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Wondered if anyone here might be able to shed some light on a recent auction acquisition.
I was recently at an auction and saw a very old looking piece come up that I hadn't even had a chance to preview. I loved the print, frame, and overall "feel", so I bought it.
Now I'm trying to find exactly what I've bought and if it's worth more than I anticipated.
The print is entitled "Washington and His Mother" and just about that on the bottom it says "Copyright 1883 by Gebbie and Co" (or 1893).
The lower right corner says "Photogravure Gebbie and Husson Co Ltd"
The lower left corner says "Louis E Fournier Pinx"
That's all i really have to go on. I'm attaching below images of all that plus the frame.
Thanks for any insight you might be able to provide!
~~Alpha
ETA: I'll email full resolution images if anyone thinks it would help!
Thanks and I had seen that one and there's at least one more history page that shows the print. I cannot, however, find out much about the print itself.
[URL="http://www.ebay.com/itm/Very-Rare-Photogravure-Washington-and-His-Mother-/160539195657?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item2560e1 b909"]Very Rare Photogravure Washington and His Mother | eBay[/URL]
No idea how accurate it is on description or value. It's not my auction.
hi was browsing through some websites an came across this i have the same exact photo i found cleaning out old boxes of my grandfather i too no nothing about this photo I'm trying to find out thank you
We have what we're hoping is a very early version of the Washington and His Mother photogravure on tissue. My wife's grandfather brought it back from Europe after WWII. After he died, her grandmother gave it to her and told her to take care of it because it was very valuable.
Below is a link to a scanned image of our piece. We'd like to hear of any info available on this.
[url=http://absoweb.com/fournier/]Washington & His Mother by Louis Edouard Fournier[/url]
Photogravure was an early method of reproducing an original drawing or painting by photographic means, rather than the earlier and more expensive method of copper plate engraving. The correct date on the print is 1893, not 1883. The copyright is protecting this image, not the original work, and is correct, as the photogravure process was in wide use by 1893.
Washington was a very popular historic character during that time period- this was when the legend of his chopping down the cherry tree was created, and similar nostalgic themes with his image were hung in homes, schools, and public buildings everywhere back then. I believe that, if you continue to keep digging, you will find that this print isn't all that rare.
It's in a correct frame. Plywood was first commercially produced in quantity around this same time, and the hangers that are connecting the wire cable are period. The frame's varnish shows typical degeneration, and the frame style is period.
My guess is this print probably came from a print shop, where it was purchased in bulk, then framed and glassed. The frame could have come from a selection of pre-made frames.
Whether or not Fournier actually produced the original art or if his work was copied, then photographed, is something that only a good professional could determine; oftentimes back then, master works were copied widely and often attributed to the artist.
But it is possible that Fournier may have had something to do with the print by way of approval or supervision. More than likely, the company cranked them out, so I doubt he had any hands-on with it.
These prints are most often done on a hot pressed thin tissue paper, as the paper holds fine details very well and is very sturdy in the printing process. Photogravure is very similar to lithography; both use a heavy limestone plate which is inked and then set in a press.
You may want to take your print to a good gallery for examination; the paper looks like the acids from the plywood backing are slowly burning it up. The dark well-defined spots are called 'foxing', a possible indicator of this, as are the larger smudgy-looking areas I see. The paper itself may be acidic, so once the backing come off, it may be very delicate.
Preserving it the print can be done with the use of acid-free matting, but a pro needs to do the job. If not preserved, eventually the paper could turn into small flakes and end up in the bottom of the frame. it's also possible that the paper is now stuck firmly to the glass by the gradual hardening of the printing ink.
Sorry- I can't help with the value. Only a search of art auctions for this print will give you an idea of it's worth. If you want a professional evaluation, any of the large art auction houses will provide one for a fee.
hi was browsing through some websites an came across this i have the same exact photo i found cleaning out old boxes of my grandfather i too no nothing about this photo I'm trying to find out thank you
Nad, did you ever find anything out about this piece?
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Washington & His Mother
