Roy Purcell Art

Reginald Marsh (1898-1934), Tattoo-Shave-Haircut, etching, 1932. Signed, titled (“Tattoo-Haircut-Shave”), dedicated (“for Arnold Newman”), and annotated (“Fourth State. First of Two Prints”). Reference: Sasowsky 140. On cream wove paper. In very good condition, with small margins (as trimmed, slightly irregularly, by the artist) (slight foxing in margins), remains of prior hinging verso; 9 7/8 x 9 3/4, the sheet 10 15/16 x 10 5/8 inches; archival matting. A very fine rich black impression; we have not seen impressions of comparable quality on the market. Provenance: Estate of Arnold Newman. Arnold Newman (1918-2006) was one of the great 20th Century masters of photography, and a friend of many leading artists; it is appears that Marsh took special care in printing this impression for Newman. Sasowsky calls for 10 states of Tattoo-Shave, based largely on Marsh’s notes. But the states are not clearly delineated (e.g., his States 3 and 4, one proof each, are characterized by Marsh as “Engraving added”; no information is given for State 5). The design for the print was complete in the first state, and subsequent state changes were not, apparently, major. This impression does not appear to differ in etching lines from the final state impression shown in Sasowsky. Its inscription (as a Fourth State, by Marsh), as well as its rich inking and quality, attest to its being a proof before the edition (of about 34 impressions), but the state of this print (and, presumably of many of the other several proof impressions) cannot at this time be stated with confidence. Marsh printed this impression personally (we recall his famous answer to a question about the size of his editions: “Since I do practically all my own printing, I do not limit the edition. The buyer limits the edition – he rarely buys, I rarely print”). Tattoo-Shave-Haircut depicts a scene in the Bowery, a section of New York’s Lower East Side, during the Great Depression. The building and train structures in the top half of the print recall Piranesi’s Carceri...

Lithograph realized by Lucio Rofrano in 1990s. Edition of 150, numbered and hand signed. Excellent condition.

Reginald Marsh (1898-1954), Merry-Go-Round, etching, 1930, signed in pencil lower right and numbered "24" lower left. In very good condition, with margins (cut irregularly,...

Photolithograph realized by Jeffrey Isaac in 2008. Hand signed and numbered. Edition of 260 prints, belonging to the Suite " Olympic Games Beijing 2008 ".  Each work of this portfo...

Reginald Marsh (1898-1954), Merry-Go-Round, etching and engraving, 1938, signed in pencil lower right and inscribed Forty Proofs lower left, [also signed in the plate lower left and inscribed SC]. Reference: Sasowsky 179, fourth state (of 4). In good condition, with margins (a paper loss upper right corner well outside of the platemark, stains from prior hinging, notations in pencil lower margin edge). 10 x 8, the sheet 11 1/2 x 9 1/8 inches. A very good impression, printed in black on a wove paper with a partial FRANCE watermark. Sasowsky notes that Marsh printed 15 impressions of this state (and only one or two of the prior states), and considered only 10 of the 15 valuable. His notation “Forty Proofs” is therefore surely an expression of a hoped-for edition size, as opposed to an actual edition size. We have found this quite often the case with Marsh prints – he indicates an edition size but the actual number of impressions printed is considerably smaller. There is an eerie, almost ominous note in this, as in several of Marsh’s merry-go-round prints...

Reginald Marsh (1898-1954), Flying Concellos, etching, 1936, signed in pencil lower right and annotated “40 Proofs” lower left. Reference: Sasowsky 163, fourth state (of 4). In excel...

A beautiful and delicate 19th century image of one of New England's most storied ports. Boston: Estes & Lauriat Editions, 1882 Etching on cream laid paper, 2 3/4 x 5 1/4 inches (68 ...

HAROLD L. DOOLITTLE (1883 – 1974) CALIFORNIA VISTA, 1923 Aquatint signed and titled in pencil. 8 7/8 x 6 7/8 inches. Sheet 11 x 14 inches. Good condi...

Etching on cream wove paper, 4 1/2 x 7 inches (114 x 177 mm), wide margins, signed in pencil in the lower right. Laid down to non-archival board with the mat affixed, obscuring the verso and the sheet edges. The visible portion of the sheet is clean with minor toning around the mat window opening. The signature is unobscured and clear. Best known as the original illustrator of Enid Blyton...

Six Heads Olympians is a vintage poster realized by the artist Henry Moore, in occasion of the XIV Winter Olympics games in Sarajevo, in 1984. Very good condition. Henry Spencer Mo...

Olympic Flame is a colored aquatint from the portfolio   "The Unique Collection for the Olympic Fine Arts 2008"  realized by Luca Pignatelli in occasion of the Olympic Games held in ...

Reginald Marsh (1898-1954), Irving Place Burlesk, etching, 1929, signed in pencil lower right and numbered (18) lower left. Reference: Sasowsky 75, third state (of 3). In very good c...