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the attic
authenticating prints
There are millions of prints in circulation that depict birds and animals. This is great
if you love
natural history art, but it also means there is a lot of older-looking stuff out
there that people wonder about. Most of the prints about which we get inquiries are NOT valuable --
probably more than 99 percent of past inquiries on Audubon involved Havell
Edition reproductions or facsimiles,
lovely to look at, but not rare or valuable.
In order for you to evaluate a print (that is, to decide if it is an original
antique print or a reproduction), you will almost always have to remove the print from any
framing so you can examine and describe it completely. If you are scared to remove it
from the frame, we suggest you review our authentication tips below, then if you think
it is worth it, take it to a frame shop and pay them to remove it. When
removing a print from a frame by yourself, do it slowly and use common sense. NEVER FORCE
ANYTHING WHEN REMOVING PRINTS FROM EXISTING FRAMES OR MATS -- in some
cases, prints will be glued down or taped to backboards. Do not remove
tape from prints (although in some cases you may be able to cut the tape to free
the print) and do not
try to remove a glued-down print. If the print is glued to a mat (or vice
versa), do not remove the mat. You can almost always gain information by
examining other aspects of the print, and you may be able to rule it out (or in)
as an original print based on other characteristics.
Because natural history prints were generally issued as part of a larger
work, they tend to follow certain "standard recipes" that will allow a
person who knows the complete recipe to distinguish between an
original print and any reproduction. We have yet to run into any type of
reproduction that does not vary in at least
one aspect from the original it reproduces, but the ease with which these variations can be detected
depends both on the specific works in question, and the knowledge and skill of
the person making the determination. In our area of expertise, original
Audubon prints, we
know of a few instances where professionals in the print business disagreed on
the authenticity of specific prints. This sort of disagreement is
rare. MOST AUDUBON REPRODUCTIONS DO NOT
REQUIRE A HIGH LEVEL OF EXPERTISE TO DISTINGUISH THEM FROM
ORIGINALS.
We offer
information in this area that will help you with authentication for both
non-Audubon and Audubon prints (originals and reproductions), and with
ballpark values if yours turns out to be a facsimile or reproduction (Audubon
only). If
you have an original natural history print and are interested in discussing a
sale, read the information in this area to make
sure your print fits the criteria for the prints we seek. If it does, we'd
be pleased to hear from you through our item inquiry form (links found
below).
AUDUBON ORIGINALS
We spent many hours trying to put together easy-to-use information to
help you authenticate your prints. It turned out
to be a complex task, not because authentication is difficult but because the
great number and variety of reproductions and facsimiles make definitive declarations (e.g., all prints with a plate mark are
authentic)
impossible. We have finally settled on a quick guide below that we hope
hits the highlights of what you need to know. If you don't understand some
of the terms, please visit our help area
for more guidance. In the help area, if you need more detailed information
on a specific topic, click the key image to get it.
QUICK GUIDE TO AUDUBON ORIGINALS
LARGE BIRD PRINTS - HAVELL
EDITION
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Called Havell Edition after the
printer or Double Elephant Folio after the paper size, individual prints are
commonly called "Havells." These are the most expensive and rare
of Audubon originals, and also the most widely reproduced by far.
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Printer credit (bottom right) is to Robert
Havell or W. H. Lizars.
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Many (but not all) of the prints include a year
(1827 to1838) in
the printer credit.
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Most reproductions and facsimiles include all the writing
that you would normally see on the originals. Some reproductions
include extra writing you would NOT see on originals. For more
information on what writing belongs and what doesn't, visit our
help area.
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The sheet size (paper size) of an untrimmed
original Havell measures around 38 x 25 inches, give or take an inch. Many
original Havells are trimmed severely, but
assuming no slicing through the actual image area, the smallest
size sheet of paper for a Havell you would encounter would be in the area of
18 x 11 inches. (Although still rare, such a small print would be of greatly diminished value
because of the extreme trimming.) If your sheet size is smaller than
this, it is a virtual certainty
that yours is an undersized reproduction. Another way to check for size is to
remember that Audubon depicted his folio birds in "the size of
life," so if the bird looks overly small (e.g., it's a swan and measures
8 inches), then
you have an undersized reproduction.
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Images come in three sizes -- small, medium
and large. Plate numbers provide a key to the size of the image.
All "large" images have plate numbers ending in 1 or 6, while
mediums end in 2 or 7. Everything else is a small image.
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A plate mark (a rectangular ridge in the
paper that completely surrounds the picture and all writing) should be visible
on most prints with small and medium images. Some facsimile editions
include "fake" plate marks, but they can be distinguished based on
other criteria. Plate marks are extremely helpful in deciding what type of
print a person has. For more information on plate marks, visit our
help area.
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All coloring on Havells was done by
hand-applying watercolor paint. For information on distinguishing
handcoloring from printed color, visit our
help area.
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Havells were done on two different types of paper, each of
which has a large countermark (commonly called a watermark) involving the
name J WHATMAN. On a full or mostly full sheet, the watermark,
or at least a part of it, should be present. The watermark can
normally be seen by holding the print up to a source of light. If the print is laid down (glued to a board), it may
be difficult or impossible to detect a watermark even if present. The
watermark is generally considered the single most important identifier of a
Havell Edition print. Although seeing the watermark is not essential
to authenticating a print, the lack of a watermark in an UNTRIMMED print is
considered definitive in disproving authenticity. For
more information on the size of the watermark, what it says and looks like,
and where it is located, visit our
help area.
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Havell's printing process (primarily etching with
some engraved lines plus the use of aquatint) means that the lines found on
Havells are very fine even when viewed under 8-10x
magnification. Lack of fine lines in a handcolored print may indicate it was
made using a lithographic or collotype process. The following images
(and perhaps others) are among those that can be found in full-sized hand-colored
facsimiles that date to the 1930s and 1940s -- Canvas-Back Duck, Mallard,
Long-Billed Curlew, Blue Jay, Passenger Pigeon, Pinnated Grouse (and possibly
also Ruffed Grouse, the only one of these we have heard of, but never otherwise
confirmed). The prints with large images (Curlew, Mallard, Canvas-back,
Pinnated Grouse) are often found glued to boards (which of course makes it difficult to
check for a watermark). When removed from boards, they turn out not to
have the watermark. Those prints with medium-sized images (Blue Jay and
Passenger Pigeon), if not laid down, can be mistaken for Havells with
the watermarks trimmed away and plate marks not visible. At least some of the prints seem to have been made with a
collotype process (which does an excellent imitation of aquatint even under
magnification); these prints
can and do fool people with expertise in Audubon originals. If there is
something odd about the quality of the color (to the extent you can judge or
someone else can judge for you), if the print does not have
a plate mark but you would expect a plate mark because of the sheet (paper) size, and if
the lines under magnification are not fine and sharp, it pays to be very cautious.
LARGE BIRD PRINTS -
BIEN EDITION
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Bien prints are large chromolithographs (that is, prints
with printed color) that were only very rarely reproduced. Under
magnification, the color on these prints shows various colored blobs which
may be layered together or not (depending on the color produced).
While most of these prints have a credit to Bien, a significant subset of
prints may not. If you know what Biens are supposed to look like, you can
authenticate any Bien.
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Bien paper has no watermark, is smooth to the touch (not
textured) and may be slightly slick. Because of its high acid content,
this paper is prone to stains, tears and chips,
and can become very brittle with age. You should be careful when handling
Bien prints or you may damage them.
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Large and medium images were printed one to a sheet, while
small images were printed two to a sheet. There is no way to relate
plate number to image size. Plate numbers used in the Bien Edition are
identical to those used in the octavo edition (different from those used in
the Havell Edition).
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Biens include a part number on the left side of the image
that is HYPHENATED, e.g., "No. 11-1" for the Barn Owl.
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The paper used to print Biens originally measured around 40
x 26 inches, and a full sheet print will be around 38 x 25 inches, give or
take an inch or more. Some Biens involve the placement of two small bird
images on a single sheet. In the past, many people split these sheets
in half in order to frame the bird images separately. Therefore some
Bien prints may be approximately half of the full size (in the
vicinity of 19 x 25 inches).
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Bien printed the print and artist credit only once per
sheet, even on sheets that
had two images. This resulted in some loss of attribution if two images on a
single sheet were separated. If the separated images were vertically
oriented (taller than they were wide), the one originally on the left would end
up with the Audubon credit, while the other would get the Bien credit.
With landscape oriented plates (wider than they are tall), the plates were
stacked one on top of the other, with artist and printer attributions going
beneath the lower plate. If separated, the top plate would have neither
credit while the bottom plate would have both credits.
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We have a photo of a rare Bien reproduction on our website (visit
the
mystery closet for detailed description and photo). The paper
is good quality TEXTURED stock, with the sheet measuring about 20
inches x 26 inches. The texture of the paper is a great clue to the fact
that the print is a reproduction. (The original Bien Edition paper is
smooth.) The sheet size on these reproductions is half the size of the original
sheet size, while the reproduction image size is roughly 70 percent of
original image size (that is, the relative size of the margin has been
reduced). As far as we know, there are only two Bien Edition prints
that were reproduced in this series,
the Common Crossbill and the Yellow Breasted Chat. Some collectors,
believing that the Bien Edition was never reproduced, and knowing that some plates
were produced two to a sheet, could mistake these reduced-size reproductions for
half-sheet originals. These reproduction prints do not have great
value, but they are nevertheless interesting, and if you own one, we hope
you enjoy it.
SMALL BIRD PRINTS
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Usually called octavo birds
after the paper size and title of the series.
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Printer credit is to J. T. Bowen and
Endicott; no year in
the printer credit.
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No watermark or plate mark on the paper.
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Handcoloring only in the first edition;
handcoloring with tinted (printed) background in later editions.
Tinted backgrounds on images with landscapes tend to look like
cloudy skies, and range in color from beige to aqua with white streaks for
the clouds. On prints lacking a landscape, the printed background is
usually a solid rectangle of color behind the image. Some later
edition prints do not include a printed background, but these are unusual.
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Prints can be identified as originals by
ascertaining that the color on the birds is hand-applied, that is, the color
derives from watercolor paint. For information on distinguishing
handcoloring from printed color, visit our
help area.
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For a detailed article (probably much more detail than you need) on how to identify differences in
first and later editions, see our study
article on this topic.
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Sheet size usually in the vicinity of 6 to
6-3/4
inches x 10 to 11 inches. Binding holes may or may not be trimmed
away.
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Almost never excessively trimmed unless
previously framed.
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Value depends on edition (first or later), condition and desirability
of the images. Prices range from as little as $50 to $3500. For more information on distinguishing first and later
editions, visit our study
area.
LARGE ANIMAL
PRINTS
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Usually called Imperial Folio Edition after
the paper size.
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Printer credit is to J. T. Bowen.
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Many prints include a year (1842 to 1848) in
the printer credit
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No watermark or plate mark on the paper.
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Handcoloring used exclusively -- no printed
color. For information on distinguishing handcoloring from printed color, visit
our help area.
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Sheet size usually in the vicinity of 19 to
22 inches x 25 to 28 inches. Full sheet is 21 x 27 inches or larger. Binding holes may or may not be present.
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Images usually take up a larger percentage of
the paper than in some other editions. Therefore these are rarely
trimmed excessively (although it is of course possible).
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Value depends on condition and desirability
of the image. The range of prices on these is very large with retail
prices on some small mammals starting at a few hundred dollars, and
extending up to $35,000.
SMALL ANIMAL
PRINTS
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Usually called octavo quadrupeds (or quads)
after the paper size and title of the series.
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Printer credit is to J. T. Bowen or Nagel
& Weingaertner; no year in
the printer credit
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No watermark or plate mark on the paper.
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Handcoloring with tinted (printed) background
in all editions. Backgrounds on images with landscapes tend to look like
cloudy skies, and range in color from beige to aqua with white streaks for
the clouds.
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Sheet size usually in the vicinity of 6 to 7
inches x 10 to11 inches. Binding holes may or may not be trimmed
away.
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Almost never excessively trimmed unless
previously framed.
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Value depends on condition and desirability
of the images. Edition is impossible to verify unless you have
information from the original volume from which the print came. Prices on
these vary greatly from $50 to $1500.
Offer us a print for sale or consignment.
AUDUBON REPRODUCTIONS
If, after reading the material above, you have decided you have a
reproduction or facsimile print, please read this section. There are few
reproductions in circulation of Audubon Biens or octavo prints, so the
discussion applies primarily to the large Havell folio prints. Reproduction,
the way we use it, refers to any print of any size that reproduces the image
from an original print. Most Audubon reproduction prints are smaller than
the corresponding original print in terms of the image and the paper (sheet)
dimensions. Facsimile refers to a subset of reproductions prints, a print
that is the same size (both in terms of image and paper size) as the original
print it reproduces.
We admire many of the collectible Audubon reproductions we have
seen, but we make the
choice to focus our attention on originals, because we find them more exciting
and appreciate their direct link to the past. We have some reproductions for sale from time to time, and we
hope you'll take a look at them if you are in the market for these. We can and have done consulting work involving detailed description and appraisal of large reproduction collections, and can do the same
for you if that's what you need. We have outstanding research
and writing skills, a good command of the market, and will do a great job at a competitive
price.
That said, only a tiny percentage of the reproduction and facsimile prints in circulation
today have collectible value
(that is, are perceived by collectors to be worth a premium price).
The typical reproduction print has only decorative value (value
based on how attractive it is). If you have a reproduction or facsimile print, we cannot help you with valuations,
prices or approaches to
selling it beyond the information you find here and in Bill
Steiner's article on Audubon facsimiles in our study area. We will, however, be happy to sell you
Bill's book, a great
reference that goes into far more detail on the facsimile and common reproduction series
that are in circulation, and provides an interesting discussion on the value of such prints.
Most reproductions are smaller in size than the corresponding Audubon
original, and are unlikely to command
more than nominal prices if described honestly and completely. We
think a fair price for prints with reduced-size images range from $1 to
roughly $50 depending on size, quality and condition. There are a couple of series of reduced-size
reproduction prints issued in the 1930s or 1940s that were hand-colored, and
some of these prints may be worth somewhat more than this range, BUT not a lot
more. These prints, published by A.P.P
(Artistic Picture Publishing) and the History Institute of America, are usually
so-marked unless the credits have been trimmed. While not particularly rare, they can be attractive
depending on condition and might command higher prices.
If you are buying or selling non-limited edition reproductions that are NOT
hand-colored, we would say that anything in the $25 to $100 range should
be in excellent to "as new" condition, and should be a full-sized facsimile of an
image with some dramatic punch. In the end, this is
just our opinion based on observations of the
market, and our own feelings about the inherent value of reproductions.
The prints that you see for sale for more than $50/print are usually from one of the handful of
collectible limited edition facsimiles of the Havell Edition
and the Imperial Folio Edition (that is, full-sized versions of Audubon's folio birds and folio
animals). Some of the full-size limited edition reproductions of possible
interest to collectors include Princeton Limited (birds and animals), Southart/Parkway
(animals), Oppenheimer (birds and animals), Loates (birds), Abbeville (birds),
Amsterdam (birds), and Arial/Leipzig (birds) to name a subset. These prints range widely in price and in
edition limitation. We have seen some of these prints sell for less than $10 a
print in large sets at auction while others command as much as $6000 apiece at retail. Prices
do not strictly correlate with quality. Some excellent limited
edition facsimile prints
can be had at low to moderate prices, while some prints of lesser quality can command
high prices. If it is a current series, and still being published, prices should be capped by the publisher's list prices. If the series
is out of print, price depends primarily on demand from collectors. A few of the more expensive of the limited edition prints are
Amsterdams, Abbevilles, and Oppenheimer Editions. Other high quality, but
usually
less expensive facsimiles are Princeton Edition, Loates, and Arial/Leipzig.
Of
course, information in the market is not perfect and prices vary widely,
occasionally by more than a factor of 10. Remember, even though collectors have embraced some limited
edition series, they remain indifferent to others, and what they value today, they may not value
tomorrow.
BIRD PRINTS BY ARTISTS OTHER THAN AUDUBON
We are not currently buying artwork by anyone other than Audubon or members
of his family. We are not experts in the markets for artists other than
Audubon and his sons, and cannot help you with valuations or
authentication.
TO OFFER AN AUDUBON PRINT FOR SALE OR
CONSIGNMENT
If you wish to offer an Audubon print for sale to us, you must first AUTHENTICATE
it.
If you are having trouble determining whether or not your print is hand-colored,
please realize that hand-coloring means painted with watercolor. Under 10X or
greater magnification, the color LOOKS like watercolor paint. Buy yourself
a cheap loupe (costs about $10 or less) from a photo supply store and examine your print
with the loupe right on top of it. It is generally not useful to use a
loupe on a framed print because you cannot get close enough to the print to
bring the image into focus. Most of us know from first hand experience
what watercolor looks like. USE YOUR KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE. Hand
colored prints will have spots where the paint goes over or under the black ink
lines, places where the colors smudge or overlap, etc. Printed color often
-- BUT NOT ALWAYS -- shows a dot or some other type of regular pattern. If it
doesn't have dots, but it doesn't look like watercolor, it is probably a
different type of PRINTED COLOR.
If you would like to contact us with regard to a print you would like to
sell, we will need to know
- the artist
- the dimensions
(in inches)
of the entire sheet of paper;
- whether the print is glued
down or taped to anything;
- the title. Usually
this is the bird name that appears on the
print -- please provide the common (NOT Latin or scientific) name if
available;
- plate or other numbers appearing on the print;
- the work of origin and year of publication (if known);
- the dimensions of the plate mark (if present);
- the presence or lack of handcoloring;
- additional information on condition including a description of the quality
of color, any tears, holes, creases, stains, spots, or folds.
Please gather this information before you call or email. Otherwise, we
will be unable to help you.
Last updated 03.10.09
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