J.W Gear

J.W. Gear made prints in the 19th-century style seen in the H Beard Print Collection. The bundle’s only titled work is H Beard Print Collection, an unsigned print likely part of a larger boxed set sold in London print shops near the Strand. These prints were cheap, popular souvenirs—mostly portraits, city views, and topical scenes—meant to hang in middle-class parlors. Look for the same brown ink and deckled edges across copies; small differences in inking show how these were run off quickly on steam presses. Tap H Beard Print Collection to zoom into the plate marks and compare ink splashes.