The Allen Koenigsberg Phonograph Collection
Lot 3318a:
Description
This captivating piece of early 20th-century home entertainment Americana features a 14-color lithograph print titled “The Phonograph” (popularly known as “The Old Couple”), originally painted by Italian artist Pompeo Massani for a prominent National Phonograph Co. advertising campaign. The artwork delightfully portrays an elderly man and woman reacting with utter amazement and glee to an Edison cylinder phonograph sitting upon a clothed table. While the lithograph sheet itself remains in good condition with robust color retention and no visible tears, the heavy, ornate wood and gesso period frame is in poor condition; it exhibits extensive storage wear, including substantial chipping, flaking, and loss to the original gilt surface, revealing a dark undercoat and bare white plaster underneath. The frame’s original glazing has also been replaced with a plexiglass sheet measuring approximately 25″ wide by 18″ tall. Includes research for article on the subject by Allen Koenigsberg. H 24.75″, W 32″, D 3.5″. Please see photos for condition. From the Allen Koenigsberg collection.
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