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Understanding, Collecting and Displaying Antique Prints.

Understanding your antique prints..
For a better understanding of your finely detailed antique print, you might like to know a little about the process involved in its printing. Firstly, “printing” entails the transference of ink from a prepared printing surface (the block, plate or stone carrying the image) to the piece of paper. Ink can be carried on raised parts of a printing surface (relief process), in lowered carved or etched grooves (intaglio process), or on the surface itself (planographic or surface printing).

The relief process is an ancient method, where the relief surface is ready for printing once all the non-printing areas have been cut away from the original surface (as with a rubber stamp), leaving the area raised to receive the ink from a roller.

The intaglio process is almost the reverse of this, as the ink is held in the grooves that have been carved or etched into the engraving plate. The varying intensity of the ink is achieved by the different width and depth of the grooves incised by a hand-guided tool or by etching with the application of acid. After the ink has fully penetrated the recesses, the plate is wiped. The paper is then dampened and is subjected to considerable pressure to transfer the ink from the grooves of the engraving plate. This pressure leaves a plate mark known as the intaglio impression.

The planographic style of printing is the most in use today. With the lithograph the printing surface remains flat as the process relies on the principle that grease repels water. The design is drawn on to the prepared stone with greasy ink; previously a zinc crayon was used. The plate is then washed with water that is absorbed by the stone yet repelled where the image has been drawn. The plate is then rolled over with a greasy printer’s ink that adheres only to the drawn marks as the water repels the ink from the rest of the plate. Then the ink is transferred to the paper through a press. Lithography is rather a complex process even though the principle is straightforward.

For multiple copies nowadays, offset lithography is generally used. For individual instantaneous images, printing is usually done by ink-jet or laser-printing of an image captured by a digital camera. This of course negates the need for all the effort and skill of bygone days; however, the clarity of a digital image, no matter how skillful, will never capture the personal style of the engraving or linework of the early artists. Nor is the amazing history of early discovery imparted in modern direct representation.

The romance of voyages of discovery as delineated (and often imaginatively embellished!) by the engraver of fauna or charts (either from disbelief of the sketch from afar, or a belief in rumour of alternate knowledge), portray an ongoing story of the development and sophistication of the world. With digital replication it is not possible to show the finest details of original antique engravings, or the flashing colours produced by the combination of many layers of watercolour and gum arabic (as in John Gould’s hand-coloured lithographs of Humming-birds), or the application of gold or silver leaf (as in the aquatints hand-finished with gold or silver leaf, by Thomas Rowlandson (1757-1827), for Loyal Volunteers of London). Antique prints and maps are all treasured as their rarity increases with the passage of time.

Collecting your antique prints..
Collecting antiques is not a hobby for the wealthy alone. It is evident from attending auctions and antique fairs, that people of all ages and from all walks of life love antiques. Antique prints and maps can cost as little as $30 – or as much as $30,000. It is not necessary to spend a large amount to buy something of value. If you spend some time you will find something that will give you years of enjoyment. The artwork on your wall, if chosen carefully, could be enjoyed in your rented flat and then taken with you if you make that commitment to a more expensive abode in years to come. Framed well, they look good with both traditional and modern architecture.

Collecting antique maps and prints can be addictive. After all, once you find out more about an individual item, and appreciate the finer detail of its creation and its rarity as an original print, you will want to search for others to love. Antique maps have a more obvious historical value as the country, state and town names, delineated borders, and coastlines changed over the years. Someone who “gets the bug” of collecting antique maps is said to have acquired “map pox”.

When a print (or map) is made from an original carved or drawn plate, and is printed on a piece of paper as old as the plate it was printed from, and printed at the time of its first publication, it is said to be original. When the paper with the engraving or lithograph on it is over one hundred years old, it is said to be antique. Given the fragility of paper, it is surprising many of them have survived as long as they have. A good print dealer will protect antique prints from rough handling by enclosing them in conservation materials.

An antique print can be ‘mounted’ by cutting a window in a ‘matt board’. This card material should be made from conservation ‘rag matt’ rather than wood pulp, to protect the print from impurities that leach from the card into the print, and discolour it as the years go by. Conservation framing is a little more expensive but it will preserve the condition of your antique prints – and any other artwork – for many many years, so it’s a necessary outlay if you want to protect your investment.

Some people suggest leaving blank walls until you can afford the best quality of artwork, but why deprive yourself? If, years later, you decide you have “grown out of” your original choice, as your eye (or budget) improves, you could always put them into a local antique auction. Remember to nominate a “reserve price” below which you do not want to sell; and find out if there are any “premiums” or auction house charges.

Attending an auction will undoubtedly provide further education and enjoyment. You may even find something there that you can’t live without. Buying at auction can provide bargains - if there is not a competing purchaser! As when selling to a shop, with their considerable overheads and not knowing when they might be able to resell the item, you could find the price is around half an item’s value. If you do buy, most auction houses guarantee that they will accept back any item that is not as described in a catalogue. If there is no auction catalogue with detailed descriptions, remember the old auction maxim “Buyer beware”.

The advantages of buying from a gallery, particularly one that is a member of the Australian Antique Dealers’ Association, are that the dealer, being deemed knowledgeable in his field, can (hopefully!) answer all your questions, and you will receive a full description with your purchase and a guarantee that a full refund would be available if the item is not as described. Don’t be afraid to ask for information on your other precious finds. There may be a charge, particularly if time and research are involved, but it will be worth it for your piece of mind – particularly if you need an official valuation. Who knows? You might find your little treasure is actually a big one. That would certainly add more enjoyment to your collecting!

Displaying your collection of antique prints..
Once you have done the legwork so that you are familiar with the options of choice, there are many different ways to form a collection of antique prints or maps. You could collect prints from the same series, by the same artist or mapmaker, or from a particular period; or simply start a few different groups by selecting favourites for a centerpiece in each room, and then adding others over a period of time. Why not ask the family for Christmas or birthday gift vouchers from your local antique print gallery, towards a selection of antique prints you really love.

To a centerpiece you could add one on each side, or perhaps a pair (one above the other) on each side, depending of course on space. To build up a fantastic wall of prints (as with ‘print rooms’ in earlier times), add other pictures above within the width of the base line of framed works. Line up the upper horizontal line of the top line of frames and the vertical outer line of the side pictures and then add the others within this area. Extending the middle ones out each side also looks good. To create a really interesting layout, spread them on a table or floor and swap them around to compliment each piece with its neighbours – perhaps by subject or by colour.

Thinking outside the square, a few prints hung in a strip vertically, even beside a doorway, can give a professional finish to a room. Consider hanging a line of prints from the same series with the lower edge of the frames level – or stagger the level with each alternate one slightly higher. (This looks great in a hall.) Why not hang a series in a line above a door or opening as they do in England? Don’t forget the stairs. A series the same height above each step looks great, – or perhaps just a group on a landing. Your imagination is the limitation. And don’t forget the smallest room in the house!

A collection on a wall creates a focal point, and is more interesting to look at than single pictures. You don’t have to buy them all at once. Most galleries offer a lay-by service for those who would rather pay over a period of time, and are usually happy to keep a selection aside if you can’t afford to pay for them all at once. It is wise however, to advise your framer if you want the frames to match, so that record of size can be kept; also picture mouldings (frames) do vary in production and are sometimes discontinued without warning. On the other hand a collection of prints in different frames of complimentary style can actually be more interesting. It is less structured, and therefore less formal.

If you have had artwork for many years and still appreciate it – but don’t “see” it any more, it may be time to do some re-hanging! Try taking down the artwork and living with empty walls for a couple of days. Then re-visualize the subject you want around you in that room. Moving your artwork from one room to another can completely change the mood of a room and give you a fresh outlook – and a renewed appreciation of your print selections. It’s also cheaper and easier than painting – or extending!

While they’re off the wall, take the opportunity to check the condition of the framing. If they have been hanging on a hot or damp wall, you might need new backboards, or to have the framing tape replaced to ensure the back of the picture is sealed properly. If the bevel cut edge around the image has gone brown it is not conservation mattboard, so if you want to preserve the artwork you should have it replaced. You might decide to change the mount colour to freshen them up, or even to change the frame for a completely different effect. Framing should compliment the artwork so that the whole can be enjoyed without one distracting from the other.

Your home and furniture have a purpose and practical application in your life. Artwork gives you much wider scope. Around half of those who buy artwork tell me they do not know how to display it. I think the framing and hanging is the fun part as so many different effects can be achieved and there is no right or wrong way of doing it. If you really are insecure, measure the space, do a sketch, and ask for suggestions. Remember, the home you live in might have been designed by an architect, but your choice of artwork and the way its framed and hung gives you the chance to personalize it. I hope I have been of some help!