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For years the owner of The Railroad House in Marietta (north of Columbia), PA, and I ribbed each other about our loyalties to the Pennsy and to the Reading, respectively. He invited me to "Railroad Nights." Once I even presented a "Reading" night. That was big of him.

 

One night was devoted to the renowned Pennsy calendar artist, Grif Teller. Someone brought a painting in Grif's style. But none of us had ever seen it. We saw an M-1 blasting through "the narrows" north of Marietta.

 

He explained that his wife (or a visitor) was around when guys were talking trains. Someone mentioned Grif Teller. She responded, "Oh, Uncle Grif." The room went dead silent. The guys discovered that she was indeed his niece. Then they found out that after his career with the Pennsy, he did paintings on commission. Someone would sent him a photo, a rough drawing, or a concept for a painting. Mr. Teller made some rough sketches and sent them back. This went on until he completed a preliminary draft of the painting for one final critique. With that info, he painted a picture.

 

So there indeed authentic Grif Teller paintings that followed his PRR calendars.

 

 

I bought a Howard Fogg print many years ago at White Horses Antique Mall east of Lancaster. There were 2 of them there, I bought the one of the NYNH&H with three RS-1s rounding a curve on the point of a freight. I didn't buy the other one, as it would have been a lot more money than I wanted to spend. So, now I am sorry. 20/20 hindsight, and all that. Still, I enjoy this one. A friend has a print in the vein of a Howard Fogg, it is three U18B MEC locos crossing a bridge, but even though it has water spotting, I might spring for it and see if the Philadelphia Print Shop can clean it for me. Yes, I do like odd locomotives, before anyone asks! LOL!

Anyone familiar with Tide-Mark calendars??   We (LHS) sell lots of their train-themed calendars every year.  Among them, for about 10+ years now, is a Howard Fogg theme calendar with 12 of his paintings featured for the months.

 

Here is the current site...  http://www.tide-mark.com/trains-howard-fogg.htm

 

I've been collecting...but not using...these every year for as long as they've been offered.  Not the same as an original, or even an official print...but certainly affordable!!!!

 

Also have a book of Fogg's paintings....Fogg and Steam, A Regional Look At Steam in North America, by Frank Clodfelter.  Nice book on the coffee table, indeed!! 

 

Quite the artist.  I've always admired his work, many of which are watercolors....not at all easy to pull off credibly with the amount of detail he depicts!

 

But, there are numerous other excellent painters of railroad themes.  And Tide-Mark, from time-to-time will celebrate one of these for a year or two.

 

FWIW, always...

 

KD

A friend was shopping at a flea market near Boyertown PA, she found this calendar on his table. She sent me a picture and asked me if I wanted it. I bought it on her "say so" that it was pretty decent, which was an understatement. I just looked at it, it is a print of a Grif Teller painting dated 1950. Sometimes bread falls butter side up. 

GEDC1021

 


 

I did a little Photoshop work on this one for you. The color was a little off in your original photo.

 

PRR Fogg

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  • PRR Fogg Painting: PRR Fogg Painting
Last edited by Rich Melvin

I have a signed and numbered Fogg print of the heavyweight Empire Builder pulled by a glacier schemed S2 Northern through the Montana Rockies.  The prints were marketed by the Izaak Walton Inn some years ago.  Mr. Fogg must have signed and numbered many of these prints because I still see them available on the Internet today.  http://www.railprints.com/rrprints/prints/empire.htm

Last edited by The Portland Rose

Hello folks.  Brand new to this community.  In researching Howard Fogg, I noticed this post.  I know it's an old post but I thought I would try posting this inquiry here (same one I've posted elsewhere online, but why reinvent the wheel?)

I have 2 Fogg originals - pics below.  These were given to me in the 70s by my grandfather, who for 60 years was in the printing business in NYC.  These were given to him in lieu of or in addition to payment for printing these originals, which are pretty clearly Christmas specials.  Either commissioned as Christmas cards for a railroad, or perhaps another specific request from or for a railroad executive, at the time.  I know Fogg painted many works for J.W. Barriger and others.

I was told they might depict either the Monon line or perhaps the Rock Island line.  Some Monon historians have indicated it's not Monon.

In short - I'm looking for more information on these wonderful paintings.  In my research of Fogg's over the years, I've always kept an eye open for anything like them, and I've found nothing.  So many (if not all that I've seen) of his paintings have the locomotive or rolling stock as the main subject.  I've never seen anything like this where the trains themselves are secondary to the story, with people in the forefront.  Not to mention the humor, and also the pure black and white vs his usual color.

PS - somewhere I also have an LP of "All Steamed UP" by Howard Fogg!

Thanks in advance!

BSN321 what you might have is magazine art.  If you are old enough to remember magazines such as LOOK or LIFE, they carried short stories which were accompanied be artwork.  Many famous artists put food on the table by supplying art for the various magazines.

I have a Howard Fogg watercolor that I acquired several years ago.  It shows two steamers running side by side.  It was taken from a photo I saw in one of my train books.

Thanks all for the feedback so far!  Keep it coming!

I've already been in contact with a few key folks who are very familiar with Howard's work, but so far nothing confirmed.

In contact with Gil Bennet, another wonderful artist who is a contemporary of Howard's and worked with him before his death, is sure the "C" is for a Christmas card or something commissioned for or by a railroad executive.  Could have been something painted to display in the main office at Christmas time, etc.  Christmas 1948 and 1949.

In contact with Richard Fogg, Howard's eldest son, who pointed out that Howard, before being whisked away to WWII, had intended on being a cartoonist, and he believes this is leftover from that intention.

DKDKRD - My guess is you might be correct about it not depicting any particular railroad.  But hard to know for sure.  Nonetheless it's worth looking into the B&O!

Bill D - it's a great thought to suggest magazine art.  However my grandfather would not have printed anything for magazines - he was given these to either print Christmas cards, or to make prints.  I don't know if it would have been Howard who gave these originals to him directly, or a third party.

I look forward to more thoughts on these.  Thanks so much for the replies!

Best - Brad

Maybe five years ago, I sold an original Fogg painting of a Cab Forward coming over Donner, or something like that.  I sold it for Lou Cross.  I think we got $8000 for it.

The guy that sold it restores Howard's paintings, when needed.  He was good friend with him and spent a lot of time learning many of his techniques.  I believe he had more of Howard's originals (not prints) for sale.

I'll try to find his name and contact info.

By the way, Fogg in the Cockpit was a fun read.  In the beginning of the book he explains the humor behind the title.  It's probably not exactly what you think.

Jay

A year ago, an auction house in Scottsdale had a few Foggs among hundreds of other items.  Their appraisers clearly were not aware of the nitch of railroad art and Fogg's standing in it.  Following is a link to the page of the auction results with his items.

I thought of attending just to look at the paintings, but could not arrange it.  In a way, I was glad I could not as the prices obtained further removed any hope of ever owning one!

 

https://scottsdaleartauction.c..._Auction_Results.pdf

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