Horse Racing

[John Nost] Sartorius. "Hambletonian." London: John Harris, 1 November 1799. 14 1/2 x 19 1/4 (image) plus platemarks and complete margins. Stipple and etching by [John] Whessell. Hand colored. Excellent. Ref.: Lane, British Racing Prints 1700-1940, p.160.

Hambletonian (1792-1818) was one of the greatest racehorses of the late eighteenth century and a famous stud in the early nineteenth century. Any turf devotee would place him among the top one hundred thoroughbreds of all times. He is not to be confused with the other British thoroughbred of the same name in the early eighteenth century, nor with the American harness race horse of the late nineteenth century.

A number of different portraits of Hambletonian were created during his life, and the most famous was a to-scale oil on canvas by George Stubbs. This beautiful print shows the jockey and trainer with the object of their affection, and below the image is a detailed biography of Hambletonian up to when he lost the only race of his career when he was so far ahead of the pack that he suddenly ran off the track. This print predates the 1 March 1800 Sartorius/Whessell portrait of Hambletonian in the Paul Mellon Collection documented by Dudley Snelgrove in British Sporting and Animal Prints 1658-1874, p. 153. A scarce print with strong strike and beautiful hand color. $1,400

Currier and Ives Horse Racing prints

From 1834 to 1907 the firm of Currier and Ives provided for the American people a pictorial history of their country’s growth from an agricultural society to an industrialized one. For nearly three quarters of a century the firm provided “Colored Engravings for the People” and in the process, because of the democratic philosophy of the business, became the visual raconteurs of nineteenth century America. In 1834 Nathaniel Currier established the firm which produced colored pictures using a then relatively new process called lithography. Some of the finest artists of the day, Louis Maurer, Thomas Worth, Arthur Fitzwilliam Tait, Frances Flora Bond Palmer, George H. Durrie, Napoleon Sarony, Charles Parsons, and J. E. Butterworth were engaged by the firm to produce a variety of images. The prints were printed in black and white and then the finest colors, imported from Austria, were applied by hand by women, most of German descent. They were then ready for both foreign and domestic distribution through a variety of means, one of which included push cart vendors who walked through the streets, prints tacked upon their carts, selling them for a few cents each.

The real success of the firm was initiated when the steamboat Lexington caught fire in Long Island Sound with more than one hundred lives lost. Several days later Mr. Currier was ready with a picture of the ship, together with a description of the disaster.

"Stella and Alice Grey. Lantern and Whalebone. 'Passing the stand.'" New York: N. Currier, 1855. Large folio 17 1/4 x 27 3/4. Lithograph. Original hand color. Old tears and marginal wear; expertly conserved. Overall appearance and condition, very good. C:5811. $2,100
Scott Leighton. "The Queen of the Turf Maud S, Driven by W.W. Bair." New York: Currier & Ives, 1880. Large folio. 18 1/4 x 28. Chromolithograph. Some light surface wear in margins. Overall, very good condition. C:5016. $2,600
C.L. Zellinsky. “Celebrated Winning Horses and Jockeys of The American Turf.” New York: Currier & Ives, 1889. Chromolithograph. Large folio; 20 1/8 x 34. One expertly repaired tear in right margin, extending 1/2" into image, and small area of wear in title area. C:942. $2,600

"The Famous Roan Horse Capt. McGowan As He Appeared In His 20th. Mile." Brighton, MA: Samuel Emerson, 1865. Large folio. 18 x 26 1/2. Lithograph by J.H. Bufford, Boston. Short tear in right margin. Otherwise, very good condition. $1,600

James Henry Wright. [Rysdyk's Hambletonian.] New York: John J. Olone, 1866. Chromolithograph by Henry C. Eno. 18 1/2 x 24 1/2. Trimmed to image all around. Else, very good condition. In period frame.

A strong portrait of Rysdyk's Hambletonian, one of the greatest harness race horses of the nineteenth century. Hambletonian is particularly well known as the progenitor of a large number of successful race horses even to the present day. This print shows the handsome stallion next to its owner, William M. Rysdyk of Orange County, New York. About a decade later, Currier & Ives issued a more common version of this print drawn by Louis Maurer. A fine example of American chromolithography and a strong horse portrait. $1,800

"Dexter." New York: Thomas Kelly, 1867. Large folio. 17 x 24 5/8. Lithograph. Original hand tinting. Some very light stains. Overall, very good condition. $950

E.R. Howe. "Lady Thorn and American Girl…Over The Fashion Course, L.I. May 4th. 1869." Boston: Haskell & Allen, 1872. Large folio. 18 x 25 1/2. Lithograph. Original hand color. Some old, light stains and repaired tears into image. $650

Basil Bradley. "The Derby -- At the Starting Post." From The Graphic. London: June 1, 1872. 11 7/8 x 19 7/8. Wood engraving. $175

Ben[jamin] Herring. "Green-Sleeves Leads the Way." From McQueen's Steeple Chasings. London: G.P. McQueen, April 1873. 17 1/8 x 30 1/8. Aquatint engraved by C. Hunt & Sons. Hand color. Repaired tears at lower left and right corners, as well as left margin center. Tear in sky, upper center - stable. Else very good condition. $275

J. Cameron. "Goldsmith Maid." Rochester: Vacuum Oil Co., 1874. 17 3/8 x 24 3/4. Tinted lithograph by Donaldson Brothers, N.Y., with hand touches. Wide margins. Two old knot hole stains; print professionally conserved. Otherwise, excellent condition. $875

"Nettie. By Rysdyk's Hambletonian Dam, on American Star Mare…." Ca. 1874. Small folio. 9 1/4 x 13. Lithograph. Original hand color. Uneven but ok margins. Very good condition. $250

E. R. Howe. “Great Eastern, as he Appeared in the Trio Races with Smuggler at Mystic Park, Boston,..” Boston: Haskell & Allen, 1877. Large folio. 17 5/8 x 25. Chromolithograph. Laid down. Some old, light stains, rubbing in sky and repaired tear at top. Overall, very good appearance and good condition. $750

"Mr. Frank Work's Celebrated Team Edward And Swiveller..." New York: Currier & Ives, 1882. Small folio. 7 x 13 3/4. Lithograph. Original hand color. Some wear and stains in margin and title. Otherwise, very good condition. C: 4251. $450

J. Cameron. "A Champion Race." New York: Currier & Ives, 1887. Large folio. 18 3/4 x 27 3/4. Chromolithograph. Laid down. Names of trotters pencilled in below title. Otherwise, good condition. In period frame. C:971. $1,600

Thure De Thulstrup. “A Steeple-chase at Monmouth Park.” Wood engraving. 9 3/8 x 13 3/4. New York: Harper’s Weekly, July 25, 1885. Very good condition.

In the last quarter of the nineteenth century, African-American jockeys were among the most successful in American horse-racing. Riders like Willie Simms and William Walker rode for victories at the Kentucky Derby, following the example of Oliver Lewis, who won the inaugural Derby in 1875, and Isaac Murphy, whose three Derby wins contributed to his unmatched career victory rate of 44%. Here, then, is a representative image of the demographics of horse-racing in the late nineteenth century, as an African-American jockey leads the field in a steeplechase at Monmouth Park, New Jersey. $175

Place Order

Spacer Spacer Spacer Spacer

For further information; call, write, fax or e-mail to:

PPS Logo
8441 Germantown Avenue
Philadelphia, PA 19118 USA
(215) 242-4750 [Phone]
(215) 242-6977 [Fax]
PhilaPrint@PhilaPrintShop.com