A Good Year for N. Currier and Currier & Ives
- By Bruce McKinney
The Fred J. Peters Sale 1923
The redoubtable print makers, N. Currier and Currier & Ives, successful New York printmakers from 1834 to 1907, had a pretty good year at auction in 2011. Of one hundred and thirty-six lots of their work offered by 24 auction houses, 105 were sold. They were once important American printmakers but long ago fell out of fashion. In the digital age they are making a comeback, aided by the proliferation of auction houses and their increasing ability to display images extensively. Their appeal is in the “seeing.” For new as well as experienced collectors visual presentation raises awareness and the Curriers and other 19th century printmakers are benefiting from the web’s ability to bring images to life. Collectors may buy them to collect as a category or simply to illustrate and illuminate other collections such as I do – of the Hudson Valley.
The Courier oeurve was extensive, some 8,000 known subjects, portraying current events, local scenes and homely homilies. To my eye they are a window on the fervor and emotions of the day, their rise mirroring the emerging working class’ desire for culture.
I mention Currier because they are illustrative of the transformation the web brings to the collecting of works on papers. Not so long ago one would have had to buy one of the many small books or even the rather expensive two-volume catalogue raisonne compiled by Gale Research to develop an overview of the Curriers. These days their work regularly appears on listing sites and in auction rooms.
As to online resources the Curriers are a deepening thread in the AED; 2,041 records currently, and we are adding another 7,500 20th century auction records this spring. In the transition within the world of printed material where some things rise and others fall the Curriers are rising.
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A Good Year for N. Currier and Currier & Ives
- By Bruce McKinney
The Annie E. Blake Sale, 1937
There are of course other illustrators and other forms. The Curriers are hardly the apogee of 19th American lithographic presentation. But they are obtainable, sometimes inexpensively, and, when the image is appropriate, they often help to bring collections to life.
Asked his opinion of Currier & Ives Graham Arader offered: "This is a field where true bargains are to be had with price declines of well over 50% from the highs achieved at auction 10 years ago. My advice would be to insist on examples in perfect condition with rich color that are listed on the "Top 50" lists published by the American Historical Print Collectors Society."
Here are links to two sales we have recently added to the AED;
Rare Prints by N. Currier and Currier & Ives, the Collection of Fred J. Peters, sold in New York by Anderson Galleries on November 27th, 1923 click here
The Annie E. Blake Collection of Currier & Ives sold on October 28th, 1937 by Plaza Art Galleries in New York. click here
For many the best way to understand these and other collectible prints is to visit a specialist dealer. On this page and the next are four that come to mind:
Arader Galleries
1308 Walnut Street
Philadelphia, PA 19107
215 735-8811
29 East 72nd Street
New York, New York 10021
1016 Madison Avenue
New York, New York 10021
Galleria I, Suite 2303
5015 Westheimer
Houston, Texas 77056
435 Jackson Street
San Francisco, California
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A Good Year for N. Currier and Currier & Ives
- By Bruce McKinney
The Philadelphia Print Shop
8441 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia
The Old Print Shop
150 Lexington Avenue
New York, New York 10016
Rudisill's Alt Print Haus
Hanover, Pennsylvania
717 634-2029
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