Asa Cheffetz (1897 - 1965)
Born in Buffalo, New York, Cheffetz studied at the School Of The Museum Of Fine Arts in Boston under Philip Leslie Hale and at the National Academy of Design in New York City. He also studied with Ivan Gregorevitch and William Auerbach-Levy. Settling in Springfield, Massachusetts where his family operated a movie theater, Cheffetz applied his training and talent to the mastery of wood engraving, a medium for which he is now best known in which he was largely self-taught.
The majority of his work is devoted to depictions of the rural New England landscape. In the sense that Tony Bennett is referred to as “a singer's singer”, Cheffetz is arguably “the engraver's engraver” of his time. Looking past the conventionality of his subject matter, his technique is so skillful that he achieves effects of light, shadow, and texture in his wood engravings that a lithographer might envy. Cheffetz was also a perfectionist; he personally printed his engravings with meticulous attention to detail and tonal gradation.
Covered Bridge - Vermont
Wood engraving, ca. 1945, edition not stated. Image 8-3/8" x 5-7/8" on 12-3/8" x 10½" sheet. Titled and signed by artist in lower margin. Fine condition; Springfield 75.
SOLD
Deserted Farm - Vermont
Wood engraving, ca. 1950; edition not stated. Image size 8-7/8" x 6" on 12½" x 9½" sheet. Titled and signed by artist lower margin. Fine overall condition. Springfield 91.
$SOLD
Farm Buildings
Wood engraving, ca. 1945. Edition of 250, published by Associated American Artists, New York. Signed by artist lower RH corner. Image size 9" x 4-3/4" with full margins. A fine image with faint toning in aperture and darkened overall by uniform mat burn. Springfield 76.
SOLD
In the Meadow - Hampden, Massachusetts
Wood engraving, 1929; edition not stated. Image size 4-7/16” x 5½”; sheet size 9-3/8” x 11-7/8” An early work in very good condition. Springfield 18.
$525
Abdul Baha
Wood engraving, 1928; edition of 100. Image size 4" x 5"; sheet size 7" x 11". Initialed in the block and titled and signed in pencil in the lower margin by the artist. Springfield 10, a very early and scarce work. This portrait of the founder of the Bahai faith is a superb impression in fine overall condition. Numbered 7/100.
SOLD
Vermont
Wood engraving, 1941; edition of 250. Image size 9-15/16” x 6-1/8”; sheet size 14¼” x 10-3/8”. Published by Associated American Artists, New York. A fine impression in overall fine condition.
$ SOLD
Summer Sun - Portsmouth, NH
Woodcut, 1928; edition of 100. Image size 5" x 4"; sheet size 9½" x 11¼". Titled, numbered 20/100, and signed in pencil by the artist. A fine, well-inked impression of this scarce, very early work. Springfield 5.
$500
Siesta
Wood engraving, 1930; Proof. Image size 8” x 6”; sheet size 12” x 9”. Titled in pencil by the artist in the lower margin but not signed. A detailed, well-inked impression on thin paper in very good overall condition, with rippling top and bottom. Springfield 24.
SOLD
Street - Old Marblehead
Wood engraving on cream Japan paper, 1928; edition not stated. Image size 7” x 5”; sheet size 11¼” x 6”. A fine impression in overall very good condition. Faint toning in sight area and tape residue in upper corners of sheet. An early work - Springfield catalog 6.
$625