Print Specifications:
Photographer: Edward Weston (American, 1886 - 1958) - Internationally renown American photographer. One of the most influential artists in photographic history.
Title: "North Dome"
Subject: Point Lobos, California - Seashore & State Reserve
Date Of Negative: 1946
Type Of Print: Vintage "Kromekote" Photo Engraving (Etched plate made from the original image - authorized by Edward Weston)
Date Of Print: 1949
Paper: Kromekote - heavyweight, glossy finish (see below for more information)
Print Origin: U.S.A.
Print/Plate Maker: Walter J. Mann Company, San Francisco, California
Approximate Image Size Inches: 10 x 8 inches
Approximate Image Size Metric: 26 x 21 centimeters
Print Border: Yes - 3/8 inch surrounding print border, professionally trimmed.
Condition Grade: Excellent for 70+ year old print
Verso: Blank (one line of printed text)
Certificate Of Authenticity (COA): Yes - individual hand signed COA
Shipping: USPS with MUSEUM QUALITY ARCHIVAL PACKING
This is an authentic (NOT a modern reprint), vintage 1949 glossy Kromekote Photo Engraving by the renown American photographer Edward Weston. Titled "North Dome", the subject location is Point Lobos, California, now Point Lobos State Reserve. Just a few miles from the photographer's home, Point Lobos with its vast array of natural wonders, was the site and subject of some of Edward Weston's most celebrated photographs. This print is from a rare bound portfolio of Weston's finest Point Lobos work, printed in limited number in 1949 by Virginia Adams, Ansel Adams and Yosemite National Park. The 30 print collection was subsequently published in 1950. This now scarce portfolio was originally designed for the individual prints to be removed for framing and display.
Outstanding print quality and extraordinary detail make this vintage "Kromekote" print look very close to Weston's original glossy silver gelatin prints - certainly the closest we've ever seen in a photo-mechanical print - only under magnification does the distinctive and high quality photo-mechanical process become evident. The plate is printed on high gloss Kromekote paper - an expensive and exclusive print surface in 1949 and typically reserved for projects calling for the very highest in print quality and detail. This special paper combined with a high quality printing technique resulted in prints which are very close in look and feel to glossy silver gelatin photographs. This print has gravure like characteristics with some tonal variation of ink (accounting in part for the wide range of tonality in the print) and was printed with extremely high quality offset, the likes of which are rarely seen in offset printing. Our scans simply cannot do justice to the detail and beauty of the actual print. High quality Kromekote prints are difficult to scan accurately - scanners have trouble with the ultra fine screen pattern and therefor "band lines" will appear occasionally in the scans in certain places within the image - these digital "noise lines" are not in the actual print itself.
Few American photographers have been as admired and honored as Edward Weston. For more than fifty years his magnificent photographs captured the public imagination and helped establish photography as an art form. Perhaps his best known and most classic images were created of and in Point Lobos, California. In 1949 Westson's good friend Ansel Adams, his wife Virginia Adams and Yosemite National Park published an oversize bound portfolio containing 30 superbly engraved plates of Weston's finest Point Lobos images which is now extremely rare - this beautiful plate is from that scarce collection. This photogravure is guaranteed to be authentic and comes with a hand signed CERTIFICATE OF AUTHENTICITY (COA) from Finephoto. Under
magnification this plate shows a beautiful tight "honeycomb", excellent
pressing of ink and a wide range of tone - all indicative of a high
quality photo engraving. The watermark word "Finephoto" does not appear on the actual print.
READY FOR FRAMING & DISPLAY! - The expensive and beautiful Kromekote paper/engraving process and the resulting fine
prints make vintage "Kromekote" prints highly collectible and excellent
vintage prints for framing. Originally issued on an oversize glosssy sheet, this Kromekote plate has been professionally trimmed with an approximately 3/8 inch border surrounding the actual full frame image to facilitate ease of matting and framing.
MUSEUM QUALITY PACKING & SHIPPING! - All vintage prints are expertly packed and shipped by USPS First Class Mail with Delivery Confirmation and Insurance.
Secure archival packaging includes water/tear resistant carrier, custom
made 275 lb. triple wall inserts, individual acid free black archival
backing boards, individual ultra clear heavy duty archival print
protectors and a hand signed Certificate Of Authenticity (COA) from Finephoto. International customers please see Shipping Section below.
"BUY IT NOW" OR "BEST OFFER" - As collectors/dealers
in vintage photogravures and photographs for over 25 years, we have
acquired a significant collection and inventory of vintage prints which
we maintain in two separate West Florida archive locations. To
supplement and replenish those holdings we are regularly acquiring new
collections and portfolios from around the world as opportunities
present themselves. As a result of this ongoing procurement of vintage
materials, when we feel we are "deep enough" in specific areas we will
be open to accept offers which are reasonably close to the listing price of an item. So,
if you decide to use the Best Offer option in those listings which
contain one and make us a reasonable offer, we will do our best to
accept.
ABOUT PHOTOGRAVURE: Photogravure
is an intaglio print making process utilizing a carefully etched copper
plate made from the original negative/image. Prints are made by
pressing suitable paper heavily down upon the inked copper plate which
has been intricately etched to varying depths corresponding with the
actual tonality of the original negative, This precisely etched plate
combined with a fine "honeycomb" screen controls the amount of ink to
be transfered to the paper at any given point in direct proportion to
the variation of tone in the original image. The result is a true
continuous tone print which combines many qualities of a traditional
silver based photograph with a tactile feel similar to an etching,
engraving or lithograph.
Rich in tonal detail, the photogravure process produces delicately
rendered shades for a look which is unique in the world of photographic
print making. In the early to mid 1900's photogravure was selected
(when budgets allowed) for special high quality publishing and
portfolio projects, but due to it's significant expense and labor, the
process is rarely seen today. From
Man Ray and Ruth Bernhard to Brett Weston and Ansel Adams, many of the
world's most renown photographic masters have published their images in
the rich photogravure process.
***WARNING: The
above listing description is COPYRIGHT protected material under United
States & International Copyright & Intellectual Property laws.
Unauthorized copying or use of ANY PART of this description is
prohibited. We vigorously pursue copyright infringement. The entire
text of this listing description is Copyright protected - © by K.W.
Wright.
