli Lucas

In an era of catalog decorating, a generation raised on Ikea furniture is still looking around for interesting, affordable accents to personalize their spaces. While few of us can afford to furnish an entire apartment or house completely in antiques, there are ways to bring notes of historic design into your home that are affordable and accessible (without resorting to faux-antiques from the mall around the corner!).

Incorporating a few well-chosen antiques into your decorating scheme can anchor your space, connecting even the most ordinary pieces with a wider world of design. Far from re-creating a dated aesthetic, antique prints can blend with modern décor, offering a mix of old and new that can be adjusted to suit personal taste. For example, modern splashes of colorful upholstery can be complemented by cool, clean lines of architectural engravings, like Jean-Francois Neufforge’s architectural details from eighteenth century France. Sleek, minimalist neutral furnishings can benefit from black-and-white engravings, as well, or can really sing next to a pop of color from a pochoir print, like Gallois’ costume lithographs.

Modern spaces with vaulted ceilings often offer swathes of open wall space: a large wall map can anchor a room and offer great value for your decorating dollar. Usually mounted on rollers and filled with bold, graphic lines and information, wall maps are eye-catching and – best of all – require no further framing expense. Designed originally for settings like school rooms and offices, wall maps offer an unexpected visual punch to a domestic setting.

We’ll be doing a series of guest posts here on the many unexpected ways to use antique prints in modern, design-savvy interiors. In the meantime, there are some excellent blogs that feature eclectic, creative use of antique prints. For example, it’s not unusual to see antique engravings mingling with mid-century modern furniture in the Sneak Peek section of Grace Bonney’s Design*Sponge. For other thoughts on decorating with antique maps and prints, see Joyce Jamison’s excellent guest article at First Printing. More ideas and links coming soon!