STEEL ENGRAVING – “THE POOL OF THE THAMES” from the painting by Sir Augustus Wall Callcott, engraved by W. Miller, printed in 1884.  This engraving is in very good condition.  The engraving measures 6 1/8” x 8 ¾”, and is matted to 12” x 16” for easy framing.

       The original picture of the “ The Pool of the Thames” belonged to the Marquis of Landsdowne, and it was one of the largest and best of Callcott’s works.  The subject must be intensely familiar to many, chosen as it is on the highway of commerce, close to Greenwich, England.  Here ships of every flag, laden with the produce of all lands, sail to and fro – a moving forest.  The materials which make up the picture have been selected and judiciously disposed, the two principal groups balancing each other in a manner that renders the whole highly effective.  The barge in the foreground is “light,” and so are evidently the hearts of its passengers, for the family is employed in the various domestic operations which indicate nine or ten o’clock in the morning.  The next barge is but moderately laden with hay, for it is not unusual to see such a cargo almost equaling the mast in height and dipping into the waters of Father Thames at the sides.

    The scene is much changed now.  Slowly but surly sailing vessels have here, as elsewhere, been superseded by steam, and forest of masts has given place to one in which the trunks are funnels and the foliage smoke.  No Princess Alice disaster had then saddened the hearts of waterman; it was not in those days a task requiring both skill and care to cross the river without being run down.

IMPORTANT TO NOTE

Antique prints, engravings, and lithographs are printing processes, which use steel, copper, stone or wood blocks or plates to produce a picture on paper.

Most antique prints and engravings, which are seen on the internet today, are bookplates.  Because they are pages from a book, there are multiple copies in existence.  This does not, however, mean that they are "reproductions" that have been printed recently.  Because they were, at some point, part of books, some have been preserved in excellent condition, while others show signs of age, as yellow spots or darkness on the edge of the page from being handled.

Engravings, and lithographs are high quality pieces of art, as it took a highly trained artist many hours of work to produce one.  Although there may be multiple copies still in existence, the date of the item should be stated, thus giving the buyer an idea of its age.

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