Bufford — Taunton Locomotive "New England" c.1852 Chromolithograph
Bufford — Taunton Locomotive "New England" c.1852 Chromolithograph
A spectacular American chromolithograph from the Golden Age of railroad builder's prints — J. H. Bufford's portrait of the Taunton Locomotive Works engine "New England." The blue-painted 4-4-0 engine stands in an imagined New England landscape that fuses a White Mountains valley with a coastal view. Exquisite decorative details: an American eagle surmounting the bell, the Massachusetts state seal on the cab (a Native American with bow and arrows), and — on the side of the tender — a miniature landscape painting of a train crossing a stone viaduct bridge. Mechanical detail rendered with the precision of an engineer's drawing.
Approximately 19 × 27.5 inches plus printed border and margins. Signed in the stone: "Drawn & Lithographed by J. H. Bufford, 260 Washington St., Boston."
About John Henry Bufford (1810–1870)
John Henry Bufford was one of the most important American lithographers of the antebellum era. Born in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, he apprenticed at the Pendleton firm in Boston in 1829 — during the first years of American commercial lithography. After running his own firm in New York, he returned to Boston in 1840 and eventually operated as J. H. Bufford & Co. Winslow Homer and Francis D'Avignon both worked for him early in their careers.
About the Work
Bufford's firm pioneered chromolithography in the United States, producing the first American color lithographs from multiple stones in 1843–1844. His output included city views, sheet music covers, book illustrations, and — most celebrated — the locomotive builder's prints commissioned by New England engine manufacturers during the 1850s and 1860s, the Golden Age of American railroad advertising.
Scarcity & Market Context
Bufford locomotive prints with named engines are trophy pieces in the American industrial Americana market.
Institutional Holdings
The Boston Athenaeum, the Huntington Library (Jay T. Last Collection of Graphic Arts), the Library of Congress, and the New Hampshire Historical Society.
Dimensions
Image approximately 19 × 27.5 inches plus printed border and margins
Frame: This piece ships unframed — the sheet or plate only. We can recommend framers in your area or ship to your preferred framer. Professional framing with archival materials typically runs $150–$400 depending on size and finish.
Shipping Terms
Shipping costs vary by product, packaging requirements, destination, carrier, and insurance value. We do not use flat-rate shipping because antique prints, maps, paintings, and books each require different packing — some ship flat between archival boards, some ship rolled, some require custom-built crates with shock absorption, and framed pieces need extra protection for glass and corners.
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Important Buyer Notice
These pieces are antique originals, ranging from approximately 100 to over 400 years old. Each piece will show varying degrees of age-appropriate condition: paper toning, foxing, edge wear, fold marks, minor restoration, light staining, and other natural signs of age are common and expected for works of this period. Condition varies from piece to piece.
It is the buyer's responsibility to confirm that the piece is in the condition they require before purchase. We are always happy to answer any questions about the state of the work, provide additional photographs of specific areas, describe any flaws or repairs in detail, or arrange a video review before you buy. Please contact us at any time with questions — we believe an informed buyer is the best customer.
All pieces are guaranteed authentic originals (not reproductions, facsimiles, or modern prints). We offer a full refund if authenticity is ever disputed by a qualified third party.