print room: Rex Brasher PRINTS SOLD OUT. We do not intend to restock these at this time. In the library, we now have for sale a 4-volume reproduction set of Brasher's THE BIRDS AND TREES OF NORTH AMERICA. This the best edition available for reproductions of Brasher's work. Buy it. Rex Brasher (1869-1960) was a Connecticut wildlife artist who produced in the early 1930s a limited edition set of books entitled The Birds and Trees of North America. This work included prints of 875 paintings showing over 1200 species and subspecies of North American birds. Brasher, who could not afford to have his work printed in color, is credited with having hand-colored all of the prints using airbrush and stencil. The prints immediately below are from a disbound copy of Brasher's work, The Birds and Trees of North America. The linen edge was the means by which they were bound in the book. (This edge can be folded back for framing.) The prints (excluding binding edge) measure about 16 inches x 12 inches. All are collotypes or offset lithographs signed in the stone and hand-colored with airbrush and stencil. All are in overall excellent condition with any problems noted. Numbers following the bird names below are the American Ornithologists' Union (AOU) numbers -- these appear on the prints and in the text. The information below refers to Brasher prints we had in the past. We thought some of you would enjoy having additional photos and information about Brasher, and so we are maintaining it here. All of these prints are sold. The only prints currently for sale are those shown above. OLD BRASHER MATERIAL The prints measure about 16 inches x 12 inches. All are signed in the stone, and hand-colored with airbrush and stencil. If also signed with ink or pencil, a photo of the signature is included. The type of print (collotype or offset lithograph) is noted. Finally, condition information is provided along with price. The back of the print (verso) is described only if there is anything of significance to note. The last two prints are not from The Birds and Trees of North America. They are interesting in their own right. At the 2004 annual meeting of the American Historical Print Collectors Society, we had an opportunity to talk to long-time AHPCS member Robert Braun about the Brasher prints following his excellent talk on identifying printing processes. Bob explained that the prints we believed to be photogravures are actually collotypes. The confusion concerning these prints is widespread, and perhaps arises because the plates were printed by the Meriden Gravure Company. Descriptions below have been corrected to reflect this information. Click on the photos below for better images. Please read important background information on these prints before ordering. The background page lays out what we know about the origin of most of our prints, and places them in the context of Brasher's career. I. Images from The Birds and Trees of North America -- prints without linen -- prints were probably never bound. (See background information for a full explanation.) These prints are all signed in the stone, and some are signed with pen or pencil. Hand-colored collotype (signed "Rex Brasher"). Blue Grosbeak from The Birds and Trees of North America. Signature in black in the bottom right corner. SOLD
BEWICK'S WREN, Natural Size. Original hand-colored offset lithograph, signed in pencil. Plate is in overall good condition with pale foxing scattered throughout. SOLD . CAROLINA PARAKEET, 2/3 Natural Size. A beautiful bird, the last Carolina Parakeet died in 1918. Original hand-colored collotype. Plate in overall excellent condition except for dark stains in the bottom left corner, toning along the left edge, and small amount of staining in the top left corner. On the verso of the stained area, there is a long narrow strip of staining that follows the edge (and conceivably is bleeding through). All stains will mat out. SOLD BROWN CREEPER, Natural Size -- original hand-colored offset lithograph. In good condition with some pale foxing, most on the left side and along the top edge. SOLD EASTERN KINGBIRD, Natural Size. Original hand-colored collotype. Very good with some foxing and toning along edges, a few tiny spots in image area, creases in corners. SOLD BLUE-THROATED HUMMINGBIRD, Natural Size. Original hand-colored collotype. Print has two marks (each several inches long) on the left side (above the AOU number) that look like pencil or scratches in the paper. These marks could be matted out but only if the AOU number is also matted out. Other than that, in overall very good condition with a few scattered spots. SOLD MARSH HAWK, 2/3 Natural Size. Original hand-colored collotype. Overall very good condition with dark even toning along the bottom margin (see photo) and scattered spots and stains in the other margins. SOLD
CALLIOPE HUMMINGBIRD, Natural Size. Original hand-colored collotype, signed in ink. Generally clean print with only a few tiny spots and marks. There is a slight and subtle darkening of the paper surrounding the image. This darkening takes the shape of a rectangle that extends about 1/4-1/2 inch along the right and bottom edges, about 2 inches along the left edge, and about an inch along the top edge. Also, on the back along three edges are 5 narrow strips of what appears to be masking tape. These pieces of tape are about 1/4 inch wide by 2 inches each. There are two strips along each of the long sides and a single strip along one of the short sides. SOLD IVORY-BILLED WOODPECKER, 1/2 Natural Size -- Hand-colored collotype of the largest North American woodpecker, generally believed to be extinct. The brilliant red appears to have been applied by brush. In generally excellent condition with a few faint spots in the margin, and a short tear (about 1/2 inch) in the middle of the bottom edge. A title "IVORYBILL WOODPECKER" has been glued along the left side of the bottom edge (see photo). SOLD SWALLOW-TAILED KITE, 1/2 Natural Size. Original hand-colored collotype. Beautiful composition, nice colors. In good condition except for crease and associated wrinkle along bottom part of right margin, small crease at top right corner, and pale foxing in margins. Image unaffected, everything will mat out. SOLD BUFF-BELLIED HUMMINGBIRD, Natural Size. Original hand-colored collotype. Print has two marks (one an inch or two long, the other several inches long) to the left of the birds. The marks look like pencil or scratches in the paper. A few spots and smudges, generally along the edges, handling creases, and a small tear (1/4 inch) along the bottom edge at right. SOLD WRENTIT (shows two subspecies), Natural Size. Original hand-colored offset lithograph. In overall excellent condition with a few very pale foxing spots in the bottom margin. Slight bend along upper left edge. Attractive image. SOLD PURPLE FINCH, Natural Size. Beautiful image with nice color. Overall excellent condition with two tiny stains along the left edge of the image, and a slight crease in the bottom right corner. SOLD COMMON RAVEN. Interesting and dramatic collotype of this large bird. Uncolored (as intended by Brasher). In overall excellent condition. SOLD
RED-BREASTED NUTHATCH, Natural Size. Original hand-colored offset lithograph. Signed in ink. Plate is in overall very good condition with slight soiling and some tiny foxing spots, mostly along the right edge. Slight bend along top left corner. SOLD
TURKEY VULTURE, 1/4 Natural Size. A few small marks and tiny spots in the margins, tiny creases at some corners. Nice color. SOLD
SCISSOR-TAILED FLYCATCHER, Natural Size. Original hand-colored collotype. Plate is in overall excellent condition with a few tiny spots in margins. SOLD
TOWNSEND'S SOLITAIRE, Natural Size. Original hand-colored offset lithograph. Pale foxing scattered throughout image. Some slight toning along left edge and in left margin. SOLD
WINTER WREN (shows two subspecies), Natural Size. Original hand-colored offset lithograph. Scattered foxing, mostly along the edges of the paper; image generally clean. Slight toning at edges. SOLD
GREAT CRESTED FLYCATCHER, Natural Size. Original hand-colored collotype. Print is clean and in overall excellent condition with very slight toning along edges. Beautiful image. SOLD
YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO, Natural Size. Original hand-colored collotype. Even toning throughout most of the paper, a little darker at the edges. This toning causes the painted areas to really jump out. Otherwise, very clean with a few tiny spots and a price penciled in the corner. Slight corner creases. Great image, excellent color. SOLD
YELLOW-RUMPED WARBLER, Natural Size. Original hand-colored offset lithograph. Plate is in overall good condition with very pale foxing scattered, mostly in margins and uncolored areas, but also in the image. Small creases/wear at two corners. SOLD
II. Images from The Birds and Trees of North America -- prints with linen binding edge. Probably disbound from one or more of the original sets. EASTERN PHOEBE, Natural Size. Original hand-colored collotype, attached to linen cloth with three holes. A clean and attractive print with slight toning along the edges, and a small number "11" penciled into the bottom right corner. SOLD
GREY-CHEEKED THRUSH, Natural Size. Original hand-colored offset lithograph. Includes linen along left edge (creased and folded back). Generally clean with slight toning along edges. SOLD
III. Prints not from The Birds and Trees of North America Most of our prints had AOU numbers, but two did not. Subsequent research shows that these two plates are not part of The Birds and Trees of North America, although they are similar to the numbered prints in the manner of printing and coloring. Like the other prints, they are signed in block letters in the stone. One of these prints, showing Blue Jays, was printed using collotype while the other (titled The Nightingale) was printed using offset lithography. My guess is that the Blue Jay printed circa 1930, whereas The Nightingale is a later print, done after the completion of The Birds and Trees of North America. The Nightingale is signed in ink a manner similar to the other hand-signed prints and includes a hand-lettered title (also in ink), which may have been written by Brasher or a previous owner. BLUE JAY. This is an original hand-colored collotype. This print lacks the AOU number, but is signed "Rex Brasher" (printed in block letters) and includes Brasher's stylized logo (with initials and date of original painting). Great image with good color, generally clean except for a small amount of foxing in the upper margin; old price penciled into top right corner. SOLD "THE NIGHTINGALE." An original hand-colored offset lithograph, signed in ink and with ink title printed in the bottom margin at right. The Nightingale is unique among this lot of prints in that it portrays a bird in a purely artistic manner, without showing the field marks that might help the viewer with identification. Nightingales are not found in North America. This bird, I believe, is a mockingbird -- a bird known for singing at night especially when there is a bright moon. This print is in overall excellent condition with a small crease at the upper left corner, extremely pale foxing in the left margin, and a miniscule tear along the right edge. SOLD
go to background information on Rex Brasher
Last updated 03.22.07 |
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