New York Monthly by Anonymous American artist

New York Monthly by Anonymous American artist

C. 1868

Hand Colored Lithograph

Published in the spring of 1868, this fashion plate lithograph introduces a curated selection of seasonal garments titled "The New York Monthly." This hand-colored print, produced by S.B. West at 615 Broadway, New York, bears the precise date of April 1868. The artistic arrangement features five gentlemen and one elegant woman posed within an interior setting defined by architectural lattice windows. Serving as a visual guide for upscale spring outerwear and tailoring variations, the print displays a charcoal frock coat from a rear vantage point, a textured cream sack jacket, a double-breasted brown overcoat, a vivid royal blue tailcoat, and a substantial tan topcoat layered over a navy suit. The lone female figure balances the masculine silhouettes, donning a voluminous pink crinoline gown accented by a decorative front panel and delicate floral hair ornamentation.

Fashion plates of this caliber from the late 1860s provide essential documentation regarding the rigid dress codes and social presentation of post-Civil War American society. During this transitional period, publication houses and merchant tailors used monthly plates to introduce lighter seasonal textiles and updated silhouettes, establishing clear boundaries between business attire and daytime formal wear. The publisher, S.B. West, operated along the highly competitive Broadway retail corridor, which served as the primary epicenter for Manhattan fashion publishing and upscale merchant tailoring. Featuring delicate hand-applied watercolor washes that elevate it beyond standard commercial printing, this work holds historical significance as a primary record of mid-19th-century American manufacturing and advertising. It beautifully preserves the precise material culture of the era while illustrating the rapid growth of the domestic luxury market and urban retail infrastructure.

Dimensions: H 11 5/16” x 14 ¾” W

Condition: Tears on top edge with one that cuts into the image, some foxing