Early prints

[Terry Bond]

Thought this topic might deserve it's own thread to keep related posts together.   I've long been a fan of "wall hangers."  That's how I define early motoring related prints, lithographs and paintings that are framed and of course, hung on the wall for enjoyment.  I've run out of wall space though, so have a number that periodically get rotated around the house.  I've already posted a few of my favorites, but here are a couple of others that I think are really great.   One area that I think is particularly interesting is "The lady and the automobile." Many great illustrations were done depicting ladies with automobiles.   Lots of other categories of course, and the images are found not only in print form but on other objects - but here are a few my wall hangers that I'm fond of.

Terry

[Layden B]

Not a print but an original sketch, still it is a "wall hanger".

[Robert G. Smits]

A couple of my favorite “Wall Hangers”

[Robert G. Smits]

A couple of French Lithographs:

[Terry Bond]

Great artwork!   Layden, original work from that era is difficult find.  Do you know anything about the vehicle in the drawing?

Robert-you obviously have much more wall space than I do!   Have always thought those early French prints were the best.  The Montaut and Gamy prints are my absolute favorites.  I've got a selection of the larger prints.  Of course they were all hand-water-colored so each one has a few unique characteristics.  I have a few also that are smaller sized and taken from the book of Montaut racing prints "10 Ans de Courses les Marques Victorieuses"  (ten years on the course), which contains a selection of his illustrations between 1897-1907.  Someday I'll find a complete volume!   I have a friend locally whose family is from France and he has his grandfather's original prints, complete in their original frames.  There are 12 of them that were actually purchased directly from the gallery in France that distributed Montaut's work.  I was given one many years ago, and am still hopeful that someday, I'll be able to obtain the other 11.    The print below is one attributed to Gamy, who was Montaut's wife Margurite.  She carried on with producing similar artwork following is death. 

Terry

[Robert G. Smits]

Terry, I agree with you and would also like to know more about the subject of the vehicle in Layden's post. 

I was exposed to French lithographs through our interest in French Art Glass  (Galle, Dahm, DeArgental and Desire Christian) and our travels to Paris twice a year for over 15 years.  I try to not think of all the ORIGINAL great pieces of automotive art that I passed on in those years.  As a consequence of that I became interested on Stone Lithography and have collected examples for years.  Unfortunately in the US many of the best examples of stone lithography are Brewery Advertising.  If I can find it I will post one of my favorite examples of stone lithography of the day.  It is a turn of the century advertising piece for Harvard Brewing Co.  Only two are known to have survived

In your response to wall space when I built my car facility in Texas I specified 16 foot side walls and climate control for displaying artwork and Petroliana.  I am out of space!!

Example of Stone Lithography 

[Terry Bond]

I've always thought it interesting that beer was so widely advertised using the automobile as a theme.  There are prints, tin lithographed signs and I've even got sheet music advertising beer!   

Terry