LS Lowry (1887- 1976) was a prolific drawer and painter of Original works during his lifetime however surprisingly very few works were reproduced as limited edition prints and an ever decreasing number of good quality examples exist today.
Only 54 titles were created as signed limited edition prints using the photo lithography technique in partnership with leading publishers of the time, hand signed by Lowry with another 26 unsigned print editions. Lowry also produced 17 lithograph editions designed for the purpose and released in editions of 75 each.
A number of other works have been reproduced sometimes in poster format but these are typically unsigned by the artist and whilst of interest to Lowry followers for decorative purposes they do not attract the same interest as his limited editions and are of now collectible nature.
Hand signed prints by LS Lowry are now highly collectible but overall condition is absolutely vital. Given their age, some of the reproduction methods and papers used for some prints are prone to fading and certain works are prone to scratching too. As a result, two seemingly identical works can have thousands of pounds difference in their advertised prices – we would always advocate buying the best quality work you can afford within your budget.
Whilst a purist would recommend retaining any original framing for authenticity even if in a fair condition we would however recommend replacing any original mounts and back boards, which were not ‘acid free’ at the time, with acid free variants and reframing to conservation standards as framing techniques in the 1960’s and 70’s were less than desirable with prints often fixed using Sellotape.
Most but not all limited edition prints feature an embossed ‘blind stamp’ by the respective publisher usually in the lower left-hand corner, with Lowry’s signature in pencil or occasionally biro in the right hand corner in the print margin.
We typically only source works in good, excellent or pristine condition for our collectors and would be delighted to help source your first or maybe next Lowry.
