The Art of Collecting American Prints

Many of the most popular prints with collectors these days are "cottage" prints. These colorful prints have the soft look of a watercolor and blend in with many decorating styles from the shabbily chic look to English country.

Lots of cottage prints were produced during the first half of the 20th century and hung in the rooms of our parents and grandparents homes. These prints almost look like a scene from a fairy tale with an old world garden appeal. Perhaps that's why they were so popular, since they transport you to another place and time.

Cottage prints aren't expensive compared to the big names in 20th century American art prints. You can find these attractive accent pieces in a modest frame for about $30-75, but prices are likely to rise as these vintage pieces get harder and harder to find.

If you're interested in making an investment in decorative print, you'll want to learn some of the big names in the business. These include the familiar pieces by Maxfield Parrish and Bessie Pease Gutmann.

Parrish produced nearly 900 works during his 65-year artistic career, according to the "Collector's Value Guide to Early 20th Century American Prints." More than 20 million art prints, calendars, book illustrations, greeting cards, and other printed pieces, including numerous advertising campaigns, have brought this artist's work into American homes.

The original prints from the early 1900s featuring Parrish's work can be very pricey acquisitions for today's collector. Best known for incorporating an almost dreamlike quality to his work along with many beautifully posed characters, including some incredibly beautiful women, the works of this artist have been timeless favorites spanning decades. Most old Parrish prints sell for over $150 now, even unframed, and the most popular works will likely bring much more when offered for sale.

Bessie Pease Gutman produced outstanding paintings of infants, children, new mothers and couples in love, which were widely reproduced as color prints. From bright-eyed babies to angelic faced toddlers with perky puppies, Gutman's work definitely tugs the heartstrings and can only be defined as adorable.

The machine-produced prints of Gutman's artistic endeavors between 1905-1950 receive the most attention from collectors. You can expect to pay several hundred dollars or more to acquire one of these prints from a knowledgeable dealer.

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Of course, there are many, many newer reproductions of popular American prints on the market today. Prints by both Parrish and Gutman are widely available through new print dealers as well. If you’d rather not invest in an old piece, a reproduction frames up just as nicely. In fact, you can find reproduction prints like these at garage sales and thrift stores for a lot less than an original print with a little persistence.

One thing to consider when purchasing a newer unframed print, however, is the cost of framing. Sometimes you can buy an old print in an antique frame, which will retain its value better than a new one, for about the same amount as professional archieval framing will cost.

If you’d rather stick to the older prints and buying big names frightens you a little, don't worry. The old stand-by adage of buying what you like holds true here, too.

There are lots of gorgeous prints available that weren't created by notable artists, like some of the cottage prints mentioned earlier. These were created using the same lithograph and early offset color printing methods for a distinctive vintage look and sell for a fraction of the big name prices.

Even yard long prints, which actually measure about a yard long and 11 inches or so wide, remain popular with collectors. Whether it's a yard of chrysanthemums or a yard of kittens, these lovely prints add a nice splash of vintage charm when decorating a room.

If it's been a while since you added a new artistic accent to your home, consider an older print the next time you're browsing an antique shop. It might be just what you needed to brighten a neglected wall while imparting the welcome warmth of yesteryear.