"I have a print of Abraham Lincoln showing him quarter-facing left and clean shaven.  In small print under the oval print is: 'Published and Copyright 1894, by A. W. Elson & Co. Boston'."

"Can you tell me more about this particular print and perhaps its approximate value?  It is in a broad wooden frame (oak, I believe) with a cardboard backing.  The frame measures 31"W x 37"H and the oval is about 15"W x 18"H. 

It had belonged to my grandparents -- and probably their parents.  There is a little moisture staining into the bottom border, but not onto the oval itself.  This is a large print and seems to be remarkably well-preserved.  (An example of 'carbon printing'?) 

Thanks for any help you can provide."

Philip Morrow:  February 2004

"In our family we have a large carbon print of Abe Lincoln sitting by the fire. 

It is called Boyhood of Lincoln.  This print was made by AW Elson & Co. Boston. 

It is in an old large oak frame.  On the back there is a number A5. 

We know that the original of this picture was painted by Eastman Johnson and hangs in a museum in Michigan. 

We are interested in any information about this print, when it was made, how many are there, the value, etc.  Anything would be helpful. 

Thank you much for your help."

Farrah, May 2005: North Dakota, USA.

"I have an identical print and was wondering if anyone responded to you regarding the value. 

 Mine is in a fairly fancy Victorian frame so I am only looking for some help on the print itself.  Any help you can give is greatly appreciated.  Thanks!"

Angela Hall:  March 15, 2006

" I have the same photo that Mr. Phil Morrow was describing.   I also have had it in my family as long as I can remember. 

 I was wondering what the value of this photo would be, and how to care for it.

Any information you could share with me, including who the artist was, would be great. 

My mother is very ill and she asked me at one time to find out what I could about it.  I would love to be able to tell her something before she passes."

Cindy Farmer:  May 2, 2007

" I also have the exact Abe Lincoln portrait with the same clean shaven Lincoln along with the exact border you have shown, but not the same frame. 

I am wondering if you have any more information on this as I track A W Elson & Co from Boston, Mass."

Gary, Colorado, USA:  February 4, 2008

"I have the same print as the one pictured in your first question from Philip Morrow.  In fact the frame appears to be identical.  I purchased mine along with prints of Jefferson, Washington, Franklin and others about 35 years ago in Auburn, New York."

James F Plugh, 12 January 2005

"I am writing in concern of a picture I purchased at a yard sale. The picture is a beautiful portrait of a person the name on the bottom says John Alexander 91'. A.W. Elson & Company Boston Carbon Photographs.

If you could please help me find out more information about this portrait please contact me. If not please point me into the right direction.

Thank you for your time."

"I was wondering if I could get some/any info. on a piece I have at home.  It is a photo of a painting by John White Alexander titled Isabella and the Pot of Basil. Below the photo, with in the frame work is a stamp on the matting.  It says "A.W. Elson & Company Carbon Photographs".

I believe my Mother got the picture from an old school in Illinois in the 1950s.  The picture itself is about 16 inches wide by 25 inches tall.  The whole thing including the frame is about 2 feet by 3.5 feet.

I found the poem that the actual painting is about, and later on I saw a drink tray at a flea market with the Isabella picture in the middle of it.  On the drink tray picture it appeared as if the pot was a fish bowl and Isabella was tapping on the side of the glass playing with a fish inside. 

Any further information would be greatly appreciated.  Of course, I'd love to find out the value if this photo but I doubt I would ever sell it."

"It's all about Isabella and how she was in love with some guy that her brother didn't approve of.  The brother thought she should marry a Nobel man.  So the brother killed Isabella's boy friend.  Isabella found out about it and later found where the body was. 

I don't know if she did or her servants did but somehow they cut the boyfriend's head off.  Isabella put the head in a pot and planted some basil on top.  There she mourned for her lost love. 

Apparently the Basil pot with the head in it flourished noticeably more than the rest of the pots of basil nearby. So the evil brother took the pot with the head in it to find out why.  The poem ends with poor Isabella now searching for the lost pot with the head in it."

"I have a carbon print with Boyhood of Raleigh written on the back of the matting with A. W. Elson & Co. Boston Mass embossed in the mat.

Do you know how old this is?

Thanks".

"Hello,

I have this large portrait and I was wondering what its value is and what exactly this picture is of?"

"From what I found out the picture is a carbon print of Cornwallis Surrender"

"I am hoping you can help me.   I have an original  print  signed by Richard Rummels.   it is an aerial view of Dartmouth College. 

It also has A.W Elson & Co Boston on the right hand corner  and in the middle, below the picture it has  1906 WT Littig and Company.  It is framed, looks pretty old, and has water rolled glass, quite beautiful and is matted  in great shape.

Well i guess if you can  help me figure out  the worth,  how many copies were made and   how Littig came into play with this and also A.W. Elson, and also  where i can find info on the net to  get some more history on where to sell this piece.

I do know Rummels is in the museum.. So any info on this piece  would be greatly appreciated."

"I have an original print signed by Richard Rummels.  I think that it is an aerial view of Dartmouth College.

Printed on the right hand corner below picture is: Photogravure by A. W. Elson & Co. Boston with Richard Rummels signature.

Printed in the middle under the picture is: Copyright, 1908, by W.T. Littig & Co. New York.

Also has a small print of a shed like building with trees and a keg or barrel on the building ledge.

It is a 31" X 19" print with glass and 3" finished wood frame. Very nice picture of which we get many compliments and inquiries.

I would appreciate any information you could give me regarding the picture and its worth."

"I also have a print of Dartmouth that I recently inherited. My grandfather was a Dartmouth grad about 100 years ago so this sounds like the same print as described above.

Perhaps it was sold/given to Dartmouth grads during that time. I am interested in either giving it to Dartmouth or selling it if I can find a buyer but also don't have any idea of its value."

"I have just contacted Dartmouth to see if they were interested in the picture as a gift. They have a few copies of the picture,  so they were not.

I think it was distributed widely.  I will hang on to my copy for now, but I was quite interested in finding out that others had copies and were also interested in its history."

"I have a print that is black & white it is approx 2 ft. by 2ft. there is no artist that signed on the print except the publisher which is A.W Elson & Co Boston.

It is a portrait of an male Indian appears to be from the southern states do to the back ground. The time must have been before 1913  -  found a Boston newspaper behind the print.

Wish to know the artist, the tribe of which this Indian is from and state, and the value of this print?"

"I have a beautiful picture from the Wanamaker Collection.   The outer frame is wooden, 2 inches and 27 by 29 inches.

"an Indian in a swamp, with a goose( I think)  on his back.  He seems to be picking a pond lily." 

Value of the Picture?

"I tried to contact Victoria Ellis of Kodiak, Alaska, USA concerning this picture, but have not had any luck.

I think now it is more important to contact someone on the value of this print for I have been offered Can$1000.00 without any questions asked from a lady at a garage sale that has an antique store

I did not accept the money, thinking that it might be worth more.  Was I stupid or should I take whatever I can for it?

I did not have it for sale.  I just wanted to ask her what it might be worth.  Any help with information on possibly selling it would be appreciated

Thanx,  Dave

Dave Chaszewski, northern Manitoba, Canada:  August 14, 2006

"We just inherited this print.

Do you have any ideas on the value or know where we can get a current value?

Any more information on it would be great!!"

Carolyn Fisher, Duluth, Minnesota:  March 16, 2007

"I have a print by the artist J S H Kever, published by AW Elson & Co of Boston. I would like to learn more about dates, people etc. and also the value if any."

masloan@telus.net   -  January 2003

"I am interested in finding out more about the artist J. H. S, Kever.

I  know that he was Dutch and died in about 1922.  I have a painting of his of a seated lady sewing with a small blonde child next to her watching,

It is framed in an ornate gold frame with a small  plaque at the bottom with the artists name inscribed.  The painting is also signed   KEVER  ..   

I would like to know more about the artist and this work in particular.  I hope someone can help. 

Thank you.

Karen Smith: 14 January 2006

"I recently purchased a truly haunting portrait in an antique shop.  It was only $10, yet has a lovely frame and the little girl just, well, takes possession of whomever view her.  She does seem forlorn, so perhaps that is why I was lucky enough to get her.

At the bottom of the picture on the left corner, it says James McNeill Whistler Pine (? I think its pine) In the middle in larger print is says 'The Little Rose of Lyme Regis' and in the right corner is says copyright A.W. Elson  & Co.  Boston.

I know that this is a copy or something like, the painting of the same name by Whistler.  However, when I wrote to an expert on his work, she told me that I must have a page from a book or old catalogue.  I knew this was not so.  You can see that the actual picture portion is impressed into the paper and the tonal grey brown qualities are exceptional.  I think it may be just the kind of photograph you discussed.

I wonder if you know anything more about my lovely girl and if she has any worth, other than that of my heart.  I'd be happy to send you a jpeg of the portrait if you would like.

I am a teacher/ photographer....however I did work in an Antique Shop as a teen, and this just strikes me as a forgotten treasure."

Robin, Rochester, Michigan:  February 2004

"I too have a sepia tone print of 'The Little Rose of Lyme Regis'.   It was in my grandmother's house in Connecticut.

It was framed at the Sterling Art Shop in Schenectady, NY.  The print is older than I am (I'm 65). 

I wonder if there is any more information about it.."

Doris Livezey, San Jose, California:  December 17, 2006

"I have portrait of Martha Washington that is oval  under Martha it states copyright 1893 by A.W. Elson & Co. Boston.  Under this Martha Washington and under it has From the Athenaeum portrait by Gilbert Stuart. 

I would appreciate any information a value of this."

"I have a black and white portrait by Thomas Sully Finx.  the torn hat,  copyright A.W.Elson Boston mass, do you know anything about it, age value? it is framed in an old oak frame.   Thank you."

"I have an old print or something, not a photo, of a young girl playing a lute.  It is dated 1904,  A W Elson, Boston.

She is barefooted and seems to be sitting up on a shelf or terraced table of some kind.  There is a small piece of paper attached to the edge of the table just below her right foot - her legs are crossed, left foot up -  that says (?) Victor Carpathvis. Under that is like a chemistry formula 2 M something X only the numbers are smaller than the letters like a formula.

Have you ever seen this or know anything about it?   It is entitled Presentation in the temple - detail - Carpaccio.  If you have any information about this I would be grateful to hear from you.  It is a very intriguing picture because of the strange paper with the name and formula."

"I have a picture of the room where Shakespeare was born. On the bottom of the picture or photo are the words-"The room where Shakespeare was born" and Copyright 1898 by A.W.Elson & Co. of Boston. Could you give me an idea of its value? It is in good condition. How can I find the value of this picture?

Thank you."

"I currently own a large photograph with a raised stamp on bottom indicating it is by A W Elson of Boston. The photograph is a very rustic picture of a young soldier by a fireplace.  Have you gotten any information on this type of photograph?  It is in a very old frame and the print is very large."

"I believe I have a carbon print of the "Spirit of '76".   It is framed similar to the 1st picture of Lincoln on your website. 

There is a little water damage on the bottom of the picture and  also some water marks on the upper portion of the picture.  It has a mat with the AW Elson & Company Boston Imprint on it. 

Any information you could send me would be much appreciated."

Tana Pinkerton, Roundup, Montana, USA,  1 December 2005

"I have a very large carbon photograph of "The Sower".  It is in sepia type tones. 

The frame is quarter sawn oak with a smaller brass engraved label reading "A Gift to the Palisade School"

The glass is hand rolled with all the normal flaws. 

The photo has an embossed matt reading:
 "A W Elson & Company: Carbon Photograph"

J F Millet painted "The Sower".  He is a famous French artist who did many peasant scenes.  The original painting has hung in the Boston Museum since around 1880, about fifteen years after it was first painted (I believe).

The photo is huge and measures 26"W x 34"H without matting or frame.

This thing is stunning and causes everyone to ask of its history.  Please fill in the blank expression on my face with an intelligent comment."

-  Was it common to photograph paintings?

-  Do you know anything about this company?

-  What of the Palisade School in Boston?

-  Was it linked to photography?

-  Do you know who worked there doing projects like this?

"Hello, Can someone tell me where to look for information on A.W. Elson and Co. of Boston? I have a print dated 1904 and it is way to cool. I would love to find info on it, but I'm drowning in the Web.

Thanks."