Collection of German Book Vignettes. Wood Engravings. XVIII – Early XIX C.

Artist: Various anonymous artists. Title: Collection of German Book Vignettes. Date: XVIII – Early XIX C. Materials and Techniques: woodcuts, wood engravings, and collages on paper. Provenance: — Monogram AU stamp in ink in Gothic script (not in Lugt). — The Estate of George "Yorgo" Demetrakopoulos; professor, assistant director of the Medieval Institute, and assistant to the dean at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, Michigan, from 1965–2000. Condition: The signs of aging are appropriate for the time. A detailed condition report is available on demand. Art Movements, Periods and Schools: German School XVIII C. Note: The collection comprises four items. 1. Tailpiece with Lyre & Altar: Neo-Classical vignette. 1 3/4" × 2 1/4". 2. German Coat of Arms: Heraldic oval crest with princely hat and rampant lion. 2 3/4" × 3". 3. Masonic Triple Vignette: Three emblems — smoking brazier with hexagram, crossed mallets, and masons' tools — on a single sheet; no text on reverse, suggesting a proof impression. 2 1/2" × 6". 4. Two Collages (Mounted on a Single Shared Backing): Item 4/1, signed “Salzmann(?)” and inscribed “Lipsia” (Leipzig) in the plate, features a profile portrait of Minerva beneath a radiant sunburst (2" × 4 1/4"). Item 4/2, signed with monogram “S” in the plate, depicts a putto in a landscape (2" × 4 3/8"). Item 4 offers exceptional insight into the engraver's creative process — compositions assembled from stock decorative elements.