Martin Lewis, N.A. 1881-1962.
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New York images: Etchings and drypoints
Cathedral Steps. 1931. Drypoint. McCarron 93. 10 1/2 x 16 3/4 (sheet 14 x 20). Edition 42 recorded impressions (including 7 trial proofs). A richly inked impression printed on cream wove paper. Signed in pencil. $23,000.
(Dock Workers under the Brooklyn Bridge). c. 1916-18. Aquatint and etching. McCarron 15. 17 3/4 x 23 3/4 (sheet 39 1/2 x 26 1/8). 5 recorded impressions (including 4 trial proofs), plus a proposed edition of 100 issued by Kennedy Galleries in 1973 (fewer proofs were printed). A fine impression printed on the full sheet of cream wove paper with deckle edges. Signed 'Martin Lewis (L. D. L.) 1973). Louise Deming Louis was the artist's wife. $10,000.
East Side Night, Williamsburg Bridge. 1928. Etching. McCarron 71. 9 7/8 x 12 (sheet 14 x 16 1/4). Edition of 69 recorded impressions. A rich impression printed on cream laid paper, with full margins (the top sheet corners trimmed). Signed and annotated "imp" in pencil, indicating a proof printed by the artist. $12,500.
Fifth Avenue Bridge. 1928. Drypoint. McCarron 72. 9 7/8 x 12 (sheet 12 3/4 x 15). Edition of 108 recorded impressions. A rich impression printed on cream laid paper, with full margins. Signed in pencil. $20,000.
The Great Shadow. 1925. Drypoint. McCarron 44. 9 7/8 x 7 inches (sheet 15 1/4 x 11 1/4). Edition of 86 recorded impressions (intended edition 100). A superb impression with carefully wiped plate tone printed on cream wove paper, with full margins. Signed and annotated 'First imp' in the lower left-hand margin and 'I' in the lower right-hand margin in pencil. $8,500.
Manhattan Lights. 1931. Drypoint. McCarron 92. 15 7/8 x 9 1/2 (sheet 19 3/8 x 13). Edition 49 recorded impressions. A rich impression with drypoint burr and plate tone, printed on Whatman paper. Signed in pencil. $20,000.
Night in New York. 1932. Etching. McCarron 102. 8 3/8 x 8 7/8. Edition 125 for The Chicago Society of Etchers with their blindstmp (there were an additional 10 proofs plus one trial). A rich impression with plate tone, printed on the full sheet of cream laid paper. Signed in pencil. $12,000.
Rain on Murray Hill. 1928. Drypoint. McCarron 75. 7 13/16 x 11 3/4 (sheet 10 7/8 x 16 5/16). Edition 110 recorded impressions. Illustrated: Fine Prints of the Year, 1926. A rich impression with drypoint burr and plate tone, printed cream wove paper. Signed in pencil. $25,000.
Quarter of Nine, Saturday's Children. 1929. Drypoint. McCarron 78. 9 3/4 x 12 3/4 (sheet 11 1/2 x 14 1/2). Illustrated: American Etchers: Martin Lewis. Edition 107. A fine impression printed on cream wove paper with full margins. Dedicated in pencil, 'To Chas Furth in appreciateion of many courtesies. Sep. 26th '29.' Signed and annotated "imp" in pencil, indicating a proof printed by the artist. $35,000.
Shadow Dance. 1930. Drypoint and sandpaper ground. McCarron 88. 9 1/2 x 10 7/8 (sheet 13 x 14 7/8). Edition 109 recorded impressions. Illustrated: American Etchers: Martin Lewis; Fine Prints of the Year 1931; Prints vol. II, no. 2, 1932, p. 18. A fine impression printed on cream laid paper with full margins. Signed in pencil. Price upon request.
Shadow Magic. 1939. Drypoint. McCarron 126. 13 1/2 x 9 1/2 (sheet 16 7/8 x 12 7/8). Edition 34 recorded impressions. A rich impression with drypoint burr, printed on off-white simili-Japan paper. Signed in pencil. An extremely scarce image. $15,000.
Skyline, New York. 1919. Etching and drypoint. McCarron 36. 8 7/8 x 10 3/8 (sheet 12 1/4 x 14 . 11 recorded impressions (intended edition 50. Lewis states that he destroyed 6 of the 11 proofs returned to him by Kennedy). A luminous impression printed on beige wove paper. An extremely rare image as apparently only 5 proofs are extant. $15,000.
Spring Night, Greenwich Village. 1930. Drypoint and sand ground. McCarron 85. 10 x 12 3/8 (sheet 13 1/4 x 15 5/8). Edition 92. A rich, tonal impression printed on laid paper. Signed in pencil. $33,000.
Sunday Garden Inspection. 1927. Drypoint. McCarron 67.ii. 11 3/4 x 8 (sheet 16 x 11 5/8). Edition of 34 recorded impressions (intended edition 50). A rich, well-inked impression printed on cream wove paper with full margins. Signed 'Martin Lewis imp' in pencil, indicating an impression printed by the artist. $3,000.
New York: Drawings
The Feathered Hat. 1930. Pencil drawing. 8 7/8 x 5 15/16. Drawn on the full sheet of cream sketch paper. Estate seal verso: Lucille Deming Lewis Collection; estate inventory number LDL-459. Signed and initialed in pencil by the artist's wife, Patricia Lewis. $750.
Figure Study. 1940-41. Pencil drawing. 8 x 4 15/16. Drawn on the full sheet of sketch book paper. Related to the two female figures in 'Chance Meeting', McCarron 131; a. Woman on left holding grocery bag, b. Woman on right standing. Estate stamp verso: Lucille Deming Collection. Estate inventory number LDL-986. Signed and initialed in pencil by the artist's wife, Patricia Lewis. $850.
[Rainy Afternoon]. c.1928. Conte crayon drawing. 8 3/4 x 7 1/16. Drawn on tan wove paper from a small notebook. The drawing has overtones of Wet Saturday (McCarron 81). Unsigned. Estate seal verso: Lucille Deming Lewis Collection; estate inventory number LDL-794. $1,250
Connecticut images
Circus Night. 1933. Drypoint and sandground. McCarron 103. 11 1/8 x 14 7/8 (sheet 12 x 15 1/2). Edition 43 recorded impressions, some unsigned. Illustrated: Fine Prints of the Year, 1934. A rich, tonal impression printed on [S]WEDEN wove paper. Signed in pencil. Price upon request.
Day's End. 1937. Drypoint. McCarron 120.ii/iii. Sixth trial proof. 9 3/4 x 13 3/8 (sheet 13 1/4 x 17 1/8). Edition 34 proofs (including 8 trial proofs). A rich impression with carefully-wiped plate tone printed on cream wove paper. Signed and inscribed '6th trial proof' in pencil $30,000.
The Passing Freight, Danbury. 1934. Drypoint and sand ground. McCarron 108. 8 7/8 x 14 7/8 (sheet 12 1/7 x 17 5/8). Edition 46 (including 6 trial proofs). A rich, tonal impression printed on cream laid paper with full margins. Signed in pencil. $35,000.
Politics. 1936. Drypoint and sand ground. McCarron 118.ii. 9 3/4 x 10 5/8 (sheet 13 7/8 x 15). Trial proof 10, edition 27 (including 11 trial proofs). McCarron cites this impression to describe the second state. A rich, tonal impression printed on 'FJ Head & Co' cream wove paper with full margins. Provenance: estate of Delores D. Di Paola. Signed and annotated 'trial proof 10' in pencil. Price upon request. $9,750.
Shadows -- Garage at Night. c. 1928. Conte crayon drawing. Study for the drypoint, McCarron 69. 10 1/8 x 12 3/4 (the drypoint measures 9 7/8 x 11 7/8). The drypoint is illustrated in Fine Prints of the Year, 1928. The catalogue raisonne mentions this study: "There is a preparatory drawing for this print in charcoal, pencil and brown crayon on gray brown paper (LDL-323, 255 x 330 mm), signed by Patricia Lewis after the artist's death. " (p. 130). Small paper losses at top sheet edges, backed with mulberry paper; otherwise fine condition. Estate stamp verso: Lucille Deming Collection. Signed and initialed by Patricia Lewis, the artist's daughter-in-law. The image is not reversed in the etching, as is often the case. $9,500.
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