Ford Times + Charley Harper

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So, as some of you may know I really love old catalogs and magazines. I have a little stash of them and if and when I come across any that look at all interesting, I usually pick them up. It is even better when I find nice old catalogs/magazines that feature some other obsession or interest of mine, which is exactly what Ford Times has become recently.

From the Henry Ford Collection: "Ford Times began publication on April 15, 1908. It would be “published at intervals in the interest of the selling and business organization of the Ford Motor Company.” In 1946 the magazine was redesigned from one with an employee focus to one designed as “a bridge between the company and its dealers and its customers.” The orientation was almost entirely entertainment with a stress on travel. It continued in that vein until it ceased publication in January 1993."



Artist Charley Harper contributed a lot of his artwork to Ford Times in the fifties and sixties, so if I come across any, I usually pick them up. Plus, the articles are pretty cozy to read before going to bed too.


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Some of his birds from Ford Times (1950s-1960s):




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I love Charles Harper's work, not only for the obvious aesthetic reasons, but also because his work focuses so much on the natural world..wildlife. He and Roger Tory Peterson will always be my two favorite wildlife artists.

So, over the past year, since moving into this house, I decided it would be nice to frame some prints of Harper's that relate so well to what I have experienced here thus far (well, at the very least, little art cards to frame if the prints run too high...).
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The fox, which will forever remind me of our summer Fox Family



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The lazy sleeping Calico, to forever remind us of the day Minou found us:




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The gang of raccoons to forever remind us of the fearless raccoon family that dig up the bulbs in the backyard, run away with my bird feeders, and dirty my back porch with their muddy feet:




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And of course, the backyard window view to forever remind us of all our Backyard Friends and the view from my kitchen window, which makes washing dishes actually a desirable chore:




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So, with that being said, I recently came across a Harper print and fell in love. It has the feel of his older work from Ford Times, which are my favorite. It's a very limited print that was hand screen printed by Charles Harper back in the early sixties and then sold via Ford Times. It is hand signed.





I haven't removed it from the plastic sleeve, and will leave it be until I can take it to get framed. I have never had anything framed professionally, as I have always cut my own mats and framed things myself. I am kind of worried about dropping it off some where and leaving it for framing (but I am also scared to frame it myself). But, I do love it to pieces....

Are there any special things that should be requested when getting it framed? I just want it to stay free from damage and well preserved.
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