Henry E. Rile
New York in the Days Gone By of Old
Pen and ink and pencil on paper
New York: c. 1914
Most on sheet measuring 11 x 14 inches, a few smaller
Priced individually, $250 to $450 each
Henry E. Rile Drawings of Old New York
Lower Manhattan, Battery Park, Five Points, City Hall, Financial District
Lower Manhattan, Battery Park, Five Points, City Hall, Financial District
Rile Drawings: Midtown | Lower East Side/Greenwich Village | Lower Manhattan | Brooklyn and Other Locations | Uptown
 Castle Garden and Battery Park, 1850 |
 Odd Fellows Hall, center Market |
 Sold |
 Old House in Rector Street, 1870 |
 Sold |
 Old Houses of Beekman and |
 First Royal Exchange |
 The Royal Exchange |
 The Old Church in Battery Fort, 1642 |
 Residence of Gov. George Clinton on Pearl Street, opposite Cedar Street, 1850 |
 Broadway Theatre near Pearl Street, 1850 |
 The Schoeinge. Street piling on the East River near present Coenties Slip, 1658 |
 Dutch Cottage in Beaver Street, 1679 |
 Five Points, 1829 |
 Corner of Pearl and Chatham Streets, 1861 |
 Frankfort Street, opposite |
 Old Merchants Exchange, |
 Fly Market, Front Street and Maiden Lane, 1816 |
 Five Points, Orange and |
 Five Points House of Industry and Five Points Misson on site of Old Brewery, 1859 |
 Baptist Church, Oliver St., East of Chatham, 1808 |
 Old Houses and Tenements, |
 Masonic Hall, Broadway, |
Rile Drawings: Midtown | Lower East Side/Greenwich Village | Lower Manhattan | Brooklyn and Other Locations | Uptown
Henry E. Rile drew this series of views of places in Manhattan at the turn of the century. Some of the drawings were on site, and others were based on historical prints that had been published in the 19th Century in New York City annual Corporation Manuals and other sources. Together, Rile's drawings record the City of old, from famous landmark buildings, churches, and mansions to simple tenements uptown. Commerce and bridges on the East, Hudson, and Harlem rivers are documented. The financial district Wall Street area, Castle Garden in the Battery, and midtown, from the late 19th Century to the turn of the Century are well represented. Scarce views of the Upper East Side include a stone mansion known as Smith's Folly on 61st Street and First Avenue, and an African-American Church on 85th Street near Second Avenue.
Rile's style shows great attention to detail, mixed with a folk art quality, that imbues them with his love for the City. These drawings possibly served as a proposed manuscript for a book, though they were not published.
From a uniform series, most titled and signed by artist. Some of the drawings have images drawn directly on entire sheet, size of image varies leaving margins, but generally image fills page well. Some of the drawings have images on a separate sheet, mounted to the larger 11 x 14 inch sheet; size of image varies leaving margins, but generally image fills page well. Some images vertical; some horizontal. Outer margins on a few chipped, generally easily matted out. Some images uniformly browned. Some scattered foxing, short tears in margins, not obtrusive.