Vintage Prints

Framed vintage prints catch my eye when we are in antique stores, estate sales, or flea markets.  I have gotten to where I really don’t choose art for our home if it isn’t original, vintage, or holds some sort of significance for us.  

Vintage Prints and Frames are Unique

Unlike mass produced pieces of today, vintage prints are scarce and getting more so all the time.  There aren’t many of the same prints floating around so these pieces can be very unique.  I definitely feel more satisfied artistically when we use a vintage piece for our decor than if we use something from a department store where many of the same pieces are available.

The chips and scratches that old frames have just add to the character of the piece for me.  I especially enjoy finding prints in the chalky composite of the late nineteenth century.  I find them interesting and beautiful.  Add in an old print with age spots and yellowing and it becomes nearly perfect!

Our favorite subjects and artists

Vintage prints come in a wide variety of subjects as well.  Florals, botanicals, animals and pastoral scenes are some of my favorite finds.  Occasionally, a Victorian scene will also inspire me.  Recently we came across a really moody print of a little girl looking at a bird.  The girl is in a summer dress and the bird is a bluebird which says spring to me.  However, I would use it throughout the seasons because it is such a neutral piece.  I had to really think about it to come up with the spring season.  My first thought was that it would be especially moody for fall.  A dining room or a bathroom is my first inclination for the piece; however, I believe it would look great in any room.

Another reason that Kenny and I will pick up vintage prints is if we recognize the artist.  We have begun collecting prints by Nellie Meadows because she is somewhat local to where we live.  She also painted subjects close to our hearts…Kentucky, plants, and birds.  Along those same lines, if it is affiliated with the National Audobon Society, we will most likely pick it up entirely due to the subject matter.

What Grabs Us?

Sometimes a print just speaks to a place that we have visited.  Art can be a beautiful daily reminder of happy or exciting times.  One of our first vacations as a family was a camping trip near Savannah, Georgia.  Therefore, swampy prints always inspire a certain mood for me.

We gravitate toward pieces that we remember from our childhood, too.  We just sold a framed print of The Last Supper that reminded me of my grandmother’s home.  We also hung onto a large farm framed print.  I remembered one of a similar size and subject hanging behind a relative’s sofa.

I have developed an interest in foil stamped or embossed prints as well.  We have acquired and sold several of these.  One set was ships at sea and the other was a pastoral scene.  I believe both of these sets would be stylish and conversation starters at the same time.  These types of prints continue to be very popular with our customers, too.