A 2026 Guide by Sellingantiques
Set of Three Lithographs Depicting Scenes from Popular Melodrama La Grâce De Dieu, 19th Century
Priced at £295 from Pareglio & Ayres Antiques Interiors
Alois Senefelder hit upon the basic chemical principle in Bavaria just before the turn of the nineteenth century.
The process quickly spread across Europe to print commercial maps and sheet music.
By the mid-nineteenth century, steam presses meant antique lithographs could reach vast audiences daily.
Look at the shift from monochrome plates to complex colour work that happened around the 1840s.
Photography eventually replaced the trade by the early twentieth century.
Currier and Ives dominated the American market with popular hand-coloured scenes of daily life.
Day and Son handled major British commissions during the middle of the nineteenth century.
Thomas Shotter Boys produced early topographical views using multiple tint stones.
The 2026 retail price guide for Antique Lithographs is drawn from a proprietary archive of over 1.1 million retail prices indexed by Sellingantiques since 2003. This guide relies exclusively on their own internal data; no external sources or auction records are used.
Analysing nearly 25 years of UK antique market history alongside current retail values, the data indicates that typical UK retail prices for Antique Lithographs range between £200 and £800. Entry-level prices generally fall under £200 and premium examples upwards of £800.
A smooth surface without the plate mark seen on traditional engravings.
Under magnification you'll spot a random dot pattern from the grain of the stone.
Check the bottom margin for text giving the publisher and artist details.
Early examples rely on a single black print that artists then coloured by hand.
Printers eventually learned to use a second tint stone to add solid background areas.
By the 1860s craftsmen could register up to twenty separate colour stones to build one image.
"The Bavarian stones were highly prized and printers happily reused them for decades by grinding down the surface."
"Early transport networks relied heavily on the process to issue railway timetables at short notice."
"Artists often drew onto specially coated paper that transferred the image directly to the block."
Based on almost 25 years of Sellingantiques UK antique market data, Antique Lithographs appeared 1108 times (out of 1,100,000 antiques) which gives it a rarity score of 80/100.
This score measures scarcity within the Sellingantiques archive only and is not a survey of the entire antiques market, so these statistics may not be indicative of the general availability of Antique Lithographs elsewhere.
Take it to a professional paper conservator. They use humidity chambers to gently relax the fibres before pressing the sheet under weighted blotters.
Trying this at home with a steam iron or heavy books usually ends in tears. The old paper cracks easily if you force it flat while it's dry.
Leave it alone. Moisture often causes the ink or the paper fibres to bond directly with the glass over time.
If you pull at the sheet, you'll risk tearing the image layer right off the backing. A restorer can sometimes release it using local humidification, but it is a delicate job.
Sometimes, but it depends on the ink. Early hand-coloured sections will run immediately if they touch water.
Conservators test the pigments first. It is never a DIY job.
Get them out of the damp first. Lay them flat in a dry room and let them air out slowly.
Once dry, place them in acid-free sleeves or folders. Keep them out of direct sunlight and away from radiators.
Don't use standard cardboard or sticky tape anywhere near them. The acid in cheap card burns brown marks into antique paper within a few years.
Please note: This Antique Lithographs guide and its associated pricing data are provided for general informational purposes only. It does not constitute formal financial, investment, or appraisal advice and should not be relied upon as the sole basis for any commercial activity, purchasing, or sales decisions. Sellingantiques.co.uk accepts no liability for any actions taken in reliance on this information. Always consult with a qualified professional or independent appraiser.
