Color Lithographs from Avil Printing Company Philadelphia

Posted on August 18, 2012 by redbudart

I found these beautiful old color lithograph prints in a battered book at the Goodwill Outlet in Saint Louis. They were printed at the Avil Printing Company in Philadelphia around 1888. The only information I could find about this company was that it burned to the ground in 1903, with $450,000 damage done. At the time they were publishing publications for the University of Pennsylvania, Bryn Mawr College, and the Drexel Institute. What a fine printing company they were, as you can see through these illustrations. These illustrations were in ‘The Beautiful Story: A Companion Book to the Holy Bible’ written and edited by J.W. Buel. Published by Peerless Publishing Co., Cincinnati, Ohio. Copyright, 1887, by H.S. Smith.

About redbudart

I live in the beautiful Pacific Northwest, just outside of Portland, Oregon. My usual interests are cooking, wine, horticulture, art, and old books, but lately I've been obsessed with saving for a piece of land, so I can practice sustainability and learn to live as close to the land as possible, and then help others to do the same. To relax I listen to Dharma talks. Namaste!

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This entry was posted in old illustrations and tagged Avil Printing Company, color lithographs, jesus, moses, philadelphia, religious art. Bookmark the permalink.

6 Responses to Color Lithographs from Avil Printing Company Philadelphia

David Clark says:

October 19, 2012 at 3:02 pm

I found the same ones. Do you know anymore about them?

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- redbudart says:
  
  October 22, 2012 at 1:33 am
  
  Yes, They are from ‘The Beautiful Story: A Companion to the Holy Bible’, published by Peerless Publishing Co. Cincinnati, Ohio. The book was illustrated with ‘Two Hundred and Fifty Superb Engravings from designs by BIDA, the Converted Jew, DORE, and others of the world’s greatest artists’. Copyright 1887 by H.S. Smith. I the front page with this info on it, and a few black and white engravings from the book. These color ones are stunning though, aren’t they? Amy
  
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  - Kool Clipz says:
    
    October 22, 2012 at 1:38 am
    
    Thank you for responding. Yes they are SO BRIGHT! The book is intact but not in good shape. I found while cleaning a basement of nasty moldy junk! But the Color Lithographs are as Bright as the day they were printed. Do you have any idea to the value? Were all the color lithographs protected by a sort of tissue paper in yours?
  - redbudart says:
    
    October 22, 2012 at 2:14 am
    
    Yes mine were all protected by that rice paper tissue. Do you have all 250? If so, lucky you! I put all that I have for sale on one of my two etsy sites for $25.00 each at least a month ago. None have sold yet. https://www.etsy.com/listing/107029461/garden-of-eden-adam-and-eve-antique I scanned them all and am offering the digital file of each one for $4.00 at my other etsy site, https://www.etsy.com/listing/107094781/finding-of-moses-beautiful-digital-print?ga_search_query=moses. Not much interest yet, but I am happy to show off their beauty in the meantime.
Kool Clipz says:

October 22, 2012 at 3:44 am

Yes it is the complete book. Not sure how many are in there. I will look further into it. I am curious…..Are these original lithographs? I am not sure how one would go about getting a valuation. I have looked online and found nothing as of yet. But it is amzing none the less!

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Becca says:

May 9, 2014 at 6:51 pm

Hi, do you still have for sale the 3rd down from the top, with all the animals?

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