Need some opinions before I spend cash to get appraised

Currier & Ives prints can be very valuable.

Is there a number on it? Like print #445 of 2000?
 

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No but there is a number written in pen 1611 looks like someone tried to wipe it off zoom in on the left of the pic
 

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Looks like a lot of misspelled words or maybe ink is smudged number may have been cut off because it looks like it was cut crudely to fit a frame
 

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Hey jtw,

You can't go wrong for 2 bucks. Having said that, and looking at several unsold ones on fleabay, I don't know what to think about value on this. Currier & Ives produced many, many editions of these. They are still being reproduced by others.

It looks like it has been fairly well yellowed in the sun, and seems to have a bit of damage, aside from whatever person defaced it with a pen. If you like it for yourself, go for it. If you're planning on selling, look around a bit more. Check completed sales at that electronic auction place.

PPS_5A.jpg
RMABA
 

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Also important is the Exact measurement of your print, and compare it to known originals.
 

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Same as originals 14 by 9 from ink most were cut to fit in frames from edge
 

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Is the print glossy? Original prints are NOT glossy. Hold the print up to the light to check for a watermark in the paper. Original prints do NOT have a paper watermark.
 

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Don't see any water marks or gloss I did notice now that I took pics with magnifying glass that the ink is blotted and different if it was a cooy would it be more faded then blotted
 

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Also feels like it can just crumble apart very easy
 

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Another test is to look at the print with a magnifying glass. A later issue reproduction will have a uniform dot pattern on the print. Originals will not have that uniform dot pattern.
 

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Same as originals 14 by 9 from ink most were cut to fit in frames from edge
Yes, I meant the image size, sorry I was vague. So this would be a small (edit: actually medium) folio size. But usually originals were some number of 16ths of an in inch beyond a whole number in one (or both) dimension. And this varies from each each of their prints, rather than being standardized. Where are finding an original with these dimensions?
 

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Also important is the Exact measurement of your print, and compare it to known originals.

Not only that, but the early color lithographs were printed in black & white and then hand colored. Take a DAMP not wet Q-tip and just touch in an inconspicuous area of the print. if you get some transfer ten it is probably real, but I am no art expert. I have a couple of originals and they are this way.
 

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I would rather not do the q tip thing because this thing matches all the way down to everything the original in a museum has size matches letters and all words match one sold in auction for 21 thousand and not all were hand painted some were chromolithograh but this was more expensive back in the day
 

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Keep in mind that that one (from Skinner Auctioneers) is a large folio size, where yours is medium folio size (9x14 is the smallest of the medium sized Currier and Ives, any smaller would be considered a small folio size). I haven't located a medium size auction result and description, but if you can find it it may help the assessment of yours.
 

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One of the best ways to tell if it is a reproduction or the real deal is by the printing method. Look at it closely with a loop or at least a 10X magnifying glass. The original C&I inking process was made up of elongated splotches and dashes of ink. Reproductions are made up of some type of geometric 'pattern,' which could be dots in a row, dots in a pattern, dots surrounded by semi-circles, etc. Reproductions have been made since the 1930's.

Let us know if your inking process is random or in a pattern.

Neat buy :)
Breezie
 

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It's random I will take magnified phot and post
 

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I think it would look better in a rustic brown wood frame!

Sent from my VS980 4G using Tapatalk
 

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