Evening star., 1935-09-22

Rare American Prints
Found at Library Here
Hirst Milhollen Unearths Engraved Treas
ures Long Buried in the Cellars of the
Library of Congress.


autograph or stamp collecting When
news of the Librsry's latest find seeps
through the countryside the fine arts
division Of the Library will undoubt-
edly be deluged with requests for
more information" It Is always that
way when some collectors come across
rare pieces.
Milhollen recently made a re-check
Of the Currier and Ives collection at
the Library. He found there are about
$500 hthographs-not counting more
than 500 Implications. As some of
these prints range in value from the
humber ones at $50 and $40 to the
latest acquisition, Home to Thanks
giving" at $4,000, the value Of the
collection runs into extremely high
ground.
While the craze for Currier and
Ives has not yet struck its height, Mil
hollen and his confreres at the Library
say there are more collectors of these
works in the market than those in
terested in any other similar exploit
Because of this, Mr.. Milhollen sounds
a warning. He says: There are being
put on the market today reproductions
of Currie and Ives Autographs. These
are easy to identify because they are
a little smaller than the original
prints"
Never a day goes by but some one
writes to the fine arts division of the
Library asking that prints be identi-
fied-and valued. They believe their
possessions to be rare. 1t is usually
discovered that these prints are re-
productions Instead Of being true
Autographs they are what is known
as chrome Autographs, which have
little value.
Now and then correspondent
does have q rare print" Mr.. Milhollen
says, and when this happens we are
able to give all the data required, such
as the auction records and the names
of dealers and collectors who might be
interested in such a rare print
IN CURRENT correspondence at the
Library, letters have been received
from all parts of the world. While
these early American prints were made
solely for American trade some OF
them found their way TO far corners
of the earth. Collectors on vacation
pick them up in unheard Of places.
Instead of waiting to bring back
their treasure they write Immediately
to the Library and ask that informa-
ton be forwarded them while they are
still on their Journeys.
Aside from the letter writer's, each
day brings to the Library men and
women, and sometimes children, who
are interested il the process of making
etchings, Autographs and engravings.
1t is the duty of Hirst Milhollen, an
etcher himself, to explain all the in
tricacieS Of his art. He is now recog-
nized master of the etching process.
Only recently one of his etchings was
placed on exhibition with those of
Pennell and WhiStler-and years ago,
when he was but STRIPPING Of q boy,
his early etching. Wash Day." was
placed in the permanent exhibition at
the Library.
Milhollen himself is the art discov-
cry of H. o. Bishop, the magazine
writer, editor and correspondent, who
makes his home at Falls Church, Va
Mr.. Bishop came across this young fel-
low when Milhollen was working in a
carpenter shop at Falls Church. Just
out of high school, the boy was all set
! to go to Florida. where there was a
boom on; but Bishop got him a job
in the Library. That was 10 years
ago. Immediately he saw all the etch-
ings on display. Milhollen knew what
he wanted to be-a second whistler
| They say he will be, too, or a Pennell.
Student at the National School of
Fine Arts Milhollen went to Paris
in 1929 to study under Florian. the
famous etcher and painter. The tyro
had previously enough good fortune
to meet with Miss Gabrielle de Vaux
the Baltimore etcher and mural deco
rator. who guided his artistic talent
into the proper channels.
Now. Milhollen has the thrill of
knowing his etchings are hanging in
collections owned by President Frank
lin D. Roosevelt, Mrs. Herbert Hoover.
Senator Harry Byrd, and a host of
other celebrities. One of his ardent
admirers is Frederick Ashley, assistant
librarian of Congress. A member of
the Southern States Art League and
the Washington Society Of Etchers.
Milhollen recently saw his prints ex-
hibited at the New York Water Color
Club and the Washington Water Color
Club.
MILHOLLEN has small collection
of rare prints-Some of them ex-
ceedingly valuable. In this collection
is the rarest lithograph of George
Washington. The etcher found 1t in
a secondhand book store on Pennsyl-
vania avenue. 1t is lithograph drawn
on stone by Rembrandt Peale after his
original portrait of Gen. George Wash
ington. Only four of these Autographs
were printed when the stone was
broken, according to story handed
down to Harry T. Peters of New York
City, hailed as the greatest living ex-
pert in matters of this kind. Peters
has written a number of books on
American TYPOGRAPHY. He considers
the lithograph in the possession of
Mr.. Milhollen one of the first made
in this country. AS Peale made an
other drawing of the same subject,
many collectors are confused. They
wonder which is the rare print and
which is the common one.
How can they tell?" Mr.. Milhollen
was asked.
That's where come in," he re-
piled, smiling
That is exactly where he comes in;
for whenever rare print is discov-
cred in America the finders usually
send it along to the fine arts division
of the Library Of Congress and Mr..
Milhollen goes into action. In this
way he has drummed up reputation
among dealers and collectors in all
parts of the world. His services are
sought by art connoisseurs and estates
with rarities Of art to be valued.
In his work as ar art appraiser,
Milhollen has viewed the collections