[Hand-Colored Aquatint] The Lowkers

Leeds: Robinson & Son, 1813. Near Fine. A beautiful evocative print, which was plate 8 in the important color plate book, "The Costumes of Yorkshire". The title of the print, "Lowker", is a word of Yorkshire dialect meaning someone who weeds a cornfield, as the assembled group of six farm workers are apparently doing, with what looks like the overseer on horseback in the background. The print is dated 1813, while the book from which it was extracted was published in 1814, but we believe many of the plates in the book were issued in 1813. One wouldn't know that this print was from a book other than its lower edge, hidden from view, shows signs of having been so. 25 by 36.5 cm. Visible, 21 by 32 cm. With matting, 33 by 42 cm. The matting of the print is clearly professionally done and very handsome, with its decorative ruled lines. The matting has a few very faint stains that we ourselves could live with, thus making the print ready to be framed as is. If these marks should bother the owner, they could probably be removed with professional remediation, although one can certainly choose to re-mat before framing. The print proper has a few small light fox marks. We don't think these in any way compromise the print.