Antique Currier & Ives Hand-colored Lithograph Art Print Ca. 1869 Fashion Decor For Sale

Most Currier & Ives prints you encounter will be from the 20th century and usually pretty common. This is one of those exceptions to the rule and a rarity. This dates all the way back to Circa 1869, when the grass probably wasn\'t even  grown back fully on the Gettysburg battlefields. It would have been hand-colored and the subject matter is delicious. It\'s a bit of a hit job on the modern young lady of the era with her wild fashions. It\'s certainly true that some frightening animals or animal parts could appear on hats that were the fascinators of the era. I\'m not quite sure an entire taxidermy squirrel was ever thus abused, but who knows. Note the wonderful long braid and obviously a strong reproach intended for her smoking habit. Thirty or forty years ago, it would have been the tattoos satirical artists would have gone after. The title dryly indicates the attitude of the satirical artist. I think it\'s safe to say this is the original frame. Just look at the age on it, especially from the back. These don\'t usually make it to our time without some deficits and here they are rather slight. There is a faint dark line that mercifully doesn\'t really impact the main art. A few minuscule compromises in the paper, but again it displays just wonderfully. This is an extremely uncommon print and a great acquisition for the collector of Victorian fashions, American Style. This measures approximately 12.5 in X 16.25 in (frame). I\'m told that it often sells upwards of $450 when it\'s from the period as this one is. And here you have the bonus of the original frame. That\'s usually the sale price for the print itself. It could be conserved to remove the dark line. But I think it wears its age proudly...if you choose not to do so. (1lr)