Timothy Cole (1852 - 1931)
Wood engraver Timothy Cole was born in London; his family emigrated to the United States in 1858 and settled in Chicago, but in the aftermath of the great fire of 1871 he moved to New York and found work at Scientific American magazine, Charles Scribner’s Sons, and its successor, The Century Company, where he stayed for four decades as a leading practitioner of artistic wood engraving.
His work received wide acclaim, prompting his employer to send him to Europe for several years, during which he engraved a large number of blocks after famous works by European old masters, which were published in The Century Magazine during the following decades. They were also published in book form and enjoyed widespread popular success in that format as well.
In spite of the decline of wood engraving as a mainstream illustration method in the latter years of the Nineteenth Century, Cole continued to thrive and won recognition as the preeminent wood engraver of his day. He received a medal at the Paris Exhibition of 1900, and a grand prize for his work at the 1904 World’s Fair at St. Louis.
In 1906, Cole was elected an Associate Member of the National Academy of Design, and became a full Academician in 1908. His output gradually tapered off but Cole continued to produce his remarkable wood engravings through 1930, the year before he died at his home in Poughkeepsie, New York.
Accustomed as we are to photography, photo-mechanical reproduction methods, and digital imaging and printing, it is hard to imagine the number of trained artists who were needed to provide the illustrations that accompanied the printed word in all its forms for more than four centuries after the introduction of movable type.
Much illustration work began with field sketches and drawings transferred to the surface of wooden blocks and painstakingly carved into the plank (woodcuts) or engraved on prepared blocks of dense end-grain hardwoods (wood engravings) by large numbers of skilled journeyman working under deadline pressure. The wooden matrices themselves had the virtue of withstanding large press runs without severe degradation.
The use of photography as a medium for the highly accurate transfer of visual information to the engraver’s block - and eventually directly to steel matrices used on high-speed presses - proved both feasible and cost-effective after considerable experimentation in the latter years of the Nineteenth Century by Timothy Cole and other craftsmen who were instrumental in developing the process.
The adverse impact on the fortunes of journeyman wood engravers was profound; as the new technologies took hold, most found themselves out of work. Nevertheless, a small cohort of talented engravers including Timothy Cole continued to produce artful, technically outstanding work that remained in high demand by limited edition book and fine arts publishers, and by individual and institutional collector / connoisseurs.
Owing to its size, our presentation of the wood engravings of Timothy Cole consists of three separate galleries displaying our entire inventory in the chronological order of their publication. The creation date frequently inscribed in the matrix often precedes publication by one or more years.
We have relied upon the checklist compiled by Ralph Clifton Smith, originally published in 1925. It was updated thereafter by Alphaeus P. Cole, the artist’s son. The amended list was issued in booklet form with the author’s permission by Holman’s Print Shop of Boston in October, 1931, following Timothy Cole’s death earlier that year.
This first group of wood engravings begins with checklist number 73, “The Gillie Boy,” (1877), after a drawing by James E. Kelly, and ends with number 333, “The Halt” (1900), after a painting by George Morland.
The Gillie-Boy
Wood engraving on wove paper after an original painting by James Kelly, originally published in the August, 1877 issue of Scribner’s Monthly. Image size 3-5/16” x 4-5/16”; sheet size 10” x 12¼”. Signed in pencil by Cole in the lower margin. A fine impression in overall fine condition. Smith 73
SOLD
Giles and His Friends (At the Village Inn)
Wood engraving on wove paper after an original drawing by Charles Stanley Reinhart, published in the September, 1877 issue of Scribner’s Monthly. Image size 5” x 4½”; sheet size 10” x 12¼”. Cole’s signet and Reinhart’s initials in the block. Signed by Cole in pencil in the lower margin. Fine impression in overall fine condition. Smith 74.
SOLD
Abraham Lincoln
Wood engraving on wove paper after a pen-and-ink portrait by Wyatt Eaton. Published in Scribner’s Monthly in December, 1877. Artist’s and engraver’s names in the lower margin of the block. Image size 4-15/16” x 6-1/16”; sheet size 9” x 11¼”. A fine image in overall fine condition. Smith 78a.
$200
The Last Token
Wood engraving on wove paper, after a painting by Gabriel von Max. The engraving was published in the January, 1878 issue of Scribner’s Monthly. Image size 4-7/16” x 6-1/8”; sheet size 10” x 12¼”. Cole’s insignia in the block. Signed in pencil by Cole in the lower margin. A fine impression in overall fine condition. Smith 80.
$225
A Moose Fight
Wood engraving on India proof paper affixed at its corners to a protective mount, after a painting by Henry Sandham, published in Scribner’s Monthly in 1878. Image size 4-7/8” x 4-7/8”; sheet size 9” x 11-3/8”. Sandham’s signature and Cole’s monogram in the block; signed in pencil by Cole in the lower margin. A fine, crisp impression in overall very good condition. The proof is rippled at the edges and there are small losses in the corners, well away from the sight area. the proof has been secured to its mount at these points using archival mounting tape. Smith 81.
$250
A Wedding Under the Directory
Wood engraving on wove paper after an oil painting ca. 1875 by Frederik Hendrik Kaemmerer. The etching was published in the February, 1878 issue of Scribner’s Magazine. Image size 3-15/16” x 5-11/16”; sheet size 10” x 12¼”. Cole’s monogram in the block and his signature in pencil in the lower margin. A fine impression in overall fine condition. Smith 84.
SOLD
By the Fish Nets
Wood engraving on wove paper, after a drawing by Mary Hallock Foote. The engraving was published in the May, 1878 issue of St. Nicholas Magazine. Image size 7” x 5½”; sheet size 12¼” x 10”. Signed in pencil by Cole in the lower margin. A fine impression in overall fine condition. Smith 86a.
$225
Santa Cruz Americana
Wood engraving on wove paper after a drawing by Mary Hallock Foote. Image size 5” x 4”; sheet size 10” x 12¼”. The engraving was published in the August, 1878 issue of Scribner’s Monthly. Signed in pencil by Cole in the lower margin. A fine impression in overall fine condition. Smith 88a.
$175
Italian Fisherman's Hut
Wood engraving on wove paper, after a drawing by Mary Hallock Foote. The engraving was published in the August, 1878 issue of Scribner’s Magazine. Image size 4-15/16” x 6¼”; sheet size 10” x 12¼”. Signed by Cole in pencil in the lower margin. A beautiful impression in overall fine condition. Smith 88b.
SOLD
Ready For The Ride
Wood engraving on wove paper, after an 1877 oil painting by William Merritt Chase. Image size 3½” x 5¼”; sheet size 9¼” x 12”. The engraving was published in the September, 1878 issue of Scribner’s Monthly. Signed by Cole in pencil in the lower margin. Fine impression in fine overall condition. Smith 89.
$275
Bjorn The Bold
Wood engraving after a drawing by Mary Hallock Foote, published in the January, 1879 issue of Scribner’s Monthly. Image size 5” x 5½”; sheet size 10” x 12¼”. Signed by Cole in pencil in the lower margin. Good overall condition, with a faint diagonal crease on the left of the image. Smith 93.
$110
The Sisters
Wood engraving on wove paper after a painting by William Page. The engraving was published in the January, 1879 issue of St. Nicholas Magazine. Image size 6-13/16” x 5-3/16”; sheet size 12¼” x 10”. Signed in pencil by Cole in the lower margin. A fine impression in fine overall condition. Smith 96.
$175
Young Marsyas (Marsyas Enchanting the Hares)
Wood engraving on wove paper, after a ca. 1878 painting by Elihu Vedder in the collection of The Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, Arkansas. The engraving was published in the June, 1879 issue of Scribner’s Monthly. Image size 5” x 3¾”; sheet size 12¼” x 10”. Signed by Cole in pencil in the lower margin. A fine impression in overall fine condition, save for a small spot at the right edge of the sheet, well away from the image. Smith 101.
SOLD
Charity
Wood engraving after a sculpture by Paul Dubois, published in the June, 1879 issue of Scribner’s Monthly. Image size 4-7/16” x 5-13/16”; sheet size 10” x 12¼”. Signed by Cole both in the matrix and in pencil in the lower margin. A beautifully rendered image in overall fine condition. Smith 103.
$225
The Plate of Honor / Bringing In The Boar's Head
Wood engraving on wove paper after an 1870 painting by Franklin Blackwell Mayer in the collection of the New Britain Museum of American Art, New Britain, Connecticut. The engraving was published in the September, 1879 issue of Scribner’s Monthly. Image size 4-15/16” x 5-5/16”; sheet size 10” x 12¼”. Signed “Timothy Cole” in pencil in the lower margin. A warm, detailed impression in overall fine condition. Smith 109.
$275
Idyll / Piping Shepherd
Wood engraving on wove paper, after an 1868 oil painting by Marià Fortuny i Marsal in the collection of The Prado, Madrid. The engraving was published in the October, 1879 issue of Scribner’s Monthly. Image size 4-7/16” x 6-1/8;” sheet xize 10” x 12¼.” Signed in pencil by Cole in the lower margin. A fine impression in overall fine condition.
SOLD
On Se Retrouve Au Ciel
Wood engraving on India proof paper affixed at its corners to a protective mount, after a painting by Antoine Wiertz. The engraving was published in American Art Review in 1880. Image size 7-5/8” x 6-1/16;” sheet size 9-9/16” x 7-15/16.” Titled, attributed, and signed “T Cole” in pencil in the lower margin. A fine impression, with a narrow band of adhesive staining at top edge of the proof, about ¾” above the impression. Smith 116.
$225
Illustration for "The Hanging Of The Crane" by Longfellow
Wood engraving on wove paper after a drawing by Mary Hallock Foote from Volume II of Longfellow’s Works, published by Houghton Mifflin in 1880. Image size 5-5/8” x 4-11/16;” sheet size 12” x 9¼.” Attribution and Cole’s signature in pencil in the lower margin. A fine impression in very good condition, with faint toning in the sight area and mounting hinge remnants along the reverse upper edge. Smith 120.
$ 225
Abraham Lincoln
Wood engraving on India proof paper affixed at its corners to a protective mount, after an Ambrotype photograph, published in the October, 1882 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 4-7/8” x 6-7/16;” sheet size 9-1/8” x 12.” Signed by Cole in the matrix and in pencil in the lower margin. A fine impression in overall near-fine condition with faint adhesive staining in the corners. Smith 157.
$250
Chapel Of The Charterhouse
Wood engraving on wove paper, after a painting by Sir Hubert von Herkomer. The engraving was published in the October, 1883 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 5-3.16” x 6-3/8;” sheet size 9½” x 12.” Signed by Cole in pencil in the lower margin. Faint bleed-through from hinge remnants in the upper corners, else fine. Smith 174.
$225
Helena Modjeska
Wood engraving on wove paper after a drawing by Wyatt Eaton of the Polish actress. The engraving was published in the November, 1883 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 5-1/16” x 6-9/16;” sheet size 9½” x 12-1/8.” Signed “T. Cole, Sc.” in the matrix and signed “Timothy Cole” in pencil in the lower margin. A nuanced portrait in overall fine condition.
$250
The Circumcision
Wood engraving on wove paper after a 1464 painting by Andrea Mantegna. The engraving was published in the January, 1890 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 7-5/8” x 5¼;” sheet size 12” x 9½.” Signed “Timothy Cole” in pencil in the lower margin. A prime example of Cole’s use of understated shading to achieve a remarkable range of tonal effects in the lavishly chromatic original work. Faintly toned in the sight area, but fine in all other respects.
$325
Philosopher In Meditation
Wood Engraving on wove paper after a 1632 painting by Rembrandt in the collection of The Louvre, Paris. The engraving was published in the December, 1893 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 6-5/16” X 5-5/16;” sheet size 12-1/8” x 9½.” Signed “Timothy Cole” in pencil in the lower margin. Overall fine condition.
SOLD
L’Offre Galante
Wood engraving on wove paper, after a ca. 1665 oil painting by Jan Steen in the Royal Belgian Museums of Fine Art, Brussels. Image size 4¾” x 5-7/8;” sheet size 7¼” x 10-1/16.” Published ca. 1894. Artist, title, and engravers’ names printed in the lower margin of the image, which was apparently issued in a contemporary book or unidentified monthly journal. A beautiful impression.
Most of his work credits Timothy Cole, who was born Walter Sylvanus Timotheus Cole in 1852, and why his true given name was used in this instance is not clear. Nevertheless, the draftsmanship and tool work are unmistakable. At the time, Cole was under contract to The Century Magazine, which planned a portfolio of his wood engravings after Italian, French, German, Dutch, and English masters. L’Offre Galante may have been a money-making detour on his part.
The only work by Steen named in the Smith checklist of 1925 is an engraving by Cole of The Feast of Saint Nicholas (Smith 266). We are placing L’Offre Galante in the same time frame and taking the liberty of numbering it 266a. In those years, Cole was busily engraving the works of European masters during his long stay in Europe and complaining repeatedly to his employers about inadequate compensation and the scheduling demands imposed upon him. Smith 266a.
$475
The Fish Market
Wood engraving on India proof paper affixed at its corners to a protective mount, after a 1659 painting in The Louvre by Adriaen van Ostade, published in the June, 1894 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 5¼” x 6;” sheet size 9-3/16” x 13-3/8.” “T. Cole Sc. Louvre Paris Oct 1893” inscribed in the block beneath the image, and signed in pencil by Cole in the lower margin. A masterful example of Cole’s use of light and shadow. The corners of the sheet have wrinkling and small losses; Archival tape with water-soluble glue has been used in two of the corners in order to secure the etching to its mount. A barely discernible diagonal crease spans the image from its upper left to lower right side; otherwise, none of the defects lie within the sight area. Smith 275.
SOLD
Portrait Of A Young Girl
Wood engraving on India proof paper affixed at its corners to a protective mount, after the 1641 oil painting Young Girl As Shepherdess by Govert Flinck in the collection of The Louvre, Paris. The engraving was published in the January, 1895 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 5¼” x 6-9/16;” sheet size 9” x 13-7/16.” “T Cole, Sc - Paris July 1894” engraved in the block below the image, and signed “Timothy Cole” in pencil in the lower margin. Small losses in the two lower corners; archival tape with water-soluble glue has been used in order to secure the etching to its mount in these locations, else fine on a good+ age-toned mount. Smith 284.
SOLD
Lady Elizabeth Stanley, Countess of Derby
Wood engraving on India proof paper affixed at its corners to a protective mount, after a portrait by George Romney completed in 1778, now in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York. The engraving was published in the July, 1898 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 5-1/8” x 6½;” sheet size 8-7/8” x 11-3/8.” Signed by Cole in pencil in the lower margin. Small losses at the two left-hand corners, repaired using archival mounting tape to secure the etching to its mount. A fine impression in overall fine condition except as noted above. Smith 313.
$425
Brother And Sister
Wood engraving on tan wove paper, after a ca. 1805 portrait by Sir William Beechey in the collection of The Louvre, Paris. The engraving was published in The August, 1898 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 5¼” x 7-5/16;” sheet size 9½” x 12.” Inscribed “T. Cole Sc 1898” in the block and signed by Cole in pencil in the lower margin. Fine overall condition. Smith 315.
$325
Mary Wollstonecraft (Mrs. William Godwin)
Wood engraving on Japan paper after an oil painting by John Opie ca. 1790-91 in the collection of the Tate Gallery, London. The engraving was published in the February, 1899 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 5-1/16” x 6¼;” Sheet size 8-15/16” x 11-3/8.” Inscribed T Cole in the block. A fine impression in fine condition with minor creasing on the left and right-hand edges of the sheet and minor losses to the upper corners of the sheet secured to the mount using archival mounting tape. Smith 321.
$375
Inside of a Stable
Wood engraving on India proof paper affixed at its corners to a protective mount, after a ca. 1791 oil painting by John Moreland in the collection of the Tate Gallery, London. The engraving was published in the April, 1899 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 7¼” x 5-1/8;” sheet size 11-3/8” x 9.” Cole’s monogram and “1898” engraved in the block. A fine impression in overall fine condition, excepting a small loss in the lower right-hand corner of sheet, secured to the mount using archival mounting tape. Smith 323.
$425
The Breakdown, Normandy
Wood engraving on wove paper after a painting by John Sell Cotman. The engraving was published in the August, 1899 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 5-3/16” x 6-5/8;” sheet size 9½” x 12.” Inscribed “T. Cole, Jan. 1899” and signed in pencil by Cole in the lower margin. A small diagonal crease in the upper left corner well away from the sight area, else fine. Smith 324.
$250
Fishing Boats Off Yarmouth
Wood engraving on wove paper after an oil by John Sell Cotmanl The engraving was published in the September, 1899 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 6¼” x 5-1/16;” sheet size 12” x 9½.” Cole’s monogram engraved in the block; signed “Timothy Cole” in pencil in the lower margin. Fine. Smith 324.
$375
Mousehold Heath, Norwich
Wood engraving on wove paper after an oil painting ca. 1820 by John Crome in the collection of The Tate Gallery, London. The engraving was published in the November, 1899 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 8” x 4-7/8;” sheet size 12” x 9½.” Cole’s monogram and “June, 1899” engraved in the block, and signed “Timothy Cole” in pencil in the lower margin. A fine impression in overall fine condition. Smith 329.
$225
Windmill on Mousehold Heath
Wood engraving on wove paper after an oil painting by John Crome, in the collection of the Tate Gallery, London. The engraving was published in the November, 1899 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 5-3/16” x 6-5/16;” sheet size 9½” x 12.” Cole’s monogram and “October, 1898” engraved in the block; signed “Timothy Cole” in pencil in the lower margin. A fine impression in overall fine condition. Smith 330.
$275
The Two Sisters (Charlotte and Sarah Carteret-Hardy)
Wood engraving on calendared paper after an 1801 portrait by Sir Thomas Lawrence, in the collection of the Cleveland Museum of Art. the engraving was first published in the January, 1900 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 5¼” x 6-9/16;” sheet size 9½” x 12.” Cole’s monogram and “1899” engraved in the block. Fine overall condition. Smith 332.
$325
The Halt (Public House Door)
Wood engraving on India proof paper affixed at its corners to a protective mount, after an oil by George Morland in the collection of The Louvre, Paris. Published in the February, 1900 issue of The Century Magazine. Image size 11¼” x 9;” sheet size 12” x 9½.” Cole monogram engraved in the block. A fine impression in good condition, with light rippling in upper left corner of the sheet, well away from the image, and a 1/16” long stain about ¼” from the left edge of the image. Smith 333.
$225