Dali Barque du Norche from Divine Comedy, whose watermark?

B.F.H. Rives.

edit: B.F.K.

 

Under where it says 58/150, there are SLIGHT letters showing.....inverted they seem to show up as below.....NOT the clearest....and I don't think it's the initials that @anundverkaufen said....he's always accurate.....I'm just wondering what they ARE????? MIGHT say 'Hixen' to begin with???? What/who-ever that may be???

​

 

Im confused about the watermark: this site describes the original set of 150 signed by Dali as being on Rives paper with a Les Heures Claires watermark on some (apparently there were two water marks on each large sheet of paper subsequently cut into four sheets, thus only approx half the printed sheets bear watermarks).

https://www.pristineauction.com/a46...r-61150-with-Original-Title-Text-Pages-PA-LOA

 

I would pull it out of the frame and make sure it has a deckled edge at the bottom.

 

Your print and the one in the link you attached were not signed and numbered by the same person.

 

Can you be more specific as to why? Is this not the correct watermark for the original issue?

 

My approach with these Dali prints, which we see quite regularly on this forum is to assume that they are some type of doctored up reprint. I don’t know about the watermark, I have not seen an example. I do know that the history of the editions of these prints seem to vary quite a bit from site to site. I do know that the Albert Fields book is the accepted reference and can be found in libraries. The paper having a deckled bottom edge is important. The style of the numbers on your print strike me as someone who learned to write in the states as opposed to Europe. I see this difference all the time on prints I have owned.

 

The watermark as shown is mirrored. Here it is reversed:


My only issue is that the Rives watermarks I find online aren't script, as these, but there can be a lot of variations in watermarks from any given company.

From a brief look at the compnay's history, BFK Rives wasn't used before a merger of several paper companies in 1953.

It's one thing to reproduce or fake an image. It's another thing entirely to fake a piece of paper - just not worth it.

 

Thanks @moreotherstuff .... HOW did I miss COMPLETELY that it was REVERSED!!!

 

Some additional information on these prints. The site covers various versions of the watermarks as they apply to the different editions. In addition it covers topics such as signed in plate versions and print sizes. I would however pay close attention to the additional statements concerning the number of printings and versions of this set.

https://fineart.market/blog/expert/salvador-dali-and-the-divine-comedy

 

Wow thank you. Very nice

 

What size is the piece if I might ask?

 

The correct title is Purgatory Canto 2 ( Ship of Souls )from Devine Comedy. This print was issued in 1960, signed and numbered in red pencil by an unknown hand. This link has one that sold quite sometime ago. The dimensions of your should be the same.

 

This link? Which link is that, @Richard Arthur ?

 

Thank you for pointing that out Bakersgma. Here is the link https://www.ebth.com/items/4731051-...engraving-purgatory-canto-2-the-ship-of-souls