Collect Antique Pictures

Antique Animal Prints

2011-12-01T04:03:00.000-08:00

We have made several additions to our antique animal prints section.

Robert Hills O.W.S. was an accomplished etcher of animal subjects from the late 18th century to the early 19th century. These exquisite studies of deer and stags in various poses are very fine examples of his work and can be termed 'original etchings' because they were drawn and etched by the artist himself. An interperative print is where the artist draws the image and a seperate print maker prepares the printed image.

View the complete collection here - antique animal prints

Antique Prints online for sale

Antique Maps of Middlesex

2011-11-17T14:25:00.000-08:00

Two examples here, one from the early 18th century and one from the early 19th century. The basic difference between the two antique maps is one of technological advance.

Robert Morden Maps were first produced in the latter part of the 17th century and this slightly later edition of Middlesex by Morden was issued in approximately 1722. At this time virtually all engravings were produced on copperplate, both the image and the text were scratched with a graver tool, back to front into the metal. A soft medium was required to make this possible and copper was virtually the only available choice.

The copperplate engraving is characterised by slightly coarse lines, due to the nature of the metal. Morden's maps also have decorative title cartouches, the hand colouring in watercolour is a later addition.

100 years later during the 1820's, the industrial revolution was well under way and with it came new technological advances, one of which was the invention of mass produced mild steel. This transformed the working practices of engravers, etchers, mezzotinters and others in the print industry. Mild steel was a much cheaper material and was soft enough to be easily engraved, this produced two new characteristics which are illustrated by James Pigot's Map of Middlesex .

Firstly the engraved lines are much finer in steel and smaller, more readable text could be achieved . Secondly, as steel was much cheaper to produce than copper, the engraving plates tended to be much larger, with the plate mark (an impression left on the paper margins when the print was produced) much further away from the image. Copperplate prints have this plate mark very close, so as not to waste too much of this precious commodity.

This example of a steel plate engraved map Middlesex illustrates the change in quality of the image produced, allowing a detailed cartouche of St. Paul's Cathedral and much more fine text and lettering.

Other old maps of Middlesex

Antique maps online for sale in the UK

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Kent Cricketer Caricature by Spy

2011-07-26T07:09:00.000-07:00

Vanity Fair Print - Kent County Cricketer - Lord Harris

Original Vanity Fair cricket print by Spy - Lord Harris, July 16th 1881 - 'The siege and capture of Seringham brought a Peerage to a Colonel of Foot in his own name of Harris.

Full details here: Original Vanity Fair Cricketer by Spy - Lord Harris - Kent

Other Vanity Fair Cricket and Golf prints

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Antique Map - West Riding Yorkshire

2011-07-08T04:53:00.000-07:00

Decorative antique Victorian map of the West Riding of Yorkshire circa 1850.

The last of the decorative county maps by Thomas Moule
see a full history here: Thomas Moule County Maps

See our latest stock of old and historical maps and charts

For web design in Devon and SEO services try Alphawebsites - personal, friendly service.

Adolphus Knell - oil painting - Portsmouth

2011-03-10T09:08:00.000-08:00

Adolphus Knell original oil painting on board - Portsmouth

Adolphus Knell fl. 1860-1890.
From a well known family of highly regarded marine artists which includes William Adolphus Knell and William Calcott Knell. Initially he lived in Bath where he decorated furniture, a later address is listed in Bristol. He painted many port and marine scenes during the middle to late 19th century. He may be the son of William Adolphus Knell and a cousin to William Calcott Knell.

Many of his subjects seem to be moonlit, sunset or dawn, occasionally of fisherfolk on the shore at work. There are several works featuring Dover.

Other antique oil paintings

Antique Maps of Surrey

2011-02-24T09:53:00.000-08:00

18th century map of the county of Surrey by Antonio Zatta, date 1779.
Hand coloured and detailed.
From Atlante Novissimo by Antonio Zatta
Drawn by G. Zuliani / Engraved by G. Pitteri.
Antique map of Surrey by Zatta

Biography:
A Venitian cartographer who completed his best known publication Atlante Novissimo by 1785, this comprised of 218 maps including provincial maps of Europe and although he never produced an atlas of British county maps it did include Essex, Kent, Middlesex and Surrey as well as regions of Ireland and Scotland.

He also produced decorative maps after Captain Cook (Austrailia and New Zealand) and a twelve sheet sectional version of Mitchell's large-scale map of the USA, 1755. A characteristic of Zatta's maps are the decorative title cartouches. Also produced Nuovo atlante in 1799. Other cartographers work which he interpreted include Robert de Vaugondy and Bellin.

Other antique maps of Surrey for sale

Edward Wentworth Dillon - Original Vanity Fair Print

2010-09-18T03:50:00.000-07:00

The rarest of all the Vanity Fair cricket prints. Published just before the demise of the magazine. Very scarce. This is an original print.

Edward Wentworth Dillon. Kent 1900-1923. Vanity Fair. 'The Champion County' by OWL and dated September 13th 1913. Men of the Day 2339.

' He has a way of making a pair of spectacles and has accomplished this feat twice this season. But he is still fonder of making a 'duck' in the first innings and a century in the second. This is almost a hobby with him.

His bowling average this year is remarkable and, if he was not too good a sportsman to care about averages, the topic might be irksome. It will suffice to say that he does not head the list. Mr. Dillon is captain of the most popular sporting county. I wish him luck.'

Full details of Edward Wentworth Dillon Vanity Fair Print here

Useful links:

Vanity Fair Prints website

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Vanity Fair Print - An Earnest African

2010-09-17T08:09:00.000-07:00

Military - An Earnest African, Capt. F.J.D. Lugard D.S.O. C.B. dated 1895 by Spy.

'Born too late for the Crimea, he joined the 9th Foot after leaving Rossal, and presently won his first medal with "the Holy Boys" in the Afgan War of '79, '80. Five years late he was a Captain in the Soudan with the Indian Contingent and earned a second medal with two clasps'......

Useful links:

Full details of Lugard - Vanity Fair Print - Military

Vanity Fair Prints website

Antique Prints website - fully searchable catalogue

Extensive online catalogue of antique maps

Collect antique prints paintings and maps

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Antique Engravings

2010-07-16T01:50:00.000-07:00

The Latin term intaligo which means incise applies to the printing techniques which result in the
image being created below the surface of the plate. The material used for forming plates up to
the early 19th century was copper sheet, this diminished after the the invention of the
more economic mild steel. So to engrave literally means to incise furrows or grooves on a
copper or steel plate with the use of a graver or burin.

See an example an antique engravings here - 17th century portrait after Van Dyck

Antique Engravings - The Technique

The engraver worked with the lozenge shaped tool called a graver or burin,
rotating the plate as he worked. The lines were incised into the plate with varying widths
and depths by altering the angle at which the tool met the plate and the amount
of pressure exerted on the handle. Differing tones were achieved by changing the
space between the lines, closer together gave a darker area. Cross hatching also
produced tonal and textural effects as well as providing a more three dimensional image.

See here for extensive examples of antique engravings - Whitehall Palace after Inigo Jones

Antique engravings and other print techniques

Extensive online catalogue of antique maps

Collect antique paintings and pictures

Interior Home Accessories - ornaments and contemporary furniture - a blog for Interior Designers, Decorators, Architect and Property Developers

Vanity Fair Print - Tennis - Michael Michailovitch

2010-07-13T05:13:00.001-07:00

Antique Tennis print dated1894

PRINCES No. 15 - The Grand Duke Michal Michailovitch of Russia.
A first cousin to the Czar, he was naturally brought up in the odour of Royalty, and war being the only profession fit for Princes, he was presently made a Captain of the Chasseurs of the Guard, a Personal Aide-de-Camp of the Czar and later the Captain of the Fourth Battery of the Grand Field Artillery....

He is a dood shot, and like his sister, the Grand Duchess of Mecklenbrg-Schwerin, he is a great lover of lawn tennis, who always plays up at the net .....

A full biography is supplied with this print. Click here: Vanity Fair Tennis Print - Michailovitch

Other original Vanity Fair Prints here

Gift Ideas for Lawyers and Barristers

2010-07-08T09:02:00.000-07:00

Sir Robert P. COLLIER : Barrister. 'Sir John Coleridge serves under him',
became Attorney General. STATESMEN No.41.

This is an original Vanity Fair caricature dated February 19th 1870.

See full details here: Gifts for Lawyers and Barristers

Looking for suitable gift for someone in the legal profession?

View selection of original Victorian caricatures from Vanity Fair here

Lawyers, Barristers and Judges

View a large selection of original Vanity Fair Prints here

Antique County Map Of Worcestershireshire

2010-07-07T04:27:00.000-07:00

From Moule's English Counties 1830 - 50, engraved by I Dower.
Hand coloured decorative map from the middle of the nineteenth century.
Heraldry relating to Worcestershire and vignettes of Worcester, Croom Court and Great Malvern.

Full details of this antique map of Worcestershire here

Thomas Moule was a writer on heraldry and antiquities born in 1784 at St Marylebone in London. He carried on business as a bookseller in Duke Street, Grosvenor Square, from about 1816 until 1823, when he became Inspector of 'blind' letters in the General Post Office, his principal duties being the deciphering of such addresses as were illegible to the ordinary clerks. He also held, for many years, the office of Chamber-keeper in the Lord Chamberlain's Department which entitled him to an official residence in the Stable Yard of St James's Palace, where he died on 14 January 1851.

The well-known series of County Maps which are known as 'Moules' were first published in separate sections for each county in 1830-32 and they were then published in collected form in a two-volume work: The English Counties Delineated: or a Topographical Description of England: Illustrated by a Complete Series of County Maps by Thomas Moule: London: Published by George Virtue 1836. Further editions were brought out by Virtue (some with original hand-colouring of the maps) until about 1839. In 1841 the maps appeared in a publication entitled Barclays Complete and Universal English Dictionary with additions to the original plates showing the railways which had been constructed. Normally maps which come from this work are very close trimmed, often into the printed surface, as the format of the dictionary was slightly smaller than the original publication. They are the last series of decorative county maps to be published.

Other antique maps by Thomas Moule

Click here for an extensive selection of antique maps

William Payne Watercolour

2010-07-02T04:45:00.000-07:00

Original William Payne Watercolour - 18th century riverscene

A tranquil river scene with distant bridge, extensive use of Payne's own pigment, Payne's Grey.
Clever use of colour on the ruin and tree draws the eye to the centre of the picture. An excellent example of Payne's work from the late 18th or early 19th century and in a much larger format than his more common sketch book studies.

View further details of this William Payne Watercolour

William Payne
The inventor of Payne's grey, a colour still used today, was a prolific water colourist. He had his devotees. It is all the more surprising then, that very little was known about him. He first started exhibiting at the Society of Artists of Great Britain in 1776 from an address in Park Street, Grosvenor Square.

In the 1780's at the Dockyard in Plymouth and from there sent most of his pictures, mostly Devon and Cornwall, to the Royal Academy and to the BI. By 1790 he had returned to London, where he became the most fashionable drawing master of the day. He last exhibited in 1830.

Other Paintings by William Payne

More 18th and 19th century English Watercolours here

West Buckland near Bantham - Antique Painting

2010-07-01T04:40:00.000-07:00

Original Watercolour of West Buckland by Frank Hewett

Painted from the hill to the South East of West Buckland, near to Thurlestone looking down to the cottages, circa 1910.

This colourful, local artist, from the beginning of the 20th century, provides an invaluable record of the nearby villages, beaches and countryside.

Full details of this painting here: Frank Hewett watercolour of West Buckland - Devon

Other works by Frank Hewett

The Beauty of Maps 5

2010-06-12T08:05:00.000-07:00

Fred Rose's Serio-Comic War Map

Antique Maps Online the home of antiquarian maps and charts

A short film that explores the significance of Frew W. Rose's Serio-Comic War Map, a ground-breaking satirical map of Europe.

Denis Lawson explains how this historical map tells the story of the political unrest of 1877, where Russia was feared to be intent on reclaiming territories lost in the Crimean War.

Other antique maps related to this subject:

Antique war maps

Antique maps of Russia

Antique Maps of Europe as a continent

The Beauty of Maps 4

2010-05-28T05:00:00.000-07:00

Desceliers' World Map dated 1550

This hand made 16th century map of the world shows a surprisingly accurate depiction of the coast lines.

Probably made for the king of France, Henry II, it has an unusual layout, with the annotations above the equator written upside down. This extensive map was made to be viewed on a large table, allowing the viewer to walk around the map and be able to read the text from either side.

Intriguingly in the bottom right hand corner of the map is a continent which corresponds with Australia, over 50 years before it was discovered.

See antique world maps online here

The Beauty of Maps 3

2010-05-07T03:16:00.000-07:00

A short film that explores the significance of Braun and Hogenberg's map of Constaninople, a copperplate in an illustrated atlas of city views.

Denis Lawson explains how this historical map changed the way we saw the world, bringing knowledge and understanding of international cities to a 16th century European audience.

Georg Braun 1541-1622 and Frans Hogenberg c. 1536-88

Frans Hogenberg published in Cologne, a city atlas intended to be a companion to the earlier Theatrum Orbis Terrarum entitled Civitates Orbis Terrarum which was edited by Georg Braun. Comprising six volumes published between 1572 and 1618 they contained more than 500 plans including this plan of Exeter in Vol.6 dated 1618.

The atlas provided a fascinating 16th century record of the principal cities and towns in Europe, Asia, Africa and America. Most plans are depicted as a bird's eye view with decorative backgrounds and include names of prominent buildings and streets as well as heraldic references. The original volumes were issued with Latin text verso, later copies included German and French.

The home of antique maps online

The Beauty of Maps 2

2010-05-01T03:10:00.000-07:00

The second clip in the BBC series celebrating the role of antique maps

A short film that explores the significance of Andreas Cellarius' celestial map of the northern hemisphere, explaining how this historical map let its 17th Century readers see the stars from heaven and understand our place in the universe.

See a selection of antique maps and antiquarian charts here

The Beauty of Maps

2010-04-27T03:37:00.000-07:00

Accompanying the recent excellent series on antique maps the BBC have made video clips
available. This is is the first in the set and is entitled ' Psalter Map 1260', a medieval map from the 13th century. Click on the play button to view. More antique maps clips to follow.

Visit Antique Maps Online the home of antiquarian maps and charts

Bantham Beach - Antique Watercolour by Frank Hewett

2010-04-17T09:31:00.000-07:00

This extensive antique watercolour dated circa 1910 was painted by local professional artist Frank Hewett. An important topographical record, as well as a beautifully crafted picture by this renowned artist, shows what a competent draughtsman he was, combining excellent perspective with a wonderful tonal quality.

Full details here: Frank Hewett - Watercolour of Bantham and Bigbury on Se a

Spring Antique paintings Exhibition 2010

2010-03-11T11:31:00.000-08:00

Starting on Saturday 13th March, an extensive collection of Victorian and Edwardian paintings are offered for sale. View the Exhibition antique paintings catalogue here

Antique Sea Chart of Plymouth - Greenville Collins

2010-02-22T16:06:00.000-08:00

An 18th century Chart of Plymouth Sound from The British Coasting Pilot by Captain Greenville Collins. Featuring a highly decorative title cartouche and a detail of the Salcombe Estuary.

See other antique maps here

Capt. Greenville Collins
In 1676 Collins was commissioned by Charles II, and appointed by Samuel Pepys (who was then Secretary to the Admiralty), to chart the coasts of Great Britain and he produced his Great Britain's Coasting Pilot in 1693, this was the first original sea atlas to be produced by an Englishman.

Collins engaged the services of various engravers to cut the plates including Herman Moll, Harris, Moxon and Lamb, final publication was twelve years after the initial commission.

Full details here - antique sea chart of Plymouth - Greenville Collins

Vanity Fair Cricket Print - A Demon Bowler

2010-01-06T04:49:00.000-08:00

Antique Cricket Prints here

Men of the Day 183. Mr. Frederick Robert Spfforth by Spy.
'Born one and twenty years ago in Sydney, Mr. Spofforth is Austrailian by origin and breeding, yet like all the better kind of Austrailians, he is not distinguishable from an English gentleman ....'

More Vanity Fair Cricket Prints here

Vanity Fair Golf Print

2009-12-15T03:51:00.000-08:00

Jimmy', James Braid, 1907, Spy, Photo Litho.

'In spite of the fact that Arnaud Massey, the Basque, has just won the open championship, beating J. H. Taylor by a single stroke, and that Braid and Vardon were some way down the list, there can be no doubt that James Braid is one of the best golfers in the world'....

Click here to see more details - Vanity Fair Golf Print

Antique World Map

2009-12-01T10:13:00.000-08:00

See Full details here: Antique World Map

Early 19th century twin hemisphere map of the world, author unknown, possibly after Matthew Carey

Condition: Good bold imprint, folding copy, some offsetting, close margins.

View other antique maps of the world here

W. G. Grace - Original Vanity Fair Spy Print

2009-11-28T03:27:00.000-08:00

Men of the Day 150. Mr. William Gilbert Grace by Spy.
'Born at Bristol twenty nine years ago of a family long given to the national game of Cricket, he found himself with a father and uncles reputed famous in its pursuit, and with brothers known for excellence in its practice ...

See More detail here - W. G. Grace Vanity Fair Spy Print

An extensive collection of Vanity Fair Cricket prints here

Antique Town Plan of Exeter - Rapkin and Tallis

2009-11-23T08:21:00.000-08:00

Published in the Illustrated Atlas, by John Rapkin for John Tallis and Co. circa 1860. Very decorative mid-Victorian plan of Exeter with vignettes.

See here for further details - Exeter antique town map

Biography:

John Rapkin (fl. 1835-65)

A nineteenth century map maker and engraver, best known for his work on the Illustrated Atlas of the World 1849-53 for John Tallis and Co. noted for their beautifully decorative borders and later re-issued by the London Printing and Publishing Co. London and New York.

Other Works by this John Rapkin

Golf Cartoons from Punch

2009-11-12T09:34:00.000-08:00

Three original hand coloured golf cartoons from Punch one by Townsend and two by Frank Reynolds.

Mr. Punch's Golf Advertisements, T.H. Townsend 1910

View the complete set here - Punch Golf Cartoons

Visit our antique prints and maps blog here

18th Century Map of the Maldives and Maluka Islands

2009-11-10T06:38:00.000-08:00

This unusual 18th century map depicts both the Maldives which are in the Indian Ocean and the Maluka Islands which are west of New Guinea, and north of Timor, near to Indonesia.

Produced by the eighteenth century French mapmaker Nicolas Bellin this map and old sea chart depicts all the Islands of Maluka (also known as Moluccas or Spice Islands) and the archipelago which forms the Maldive Islands. These maps which were printed circa 1753 on one sheet are often separated for selling purposes.

See antique maps of the East Indies here
See old maps of India here
View old sea charts here

Antique Maps Website Re-Launched

2009-11-07T04:41:00.000-08:00

Joan Blaeu - Yorkshire East Riding

Featuring a complete re-design and over 350 antique maps, many newly catalogued. Maps and charts of all parts of the world, an easy search facility and secure online shopping cart.

Our antique sea charts feature items from the Channel Islands to the Pacific Ocean.

Visit Antique Maps Online for an extensive selection suitable for collectors or those looking for gifts for men.

Original Vanity Fair Print - Polo Player

2009-10-19T02:51:00.001-07:00

Major Michael Rimington - All Ireland Polo Club - dated 1898
See full details of this Vanity Fair Polo Player here

'Descended from Edward Longshanks' - Men of the Day 728.
Chromolithograph dated 13th Oct 1898

'he did not begin polo till he got to Sandhurst; after which he joined ithe Iniskilling Dragoons in South Africa ..... He is one of our bets polo players and Honorary Secretary of the All-Ireland Polo Club.'

Original Vanity Fair Print - 'Reggie' by Spy

2009-10-15T09:01:00.000-07:00

Reggie - R. H. Spooner, July 18th 1906
Educated at Marlborough. Played for Lancashire and England. Also played Rugger for England. Served in the Boer War.

See full details here - Vanity Fair cricket print

Antiques and Fine Art on Twitter

2009-09-29T09:30:00.000-07:00

Follow our regular updates of antique prints, maps and pictures on Twitter

Spy Print - Oxford Cricket dated 1889

2009-09-29T04:00:00.001-07:00

See full details of this Cricket print by Spy

Philipson went to Eton and had a good record as a schoolboy cricketer, before going to Oxford, where he got his blue and where he became captain in 1889. He also represented Oxford at tennis, rackets and Association football. His highest first-class innings was his 150 for the University against Middlesex in 1887, and in this year he was selected to play for the Gentlemen at both Lord's and the Oval.

Original Edwardian Watercolours of Bantham by Hewett

2009-09-14T07:49:00.000-07:00

A collection of watercolours by West Buckland artist Frank Hewett. Beautiful subtle colours with a soft tonal quality, dated circa 1910 - 1913. Views include: Bantham Beach, Bigbury on Sea, Burgh Island, West Buckland,River Avon and Hexdown Quay.

View the Collection Here

Frank Hewett fl. 1900 - 1925
Lived in West Buckland, near Bantham in South Devon. He painted many local seascapes and landscapes as well a charcoal portraits of local people. He formed and trained a local rifle volunteer group at the time of the first world war. He was an imposing, bearded man who would regularly be seen sketching on street corners in his familiar cape.

Vanity Fair Cricket Print

2009-09-04T08:08:00.000-07:00

'Charlie' Colin Blythe Jehu Junior dated 1910

Further details here: Vanity Fair Original Cricket Print

Antique Prints - 19th Century - New London Post Office

2009-09-03T01:49:00.000-07:00

Beautiful aquatint by Henry Pyall after James Pollard dated 1832. Busy Street scene, many horses and carriages.
Published by 'Messers Fores at their Sporting & Fine Print Repository, 41 Piccadilly - Corner of Sackville Street.

Condition: Good bold print, some slight age discolouration, slight creasing outside image, hand coloured.

Title: A North East View of the new General Post Office With the Royal Mails preparing to Start London. With the Royal Mails (& Carts) preparing to Start.

Medium: Hand coloured aquatint dated 1832. Image Size: 380 x 582mm, 18 x 23 ".

See full details click here: Antique Prints New London Post Office

Henry Pyall (1795 - 1833)
Aquatint engraver of sporting, coaching and railway subjects and topographical views after his contemporaries. He lived and worked in London and ran a publishing company with George Hunt.

Bibl: British Prints Dictionary and Price Guide - Ian Mackenzie.

James POLLARD (1792-1867)
The youngest son of the London engraver and print-seller Robert Pollard. He began work at the age of fifteen as a painter but quickly turned to engraving as well. In the 1820s his coaching scenes became both fashionable and lucrative. From 1821 he exhibited a small number of pictures at the Royal Academy and the British Institution which brought him more patrons. Between 1830 and 1840, Pollard also painted a number of racing pictures and some of the earliest scenes of steeplechasing. In all his work he took great pains over accuracy, this is particularly true of his large scale works, such as the present busy London scene, the people are all individuals going about their daily lives, and the coaches, carts and cabs have all been very carefully observed: a true microcosm of London.

Rare 18th Century Antique Boxing Print

2009-08-27T02:22:00.000-07:00

Boxing - Bare Knuckle Fight Antique Print

By John Bowles after Hemskerk -'Printed for John Bowles at ye Blackhorse Cornhill' A very rare print. Condition: Laid down, margins trimmed and very small. Beautifully re-framed
Title: The Bruising Match by Hemskerk - Le Combat a Coup de Poigno par Hemskerk
Medium: Mezzotint circa 1760		Image Size: 350 x 260mm, 13.75 x 10 "

Click here for full details: Antique Prints - Boxing

New Antique Fine Art Blog

2009-08-19T06:05:00.000-07:00

Try this blog for detailed information on antique prints - paintings and old maps

16th Century Map of Italy

2009-08-10T04:49:00.000-07:00

Rare Antique Map of Italy by Ruscelli circa 1561

Girolamo Ruscelli c. 1504 - 1566 was editor of a revised and
expanded edition of Ptolemy's Geographica, which was issued in Venice several times between
1561 and the end of the century.The newly engraved maps were based generally on those compiled by Giacomo Gastaldi for the Venice edition of 1548.

TAVOLA NUOVA D' ITALIA
Antique Map of Italy by Girolamo Ruscelli
Printed By Vincenzo Valgricci of Venice in 1561
Copperplate etching script verso.
200 x 255mm, 8 x10".
Mounted. £250.

Buy here

Antiquarian Legal Prints

2009-07-31T02:40:00.000-07:00

The Reading of a Will by David Wilkie R.A.

Reading of a Will - engraving after David Wilkie

A well known legal image of a family and solicitor reading a will.
'To His Majesty Maximillian Josef of Bavaria, This Engraving of THE READING OF A WILL,from the Original Picture in His Majesty's Collection is most respectfully dedicated by His Majesty's humble and devoted Servant David Wilkie.
Published June 1st 1825 by Hurst Robinson & Co. Print sellers to his Majesty, 6 Pall Mall, London.'

Antique Architectural Prints - Inigo Jones

2009-07-28T04:21:00.000-07:00

These three extensive images represent Inigo Jones design for the Palace of Whitehall in 1639. They were published by the Architect Colen Campbell in his landmark Vitruvius Britannicus. The engraving was performed by Henry (Henrick) Hulsbergh between 1715 and 1717.

Inigo Jones (1573 - 1652) is regarded as the first significant English architect.
Beyond the fact that he was born in the vicinity of Smithfield in central London the son of a Welsh Catholic cloth-worker, little is known about Jones' early years. Towards the end of the 16th century he became one of the first Englishmen to study architecture in Italy, making two visits to that country.
The first c.1598-1603 was possibly funded by Roger Manners, 5th Earl of Rutland. The second, from 1613 to 1614, found Inigo accompanied by the Earl of Arundel. His work then became particularly influenced by the highly original and much imitated Italian architect Andrea Palladio 1508-1580 & to a lesser extent, he also held that the setting out of buildings should be guided by principles first described by ancient Roman writer Vitruvius.

A long association with the English court as a theatrical designer and an architect began in 1605 under King James I and continued through the reign of King Charles I. Jones designed fantastic settings and costumes for dozens of the elaborate court entertainments called masques

In 1615 Jones took the post of Surveyor General of royal buildings to King Charles I - who was deposed and executed by Oliver Cromwell (1600-1649) - Jones career effectively ended with the outbreak of the Civil war. He was also a splendid painter and theatre artist.

Jones' best known buildings are the Queen's House Greenwich, London started in 1616, his earliest surviving work Banqueting House at Whitehall (1619) - part of a major modernisation by him of the Palace of Whitehall - which also has a ceiling painted by the Prolific Flemish baroque painter Peter Paul Rubens. He was knighted by the English king Charles I (1577-1640) .

See all three Inigo Jones prints of Whitehall London here

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2009-04-01T02:37:00.001-07:00

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Antique Prints - Lithographs and Engravings

2009-02-23T08:31:00.000-08:00

Print Making Techniques

These as some of the more common print techniques associated with the production of antique prints:

Aquatint

Possibly the most complicated and time consuming of the print making techniques.
The aqua of the name is slightly misleading, in that it does not refer to water but probably to aquafortis which is nitric acid, for the prints are acid-etched and not as they are sometimes referred to as 'aquatint engravings'. The introduction of this technique was an attempt to emulate the soft tones of a watercolour, for which they are sometimes mistaken.

This magnified image of an aquatint
illustrates the finished 'granular' texture.

Technique
Introduced to Britain by P.P. Burdett in 1771 aquatints were initially used to produce naval,military and sporting subjects. A copper plate is covered with a powdered resin which is fused by heat,the plate is then immersed in acid which is repelled by the resin but which bites the spaces
in between forming a granular texture. In 'biting' the plate the light areas were treated first and then the plate was removed from the acid bath, washed in water and the area required to remain light (i.e. the sky) was stopped out with acid resistant varnish.

The aquatinter worked from light to dark, the final biting being the darkest areas of the print.
The tonal quality was revealed at the printing stage, with the lightly bitten areas carrying small amounts of ink,while the deeply bitten areas carried larger ink deposits and printed darker.
The printing commenced with the cleaning of the plate, which was then inked with a roller.
The surplus ink was removed leaving the remaining ink in the acid cut line or groove, a piece of lightly dampened paper was placed on the plate and then both were fed through a hand operated roller and the ink was absorbed onto the paper.

Engraving

The Latin term intaligo which means incise applies to the printing techniques which result in the image being created below the surface of the plate. The material used for forming plates up to the early 19th century was copper sheet, this diminished after the the invention of the more economic mild steel. So to engrave literally means to incise furrows or grooves on a copper or steel plate with the use of a graver or burin.

The Technique
The engraver worked with the lozenge shaped tool called a graver or burin,
rotating the plate as he worked. The lines were incised into the plate with varying widths
and depths by altering the angle at which the tool met the plate and the amount
of pressure exerted on the handle. Differing tones were achieved by changing the
space between the lines, closer together gave a darker area. Cross hatching also
produced tonal and textural effects as well as providing a more three dimensional image.

Etching

The Latin term intaligo which means incise applies to the printing techniques which result in the image being created below the surface of the plate. The material used for forming plates up to the early 19th century was copper sheet, this diminished after the the invention of the more economic mild steel.

Etching Needle and Graver - Print Making Tools

The Technique
The Etcher prepared the plate by covering it with a wax based 'ground'
and the image was drawn in the wax using an etching needle,this technique allowed the artist to produce a much more free and expressive image. The edges and underside of the plate were sealed with varnish for protection and the plate was them immersed in nitric acid. The acid would bite into the plate where it was exposed by the needle producing an incised image on the metal.

After the plate was bitten to the satisfaction of the etcher, it was removed from the acid bath and
washed in hot water to remove all traces acid and the remaining wax. An ink charged 'dabber' was
then used to work the ink into the incised areas of the plate which was then wiped to remove any surface ink. A piece of paper was then laid on top of the plate and then passed through a press allowing the ink to be absorbed by the paper and produce the printed image.

Mezzotint

Developed in Germany, this technique was introduced to Britain by Prince Rupert (1619-82). First practiced by Luwig von Siegen, he instructed the Prince regarding this new method and the first dated British example was by William Sherwin in 1669 and was a portrait of Charles II.

The British engravers excelled at mezzo tinting, producing both portraits and landscapes. Mezzotints displayed a tonal quality which was not possible until the introduction of aquatints in the late eighteenth century. Until circa 1820 and the invention of mild steel, prints were usually prepared on copper plates which due to its soft nature, limited the size of editions.

Mezzotint Rocker

The Technique
The first step in the process was to 'ground' the plate and for this, the engraver used a tool called a 'rocker'. With it he traversed the plate, working at first horizontally across the surface, then vertically and finally diagonally. The sharp file-like teeth of the rocker scored the surface of the plate producing a rough finish similar to that of coarse sandpaper.

Work with the rocker was far from popular and proved to be tedious and time consuming, the task usually fell to a senior apprentice or journeyman. From this we derive the well known phrase 'off his rocker', probably an indication of the stress induced by this initial preparation.

The plate was then passed to the engraver who commenced scraping up the highlights, working from dark to light with a sharp scalpel-like tool. This 'scraping' demanded a great degree of skill , the more an area was scraped, the smoother it became, thus reducing its capacity to retain ink at the printing stage. The light areas on a portrait, especially the skin tones were treated in this manner and would print white, due to an absence of ink. This ability to depict light and shade by scraping, resulted in the tonal excellence and almost photographic quality of many of the fine portraits mezzotints of the 18th and 19th century.

Mezzotint showing the cross hatching

Stipple print

The introduction of this method is attributed to the engraver William Wynne Ryland (1732-83). He prepared many of his early prints using a narrow 'roulette wheel' for much of the detail and may have worked with this through a wax ground on a copper plate.

The Technique
The stipple process is an adaptation of etching and the plate was prepared with a wax ground in the same manner as for an etching. The dotted detail was pricked through the wax using an etching needle and bitten by immersion in acid. It was the practice to re-enter or deepen the dots with engraving tools, including the punch and graver.

This method was largely popularised in Britain by Francesco Bartolozzi RA (1725-1815). Many examples were printed in colour by applying coloured inks directly by hand to the plate which was cleaned off and re-inked after each impression.

Lithograph

Discovered by Alois Senefelder (1771-1834) in the late 18th century this technique revolutionised the printing industry. Lithography is a planographic system, that is, the image is on the surface of the medium (limestone), with little pressure ('a kiss') being required to make a print. For this reason there is no plate mark associated with a lithograph, only four in hole where the paper was secured during the printing process.

The Technique
The process relies upon the principle that oil and water do not mix. The artist worked on a specially surfaced slab of limestone drawing the image with a greasy pencil. On completion of the drawing was treated with a solution of diluted acid which was repelled by the greasy drawing but bit into the surrounding stone. The stone was then soaked with water and printing ink applied by roller. The ink from the roller would not adhere to wet limestone but was attracted to the grease of the drawing. Providing the stone was kept moist and the design regularly inked, almost unlimited copies could be made.

The image was obtained by placing the paper on top of the prepared drawing and then placing in a press. One of the best known proponents of this technique was James Duffield Harding (1798-1863) who produced many topographical views and animal studies.

How To Get Updates From This Blog... To Your Desktop!

2008-11-17T08:03:00.000-08:00

First you need to download a "Feed Reader." This Blog uses an Atom Feed. Atom Readers can be downloaded from the following webpage:
http://www.atomenabled.org/everyone/atomenabled/index.php?c=5

The above link contains a "big list" of resources, so you may want to use the program below if you want to get started with a quick and easy client right away:

Tristana Reader http://www.charlwood.com/tristana

The Tristana Reader is a small and quick reader. This "big list" contains this reader and others, including those for Mac OS and web-based services. There's also certain readers that integrate into your browser. Use the link to the "big list" to find one you like. Don't worry, they're nearly all fr'ee!

In Tristana, you simply click the large "+" sign and enter the address of the Blog Atom feed. The feed to this Blog is: http://netpreneurnow.blogspot.com/atom.xml

Once the feed is added, just double click it to get a list of headlines and click each headline to get the entry. You can add as many blogs as you want and Tristana will happily keep them all for you.

How to start collecting

2008-11-13T09:41:00.000-08:00

You may be apprehensive regarding the purchase of antique paintings and pictures. There are so many possible sources of antique fine art, where do you start?

One big advantage of choosing an established gallery is that you always have comeback. Select a gallery that has been established for sometime and you won't go far wrong. If there is any doubt about the authenticity or condition of a painting, then most reputable proprietors will refund or exchange without question.

Exhibitions:
Here is an excellent way to to view a selection of pictures at one venue. This gives the advantage of being able to compare and contrast different styles and techniques, or maybe even compare different pictures by the same artist. You will be able to benefit from the gallery owners knowledge of the artists and there technique and also receive advice regarding any potential purchases.

Here's an example to start with: Autumn Collection 2008
or if you prefer to compare different styles of a similar subject Dartmoor Collection 2008

The Bishop's Palace, Exeter by Frederick Parr

These two examples are online catalogues which relate to forthcoming exhibitions which can also be viewed at the gallery.

William Snell Morrish - Wallabrook near Chagford, Dartmoor