I have an original etching by Lucien Dasselborne with this title on the bottom. Could you tell me it's worth? I understand his specialtys were rural and village scenes in Belgium. My grandma had this in her home and I received it after her death. I love it and have had it reframed. Does that change it's value? Thank you

Yes, framing a print or painting can add to the overall value. Sometimes frames are worth more than the prints or paintings themselves!

If it was your grandma's and you love it, then it has a high sentimental value for you. As such, there really isn't a monetary amount of value that could be placed on it for you. It is priceless! I have many such objects in my home that are not worth very much in monetary terms, but are priceless to my children and I because of them being handed down as part of the family.

I will give you another example of what I am describing. Part of what I do for a living is that I am a piano tuner/technician. Over the past almost two years, I have been doing a great amount of work on a customer's old upright piano that had belonged to his grandmother. He is paying me over $3,000 to do the work that I am doing. However, this piano will never be worth more than $300 or $400. Is it worth it? He thinks so. It is a nice tribute to his grandmother to have her piano brought back too much the way that it was when it was new, nearly a hundred years ago.

Sorry about my rambling, but I just wanted to put things in perspective.

If your etching is what I think that it is, that being a print that is from the Paris Etching Society, then it is not likely to be worth much money.

However, you did say "original." Are you certain that it is an original?

I did the following search Lucien Dasselborne original - Google Search (http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=Lucien+Dasselborne+original) There is some information on some of the sites that may be helpful to you. Just by what I have found, even if it is an original, it may not be worth more than about $50.00. But, the frame might make it worth even more than that.

If it is from the Paris Etching Society, it should be listed somewhere on it.

If it is, then information from the following site might also be helpful to you.

Google Answers: Sun La Dyle Belgigue (http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=39718)


Question

I have a print titled "Sun La Dyle Belgigue". I cannot make out the
artist's name in the lower RH corner, but in the upper right is says
"Naris etching society N.Y. USA" In the lower left there is a circle
surrounding the letters SZ and L. Outside the circle at the 8 o'clock
position is the numeral 4.

Can you tell me the origin and worth of this work?

Answer

Dear wayno,

Here is what I was able to find out concerning your print:

1. The SZ and L in the circle are the trademark of Sidney Z. Lucas,
who owned a printshop in New York in the years 1940 to 1960. He
produced a large number of prints after old etchings. Generally,
prints by Mr. Lucas seem not to reach very high prices, as several
examples indicate:

At Ruby Lane, two Lucas prints are for sale for $ 20.00:
http://www.rubylane.com/en/shop/item.tcl?shopnickname=alfredsalley&mainsection=collectibles&itemid=01139

The Gallery Kathryn offers a set of two Lucas prints after works by
Jean-Louis Prevost for $ 50.00:
Missing Link (http://pages.tias.com/7048/InventoryPage/1319752/1.html)
They also have two Ballerina prints after André Chevalier for $ 24.95
each:
Granny's Cupboard & Collectibles (http://pages.tias.com/208/InventoryPage/1061809/1.html)

These Old Things has several Sidney Z. Lucas prints in stock, for $
45.00 and $ 30.00 respectively:
Art & Photos (http://www.theseoldthings.com/artphotobody.htm)

It might well be that certain Lucas prints are more rare and therefore
more valuable than others; but the general image is that they are
commonly not expensive.

2. The company name in the upper right corner is actually 'Paris
Etching Society'. As it seems, this New York enterprise was very
active in distributing prints and etchings mainly after works of
French and Flemish (Belgian and Dutch) artists. Many Paris Etching
Society prints are circulating, but nevertheless, hardly anything is
known about them. It is possible that this was an association of
professional etchers, of the kind mentioned here:

The Prairie Printmakers, by Stephen Goddard
http://www.ukans.edu/~sma/ppm/ppmintro.htm

The identity of the 'Paris Etching Society' remains a mystery; even
art collectors have no answers, as the New York Art World Message
Board dealing especially with this topic reveals:

http://newyorkartworld.com/bbs2/index.sht

The only thing for sure is that the Society was active at least from
the early 1930s to the mid-1960s and that prints bearing their
copyright are neither rare nor extremely valuable. Sidney Z. Lucas has
obviously been a member of the Society. This is, I'm afraid, all
information available on the 'Paris Etching Society'.

3. The correct name of the picture is "Sur la Dyle" ('On the Dyle
River', a river in Belgium), and the artist's name was Lucien
Dasselborne from the Province of Hainaut / Belgium, living from 1873
to 1952. His specialy were rural and village scenes. In accordance
with the testamentary wish of Lucien Dasselborne, a triennial contest
is organized by the care of the provincial Commission of the
Foundations of Grants of Hainaut, with the support of the Province of
Hainaut and the collaboration of the City of Turned. Alas, there is no
list of his works available, so the exact date when he drew 'Sur la
Dyle' remains unknown.

This is, I'm afraid, all I could find out. It is not very much, but I
hope it provides you. Some useful information concerning the
approximate value of your print, its origin and the artist

Main sources:

Fred Robson, "Re: Paris Etching society Prints". Online posting in the
New York Art World message board for the Paris Etching Society, May
20, 2002.
http://newyorkartworld.com/bbs2/messages/232.html

New York Art World Message Board
WWWBoard Version 2.0! (http://newyorkartworld.com/bbs/index.sht)

New York Art World Message Board for The Paris Etching Society
http://newyorkartworld.com/bbs2/index.sht

La guide de la province Hainaut, service des relation publiques, 2002:
http://www.hainaut.be/leguide/loisirs7.asp?liste=Le+guide+des+institutions

Search terms used:
"La Dyle" etching: ://www.google.de/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=%22La+Dyle%22+etching&meta=
"lucien dasselborne" (via alltheweb.com):
AlltheWeb.com: Web results for ""lucien dasselborne"" (http://www.alltheweb.com/search?cat=web&cs=utf-8&l=any&q=%22lucien+dasselborne%22)
"Paris Etching Society":
://www.google.com/search?hl=de&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&newwindow=1&q=%22paris+etching+society%22&lr=
"Sidney Z Lucas": ://www.google.de/search?q=%22sidney+z+lucas%22&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=de&meta=

Hope this was what you were looking for!
Regards,
Scriptor

My itching is by Jamthanan I think and we've had this itching for about twenty five years. I would like help with the name and some information on [email protected]

If it is from the Paris Etching Society, it should be listed somewhere on it.

If it is, then information from the following site might also be helpful to you.

Google Answers: Sun La Dyle Belgigue (http://answers.google.com/answers/threadview?id=39718)

I was wondering about the painter.. "Jamthanan" I think