Kelly, Thomas
Thomas Kelly (c. 1795 - 1841) was an Irish-born printer and publisher active in New York in the 19th century. The known details of Kelly's life are minimal despite his firm being among the most prominent publishers of lithographic prints in the 1850s - 1860s. Researching Kelly's life is not helped by his relatively common name, making it difficult to distinguish him from the dozens of other Thomas Kellys in New York City at the time. One aid is the address of his business at 17 Barclay Street, and city directories list a Thomas Kelly at that address until 1883. Though based in New York, Kelly may have also established an operation in Philadelphia for a time. Kelly himself is believed to have died in 1840 or 1841, but a firm using his name was active into the mid-1880s, if not later, and thus was presumably continued by his business partner or family member (seemingly a Thomas, Jr., as some advertisements of the era are signed 'Thomas Kelly'). A publisher of schoolbooks named Thomas Kelly was also in operation in New York c. 1890, which may or may not be the same company, while another Thomas Kelly operated as a printer and publisher in London c. 1850 - 1930.
Racing on the Mississippi.
Midnight Race on the Mississippi.
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This is Thomas Kelly's c. 1865 large, folio hand-colored lithographic view of a nighttime steamboat race on the Mississippi River. Such races were a dangerous but popular sport in mid-19th-century America, when steamboat companies on the Mississippi and other major rivers competed for the 'fastest ride'. Some such races became famous and were recorded in many popular paintings and decorative prints by artists like Kelly, as here, and Currier and Ives. (more details)
Hudson Valley Heroes.
View on the Hudson West Point.
$1,800.00
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This is a c. 1865 William Robertson view of the Hudson River and U.S. Military Academy at West Point, published by Thomas Kelly. It was one of several prints produced around this time depicting similar scenes, likely meant to capitalize on interest in the Military Academy generated by American Civil War (1861 - 1865). (more details)