1940s Roger Tory Peterson Print, Cardinal "Magnolia Time" No 102, Framed

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Offered is a framed 1942 Quaker State Lithographing Company print, "Magnolia Time Cardinal 102", by renowned artist Roger Tory Peterson: … Read more Offered is a framed 1942 Quaker State Lithographing Company print, "Magnolia Time Cardinal 102", by renowned artist Roger Tory Peterson: The print is a lithograph of his original watercolor painting of cardinals in a magnolia tree. Walnut frame, cream matting with burgundy piping, protective glass.

Measures 25" wide, 29" tall, 1" deep framed, exposed print is 19" by 22.75"

Biography - Illustrator, b. 1908 - d. 1996
American artist and environmentalist Roger Tory Peterson is best known for his avian illustrations. Peterson’s passion for nature started as a child, and a membership in the Audubon Society encouraged him to focus on learning to identify birds. In particular, Roger Tory Peterson's lithographs and bird prints sought to show the minor differences between the species. From this he developed the eponymous Peterson’s Field Guide to the Birds, a must-have book for birdwatchers and a perennial bestseller: over seven million copies have been sold to date.

This attention to detail is evident in all of his artwork, and Roger Tory Peterson's lithographs combine scientific accuracy with his artistic talent.

Roger Tory Peterson: The Quaker State Years
In 1942, Roger Tory Peterson visited Quaker State Lithographing Company in New York City with his recently completed “Cardinals” original painting. The Company was formed in 1939 by Gertrude Gerstel Steinberg, a former bookkeeper and printing business office manager. Peterson offered to sell Steinberg his painting for $75. She was impressed by his exquisitely rendered painting and immediately offered him royalties from sales of lithographed reproductions of “Cardinals” made by her company. Endorsed by the National Audubon Society, the print sold 10,000 copies in the first year and earned Peterson $2,500 in royalties.
This was the beginning of a professional relationship between Steinberg and Peterson that would last nearly twenty years. Peterson’s “Cardinals” painting was responsible for converting Steinberg and her business to that of bird illustrations. During their years of collaboration, Steinberg had 65 Peterson originals lithographed – a process that could take three months or more to achieve precise reproduction.
Following the publication of Peterson’s revolutionary “A Field Guide to the Birds” in 1934, the relationship between Peterson and Quaker State enabled widespread distribution and knowledge of his breathtaking early Audubonesque paintings to a large public audience. An article written for the Victorville Daily Press in 1977 stated “By producing as many as 6,000 copies of each Roger Tory Peterson painting, Steinberg’s lithography was another step in putting Peterson’s discerning eye before the American public and, in turn, making them more aware of the natural world around them.” See less