Gallery of prints for sale

Saturday 2 January 2021

Mary Morton Allport’s lithograph, “Comet of March 1843”

Mary Morton Allport (1806–1895)—Australia’s first professional woman printmaker and artist (see https://www.utas.edu.au/library/companion_to_tasmanian_history/A/Mary%20Morton%20Allport.htm)

“Comet of March 1843”, 1843, lithograph of a comet passing over Tasmania (previously called “Van Diemen’s Land”) in Australia on 4th March 1843. This information has been extracted from a watercolour study of a similar composition by the Colonial army officer, (Captain) Walter Synnot (1773–1851), who inscribed the following note on his painting (verso): “Sketch of a comet as it appeared on the evening of the 4 March 1843 7 oclock pm bearing nearly west from Launceston Van Diemen's Land. The body of the comet was set before 8 oclock pm. The tail formed an angle of about 60 degrees from the plain of the horizon and was of astonishing brilliancy. The view is a part of the Cataract Hill from Canning Street” (see https://librariestas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/library/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:80077/one?qu=Comet&qu=of&qu=March&qu=1843 & https://stors.tas.gov.au/AUTAS001136168234).

Lithograph printed in back ink on wove paper with wide margins.

Size: (sheet) 28.4 x 22.5 cm; (outer image borderline) 16.4 x 11.5 cm.

Lettered on plate below the image borderline: (centre) “Comet of March 1843 / Seen from Aldridge Lodge V.D. Land.”; (right) “M.M. Allport.”

Handwritten pencil inscription at the upper edge.

Allport Library and Museum of Fine Arts (Libraries Tasmania) offers a description of this print:

https://librariestas.ent.sirsidynix.net.au/client/en_AU/library/search/detailnonmodal/ent:$002f$002fSD_ILS$002f0$002fSD_ILS:91720/one?qu=Comet&qu=of&qu=March&qu=1843.

Day Gallery offers insights about this Mary Morton Allport and a description of another lithograph by this historically important colonial artist: https://daygallery.com.au/catalog/mary-morton-allport-new-norfolk-vd-land.

Condition: a strong impression with generously wide margins in near pristine condition with no tears, holes, folds, abrasions, significant stains, foxing or signs of handling. Note that there is a very light pencil inscription at the upper edge (recto).

I am selling this small but historically major lithograph by the first professional woman artist and printmaker in Australia—note that the National Gallery of Australia does not hold a copy of this print—for AU$467 (currently US$359.53/EUR293.96/GBP263.11 at the time of posting this listing) including Express Mail (EMS) postage and handling to anywhere in the world, but not (of course) any import duties/taxes imposed by some countries.

If you are interested in purchasing this lithograph of the utmost rarity, please contact me (oz_jim@printsandprinciples.com) and I will send you a PayPal invoice to make the payment easy.

This print has been sold











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