Harris Schrank Fine Prints

Kirche und Dorf (Church and Village)- 1919, Woodcut.

Prasse W18. No published edition–one of only a few proofs. Signed in pencil and numbered 1814 (the artist’s work number) in the artist’s hand, bottom center margin. Estate stamped and numbered W 37 in pencil, in the bottom right sheet corner.

Image size 3 3/8 x 4 5/8 inches (86 x 117 mm); sheet size 5 1/2 x 8 1/2 inches (140 x 216 mm).

A fine, black impression, on oatmeal-tan carbon-copy paper, with full margins (3/4 to 2 9/16 inches), in excellent condition. Very scarce.

Prasse notes “Proofs chiefly on oatmeal-tan carbon copy paper and pink tissue paper; one on yellow Kozo paper.”

$7800.

Honore Daumier (1808-1879), vlà un petit pochard!, lithograph, 1842, plate 42 from the series Moeurs Conjugales, published in Le Charivari, and the Album Moeurs Conjugales (1839-42). Reference: Daumier Register 665, second state (of 3), in good condition apart from a short (repaired) tear upper edge well away from image, slight browning, 11 1/4 x 8, the sheet 13 1/2 x 10 inches.

A good impression, sur blanc (on firm white wove paper without the letterpress verso).

Translation from the Daumier Register:

Original Text:
En vlà un petit pochard! il vous avale ça comme du lait! pauvre chou…. c’est tout le portrait de son père!

Translation:
Regular little drunk, he is!… He gulps it down like milk! Poor little darling… he is the spitting image of his father!

Honore Daumier (1808-1879), LA MANOEUVRE A BORD, lithograph, 1843, plate 9 from the series LES CANOTIERS PARISIENS, published in Le Charivari, and also in the album Album Les Canotiers Parisiens .   Reference: Daumier Register 1031, third state (of 3). A sur blanc impression.   In good condition, 9 3/4 x 10 1/2, the sheet 10 1/4 x 13 1/2.

A fine strong impression, with good contrasts.

In the mid-1800’s boating on the Seine was a favorite weekend pre-occupation for Parisiens, including many who were ill-suited to the challenges of riverboating. Here’s the translation from the Daumier Register:

Original Text:
LA MANOEUVRE A BORD.
(Le Capitaine hurlant dans son porte-voix.) – Gabier, voici un grain qui se prépare . . . . carguez toutes les voiles! . . . .
– C’est bon . . c’est bon! . . est-ce que tu ne pourrais pas me dire ça tout tranquillement, au lieu de me fourrer ton grand diable d’instrument dans l’oreille! . . . . ça mà rendu si sourd que je n’en vois plus clair! . . . . .

Translation:
A BOAT-MANOEUVRE.
– The Captain yelling in his trumpet:
Gabier! There is a squall building up, get ready!….. Clew up all the sails!… That’s good:…. very good!
– Why didn’t you say that to me calmly instead of poking this huge instrument into my ear! Now I am so deaf, I can’t see clearly anymore!…

Honore Daumier (1808-1879), ILS REVIENNENT DE PLUMER LES CANARDS, 1846, lithograph, Reference: Daumier Register 1185, second state (of 2), plate 97 from the series LES BEAUX JOURS DE LA VIE, published in an album of that name (1843-6) and in Le Charivari.  In generally good condition, some fox marks, a repaired tear upper left corner not near matrix, hinged along the left edge. 11 1/4 x 9, the sheet 13 1/4 x 10 inches. 

A good impression of this evocative composition; two rather well dressed older men apparently satisfied that they have taken advantage of someone. A sur blanc impression, on wove paper.

Here’s the translation, from the Daumier Register:

Original Text:
ILS REVIENNENT DE PLUMER LES CANARDS.

Translation:
THEY HAVE JUST PLUCKED SOMEONE [they have just fleeced some suckers]

$120

Honore Daumier (1808-1879), Poids et Mesures, lithograph, plate 8 from the series ACTUALITÉS, published in La Caricature, 2e série, nr. 5 in 1840. Reference: Daumier Register 791, second state (of 4), before the number 8 was added. In good condition, hinged along the left margin, 11 1/2 x 8 1/2, the sheet 13 1/4 x 9 5/8 inches.

A very good impression.

The indispensable Daumier Register explains the background of this print: “The law of July 4, 1837 brought the introduction of the metric system to France from January 1840 on. As early as 1790, the Academy of Science was asked to develop such a system. The meter became the new unity for the measuring of distances. Only in 1960, a convention for measures and distances was agreed upon on an international basis.”

Here’s the translation, also from the Register:

Original Text:
POIDS ET MESURES.
Dites moi donc! Mme. Gavin, en v’la des inventions! j’vas m’acheter une robe, et on me parle étranger; ils me baragouinent des Mêtres, des Thermomètres, des Baromètres!… a-t-on vu ça. – Et moi donc, la fruitière au lieu de quatre onces de beurre, elle m’emberlificote avec des Grammes! des Filagrammes et des Programmes!….

Translation:
WEIGHTS AND MEASURES.
– Unheard of, Madame Gavin! What are all these inventions? I buy myself a dress and they talk to me of meters, thermometers, barometers….. Can you imagine!
– And look at me, the grocer instead of 4 ounces of butter suddenly mumbles about grams, Filigrams and Programs!

$225

Honore Daumier (1808-1879),Mon Cher Ami, lithograph, 1838, plate 4 from the series CROQUIS D’EXPRESSIONS . Reference: Daumier Register 469, second state (of 2).  Published in Le Charivari in 1838; in the publication Musée pour Rire in 1839-40. In generally satisfactory condition, with binding holes along upper edge.

A relatively weak but still satisfactory impression, sur blanc on cream wove paper. We considered the possibility that this is from the Musée pour Rire publication of 150 caricatures, but unlike the reprints from that publication this impression has the title of the series at the top, and the printing at the bottom matches that of those published in Le Charivari.

Here is the translation from the Daumier Register:

Original Text:
Mon cher ami, je vous présente Monsieur *** une de nos célébrités artistiques……. – Monsieur, j’ai bien l’honneur……………

Translation:
– My dear, let me introduce you to Monsieur *** one of our artistic celebrities…
– Monsieur, I have the great honour!

$110

Honore Daumier (1808-1879), L’OEIL DU MAÎTRE, lithograph, 1842, published in Le Charivari in 1842. Reference: Daumier Register 681, second state (of 3). From the series Moeurs Conjugales, plate 58. In good condition (remains of prior hinging verso), a sur blanc impression, on sturdy wove paper without the letterpress verso, 11 x 8, 13 1/2 x 10 1/4 inches.

A very good impression of this curious subject.

The indispensible  Daumier Register notes that “The comedy “L’Oeil de Verre” (The glass eye) was written by M. Léon and first shown in the Vaudeville Theatre on September 15, 1840.”

Here is the translation of the text from the Daumier Register:

Original Text:
L’OEIL DU MAÎTRE.
– Bichette! en voilà un scélérat qui a fait des victimes! mais nous sommes bien sage à présent….
– Chacun son tour Mr. Picquet, chacun son tour.

Translation:
THE MASTER’S EYE.
– Darling! Just look at this scoundrel who had his share of conquests! but now we have calmed down…
– Each in his turn, Mr. Picquet, each in his turn.

$200

Honore Daumier (1808-1879), Eh. Eh? petit gredin, lithograph, 1840, published in Le Charivari in 1840. Reference: Daumier Register 649, third state (of 4). From the series Moeurs Conjugales, plate 26. A sur blanc impression. In generally satisfactory condition, with two repaired tears right edge, nick lower left, slight toning, remains of prior hinging verso. 11 x 8, the sheet 13 3/8 10 1/4 inches.

A good impression of this comical scene.

Translation from the Daumier Register:

Original Text:
Eh. Eh? petit gredin, vous en ferez aussi des moutards, vous avez déja des yeux de scélérat. Vous serez comme votre père.

Translation:
Ho, Ho! You little bugger, …. you behave already like a little brat, and you already have the eyes of a little scoundrel… you’ll be just like your father!

$125

Honore Daumier (1808-1879), Une Partie de Campagne, lithograph, 1842, plate 59 from the series Moeurs Conjugales, published in Le Charivari in 1842, and in the album of the series in 1843. Reference: Daumier Register 682, second state (of 2). A sur blanc impression on wove paper (as published in the album for collectors, without the newsprint verso). In very good condition, 11 1/2 x 9, the sheet 13 1/4 x 10 1/2 inches.

A fine impression, with the blacks rich, contrasting well with the greys and white.

Here is the translation from the Daumier Register:

Original Text:
UNE PARTIE DE CAMPAGNE.
– Monsieur n’a pas voulu attendre son neveu: alors Madame a trouvé que le temps menaçait, mais ça n’a rien fait.
-Quel vieux grigou!
– Oh! mère Poirier, il paiera ça plus cher qu’au marché.
– Et qu’elle fera fichtre bien par exemple!

Translation:
COUNTRY AMUSEMENT.
– Monsieur did not want to wait for his nephew; and Madame thought it might soon start raining, but he didn’t really bother.
– What an old miser!
– Don’t you worry, Mother Poirier, he’ll pay dearly for that… more than the market price!
– And right she is isn’t she!

$250

James Whistler (1834-1903), The Traghetto, etching and drypoint, 1879-80, signed with the butterfly on the tab and inscribed imp. Reference: Kennedy 191, fourth state (of 6), Glasgow (MacDonald et al) 223, 7th state (of 9), before the eyes are added to the child at the left, and without the carafe on the table. From the First Venice Set. In excellent condition, trimmed by the artist to the platemark except for the signature tab. 9 1/2 x 11 7/8 inches.

A fine impression, printed on laid paper, with subtle plate tone. With Whistler’s three tiny circles in pencil verso, indicating that in his view this is a particularly fine impression (of course Whistler’s perspective is always colored by his marketing acumen as well as aesthetic sense).

Whistler changed this print numerous times as he progressed through many states; after the first composition he virtually re-etched the plate; at times he had a carafe on the table, then burnished it out, then added it back (here its out). In the state after this he added eyes to the child being held, at the lower left, and added the carafe to the table in drypoint. In this impression the areas of the archway are dark and rich, and the people in the distance can be seen clearly.

James Whistler (1834-1903), The Beggars, etching and drypoint, 1879-80, signed with the butterfly on the tab and inscribed “imp”. Reference:  Glasgow 190, eighth state (of 17),  Kennedy 194, fourth state (of 9), from the First Venice Set. In excellent condition, trimmed by the artist to the plate mark except for the tab, 12 x 8 1/8 inches.

Provenance: Kennedy Galleries, NY, with their stock number verso (a 6953).

A very fine impression, printed on laid Japan, with substantial plate tone especially towards the edges of the composition.

In this rather early impression Whistler has burnished the butterfly from the upper left (and one can still see some evidence of this work), and moved the lantern from the far left toward the middle of the composition. But he has yet to do much additional shading and figuration work on the man with the wide-brimmed hat in the passageway.

$19,000