Wallace Nutting Enticing Waters Value Guide

Wallace Nutting's 'Enticing Waters' is a quintessential example of early 20th-century American pastoral art, capturing a serene river scene framed by vibrant autumnal foliage. As a retired minister turned prolific photographer, Nutting's hand-colored prints became a staple of middle-class decor, making this specific landscape a nostalgic piece of colonial-revival history.

What Is Wallace Nutting Enticing Waters Worth?

The typical price range for Wallace Nutting Enticing Waters is $75 - $85 based on recent sales. However, values can vary depending on the item's condition, rarity, and other factors such as:

• The presence of the original studio frame and backing paper significantly preserves the $75-$85 market value.
• Condition of the paper is critical; any foxing, water stains, or significant fading of the autumnal pigments will decrease the price.
• The clarity and boldness of the signature and title inscriptions are key factors for collectors.
• The size of the print, as Nutting produced these in various dimensions, with larger formats occasionally commanding the higher end of the value range.

How to Identify Wallace Nutting Enticing Waters?

• Look for the distinct hand-written title 'Enticing Waters' in the lower-left margin beneath the print.
• Verify the authentic Wallace Nutting signature, typically located in the lower-right margin of the matting.
• Check for the characteristic hand-applied watercolor tints over a platinum or silver bromide base, which creates a soft, painterly effect.
• Examine the original frame and glass, as Nutting's studio often used specific wood moldings and narrow profiles consistent with the 1910-1925 era.

History of Wallace Nutting Enticing Waters

Wallace Nutting was a retired minister who became the most famous photographer of the early 20th century. Between 1900 and 1941, his studio produced millions of hand-colored platinum and silver bromide prints. These images were intended to provide affordable, beautiful art for the growing American middle class and often depicted idyllic colonial interiors or peaceful pastoral landscapes.