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This original hand-colored lithograph, titled Autumn Fruits, was published by Currier & Ives in 1861, during the height of their production and at the very start of the Civil War era.
Richly detailed and delicately colored, the composition features a generous arrangement of seasonal fruit—grapes, peaches, pears, melon, berries, and plums—rendered with the soft tonal shading and balance for which Currier & Ives are renowned. Though best known for landscapes and historical scenes, their still-life prints were intended to bring refinement and warmth into American homes.
🖼️ Artistic & Historical Context
Title: Autumn Fruits
Publisher: Currier & Ives, New York
Date: 1861 (as printed)
Medium: Hand-colored lithograph on paper
The copyright line beneath the image confirms its authenticity:
“Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1861, by Currier & Ives,…”
These prints were marketed as affordable art for the middle class and are now considered cornerstones of 19th-century American visual culture.
📐 Dimensions
Image: approx. 16” × 20”
Frame: approx. 19¼” × 23¼”
Presented in a period-appropriate wood frame.
🧾 Condition
Original antique lithograph with age-appropriate toning
Visible foxing, surface wear, and minor abrasions consistent with age
Frame shows wear and scratches
Backing is original/old with edge wear
No modern reproduction — this is a genuine 19th-century Currier & Ives print.
