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Curling print, 18th Century Curling by Denis Wreford
$475
Denis Wreford (after) Curling, 1780 Montreal [?]: c. 1957
Screen print on canvas-textured paper
Signed in pencil lower right: “Denis Wreford”
Initialed in print lower right: “D. W.”
15.75 x 22 inches, printed border
16.5 x 23 inches, overall
$475
Sporting print of a late 18th century curling match at the foot of a castle – presumably a festival ice castle in Quebec. A brigade of redcoats is stationed to the left of the match and onlookers enjoy festival amusements in the background. Curling is played on ice where flat-bottomed stones are slid toward concentric circle targets, guided by a player sweeping the ice with a broom before the stone to adjust speed. This print was apparently issued in honor of the 150th anniversary of the Royal Montreal Curling Club, the first curling club — indeed the first athletic organization of any kind — established in North America.
“The earliest representation of Curling is in a painting by PIETER BRUEGAL around 1550. The Royal Montreal Curling Club dates from 1807 and celebrated its 150th anniversary by a BONSPIEL in 1957. The Grand Caledonian Curling Club was founded in Edinburgh in 1838./ The Oldest Club in United States is the Orchard Lake Club in Michigan founded in 1831. The Grand National Curling Club of America was founded in New York in 1867. Of its original seven member clubs the only surviving one is the Caledonian Curling Club of New York City.”
Denis Wreford was the art director or production designer for several films made in the United Kingdom from at least 1936 until 1959, including The Diamond Wizard (1954) and Make Mine a Million (1959).
Condition: Generally very good with the usual light overall toning, soiling, and wear. Scattered crinkling and soft creases, mostly to right margin.
Reference:
“Denis Wreford.” Internet Movie Database. http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0942091/ (7 September 2005).
