Description: Here's a beautiful old floral print from a painting by Paul de Longpre, entitled "EARLY VISITORS". It features a bouquet of pink and white flowers laying on a table or shelf. Several bumblebees are also paying a visit. It was printed by the American Lithographic Co. of New York.

The print was produced by the Arbuckle Bros. Coffee Company in 1900 and offered as a mail order premium to buyers of Arbuckles' Ariosa Coffee. In fact, a set of three floral prints, including this one and two others, entitled "A Study in Pink" and "Fall Beauties", could be obtained by anyone sending just 5 signatures (i.e., proofs-of-purchase) cut from Arbuckles' coffee packages, along with a 2¢ postage stamp. This offer was valid from June 1, 1900, until May 31 (or June 1), 1901.

Arbuckles' offered numerous prints in their lists and catalogs in the late 19th and early 20th Century, many with flowers, but sometimes featuring children, dogs, or religious subjects, too. Some were from unattributed (or at least unheralded) artists, but many were drawn by prominent artists of the time, such as Harry Roseland, Paul de Longpre, Maud Humphrey, and Frances Brundage.

It was a very inexpensive way for housewives to decorate their homes with beautiful works of art. Many, many thousands must have been produced. Unfortunately, due to the fact that they were so cheap to acquire, they tend not to have been treated with much care, and most of the examples available to the collector today show significant damage. In particular, most seem to have been trimmed to fit whatever frame the original (or subsequent) owner had available. Many also seem to have suffered water damage or other indignities. The example I'm offering here does not appear to have ever been framed, and thus is untrimmed, but looks like it was pinned or tacked to a wall for many years. Please see my condition description, below, for full particulars.

Date: 1900-1901

Actual Size: approx. 16½" x 9½"

Condition: Just fair, I'd say. This print does not appear to have ever been framed and therefore has not been trimmed, as most framed prints were. However, it does appear to have been tacked to a wall for many years, as there are tiny holes in each corner and at the bottom center in the border. There are several small edge tears in the borders and two top-to-bottom vertical creases, one at the left and one at the right. The front is noticeably soiled, although the colors are still bright. (Please see photos.)

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