Currier & Ives "Prairie Fires of the Great West" (20th c collotype)

Currier and Ives.  “Prairie Fires of the Great West.” 

Currier & Ives, [1871]-20^th century.  Small folio.  8 1/4 x 12 ¾ (image).  20^th century collotype.  Hand color.  Browning along edges.  Else, very good condition. 

From 1834 to 1907 the firm of Currier & Ives provided for the American people a wide and varied gallery of prints for the new mass market of middle class society.  The post-Civil War period was a time of great development of the American transportation system, both with river boats and trains.  In 1869, the trans-continental railroad was completed and lines criss-crossed the country.  This print celebrates the great age of locomotives, showing a train crossing the prairie with buffalo fleeing a great fire in the horizon.  This is one of the most popular of the small folio Currier & Ives image.   

This print is an excellent 20^th century collotype reproduction with rich hand color.