Gwen Howell Collection

Specifications: Made in 2010. Mini Halfwood Press. Serial No. 60061. Specifications: Rollers are 1.5 x 5.75 inches top and bottom. The bed is 1/4 x 6 x 17 inches in polycarbonate (the standard); overall length is 17.5 inches; overall width is 9 inches; overall height is 10 inches; weight, 12 lbs.; wheel is 8-inch diameter stainless steel; the woods are black walnut base, flat top and side pieces. Ipe cladded steel, walnut hood capped with ebony and ipe. The instrument box is poplar, baltic birch trimmed in ipe. Included are felts, copper plate, Allen Wrench, User's Manual (with an excerpt from the out-of-print, Halfwood Press-The Story, and DVD.

Provenance: 1971. Lithograph drawn on stone Gwen had and I restored. Printed light green solid background and black image, 9 5/8 X 12 5/8 in on 12 5/8 X 15 1/4 in Van Gelder Zonen natural buff. About it I wrote: "The crayon manner of drawing lithographs is an antique approach to the art of lithography on stone, and it is a great way to contemplate and entertain oneself through inner dialogs. The placid water in which my imaginary target is half-submerged equals my state of mind when I draw this way, or, similarly, with silverpoint. Target I was the first in its series. Several followed and theyl started with the crayon manner. I built strong easels for the stones-- weighing up to 100 pounds each--to be like a drawing or painting surface."

Collections: Greg Both, Billie Bryan, Richard Morhous, Michitaka Nakahara, Lynda Ritchie, Margit Scucz Estate, Nellie Sunderland, Turner Collection and others.

Comment: Gwen took printmaking classes from me in 1974, and she called me in 2010 to get a Mini Halfwood. We met and had some nice talks and when I said I couldn't cut her copper plates, she gave me money to buy a bigger shear. I delivered her press and saw her impressive collection. She took off on a road trip with her press that summer. The current valuation as of 8/31/2018 is $295.