Most people have heard about Wallace Nutting’s hand colored pictures, many are aware of the nearly 20 books that he authored, an increasing number have developed an understanding about his bench-made reproduction furniture, and an increasing number of collectors have started searching out Nutting Memorabilia. In this article we’ll be discussing Wallace Nutting Pirate Prints.

During the 1920’s when his hand colored photographs were at the peak of their popularity, a competing company began machine-reproducing a limited number of Nutting’s pictures and commercially selling them at a price lower than Nutting’s hand-colored photos. It was Gertie Brown, a Nutting colorist, who first found these reproductions. One day while shopping at a Grant’s Department store in Framingham MA, she found reproductions a certain Nutting pictures for sale, only three miles from the Nutting Studio. Upon first seeing these reproductions, Nutting was quoted as saying “Why, those pirates!” Hence the name, Pirate Prints. Wallace Nutting filed a lawsuit against the company, forcing them to cease production, but not until a limited number had been put into circulation.

Some Pirate Print titles include:

• A Checkered Road

• A Grandpa & Grandma Bed

• A Sheltered Brook

• A Woodland Cathedral

• Blethen Gardens

• Confidences

• Honeymoon Stroll

• Joy Path

• The Garden Gate

These can be readily identified because while the picture title remains in the lower left position beneath the picture, the name “Wallace Nutting” usually positioned in the lower right corner has been eliminated. Pirate Prints can also be detected by using a good quality magnifying glass. Knowledgeable collectors generally have a very limited interest in Pirate Prints.