Evening star., 1935-09-22
By John Jay DAILY.

came up with long-lost art treasure,
an early lithograph labeled Home to
Only three copies Of this priced pic
ture are known to be in existence.
Recently one of these prints sold at
public auction for S3,0o0-in the midst
Of the depresson.
Nor is this the only rare print re-
Gently unearthed by Milhollen. He
brought to light three other pieces
that print collectors all over the United
States have been searching for these
past 80 years. OF there, more later.
The rare find, Home to Thanksgiv-
ing" which will kindle enthusiasm in
the heart of all art lovers, is itho-
graph of an old New England farm
scene, in the time Of the colonies, by
the painter, G. H. Durrie. The lithog-
rapher was John Schuller. The pub
Usher was the world-famed firm of
Currier e. Ives.
Now Currier g. Ives prints have
come into their own. For some time
collectors have roamed the land try
ing to find in attics of old homes
and in stowaway places of second
hand book stores and the like those
old prints that delighted the hearts
of American citizens before the ad-
vent of the camera and the kodak
In a perfect state of preservation,
"Home to Thanksgiving" stands as
tribute to the early American art of
lithography. 1t will soon be placed on
exhibition in the Library of Congress.
where Mr.. Milhollen has charge of
such display.
BECAUSE these old prints are the
only authentic glimpses Amer
leans can get into the actual living
conditions of their forebeaDs, such
Autographs as Home to Thanksgiv-
ing" have a two-fold value-historic
and artistic. The print just discov-
cred shows a New England farm house
in the midst of Winter-with the fam
lily awaiting the Homecoming Of
wanderer.
A black and white study, there is no
color in the print at all. Still, it is
considered exquisite artistry. The
landscape is laden with snow. There
is lone bleak tree in the foreground
and another back of the house. The
door stands ajar. Occupants of the
house step out on the porch to well
come the returned wanderer, Just dis
mounted from his horse. In lieu Of
photography, this is the way they i'm
prisoned such scenes in the good old
days.
About the other prints recently dis
covered in the Library of Congress:
They are three rare fire prints that
make up a series of four, called THE
Fireman"
In his history of America on Stone"
"a treatise that deals with the old
Autographs and prints that hourished
on this continent in an earlier day
Harry Peters, said to be the highest
authority in the land, lists only one of
these rare prints. He bemoans the loss
of the three just found. Milhollen dis
covered the missing three in going
through the archives at the Library of
Congress. The record is now complete,
and the prints all duly recorded under
their exact titles.
l. The Fireman, No. Running
to a Fire"
2. The Fireman, No. Near a
Fire"
3. The Fireman, No. 3-"Near a
Fire
4. The Fireman, No. AT Fire -
1t is presumed that these four pic
lures Of firemen in action were
sketches made in New York City about
the time the metropolis had a volun-
teer fire department. The firemen of
that era were dressed in fantastic Co.'S
tunes. They wore high silk hats,
coats with capes. knee-breeches, and
boots to their knees.
IN THE first picture, Running to a
Fire" a fireman is shown blowing
his trumpet-an instrument still part
Of the equipment of modern fire de-
partments. though used more as an
ornament than as piece of necessary
equipment. Firemen carry the trum-
pet mostly on parade. In Running
to a Fire" the forerunner of modern
f1remen is shown upsetting an old
womanS apple carton the sidewalks
Of New York. His back turned. she
is telling him where to head in
The second picture. Near a Fire, y
displays touch of humor. The fire.
man has just attached his hose tc
the hydrant. He finds the length OF
hose too short and the nozzle missing
So he asks well-dressed gentleman
Of the old school. who is standing or
the sidewalk: Say Just hold this
while I fetch another section, will
you?"
There are two pictures in the series
bearing the same label, Near a Fire.
The other one has to do with Gar
Awkward Attachment, showing the
fireman upsetting a dignified gentle.
man by hitting him with ladder
The fourth picture of THE Fire
man" prints is naturally called "At g
Fire" The fire ladders have arrived
at the blaze. The hose lines are
stretched and the boys on the ole
hand pump are going at it hammer
and tongs."
There is also a moral pointed out
What boys may expect when they
get in the flremen's way" A little
boy. standing too close to the fire
hydrant, is being doused with water
from the fire hose.
These so-called fire prints were pro-
duced at Philadelphia in 1858 by the
firm Of Henry G. Harrison and VIII
liam NJ Wrightman. Art collectors
feel there must be some more OF these
prints in existence, but until the lind
by Milhollen no one has seen any oi
the original work. The discovery al
the Library will undoubtedly start
the art collectors off on another hunt
Any one of the prints would bring a
handsome sum.
Milhollen, in charge Of the Currie1
g. Ives collection at the Library
where there are more than half 9
million prints of all knds-considers
the Washington exhibition one of the
largest in the world. 1t probably il
the largest; but the conservatism oi
Library Of Congress officials will moi
~.,it oF opv hrapcadncin Not a