Recently a series of wood engraving blocks by Eric Ravilious, Tirzah Garwood, John O’Connor and John Nash turned up on eBay. This was a bit of a sensation as most of the blocks are in museums or with the family estate, so how did so many blocks end up for sale in one go?
Many of these blocks were created during the 1920s and 30s. Some were used in the Fleuron Press series The Woodcut, an Annual printed by the Curwen Press. (The image below was the frontispiece for the limited edition copy of the II volume) and others where in books the Curwen Press printed.
The most curious thing about the Ravilious blocks was how quickly they disappeared from the eBay. The family had reported them as Stolen / Missing some time ago, when it appears that the blocks where given to a publisher and not returned. Ella Ravilious (Eric’s Grand-daughter) got in contact with the seller and they returned them to the family.
This leaves an interesting question for the provenances and ownership of the other blocks. John Nash’s estate was run by Ronald Blythe, and I don’t know who is in charge of it now. John O’Connor’s estate was with his wife, but it is unclear who is in charge of that now too. Joc’s artistic estate was being managed by the Rocket Gallery but I also think that is no longer the case.
Because these woodblocks where not returned after the production they were loaned for, the ownership of them is in limbo. Technically they should have been returned to the estate and there might be the demand back from the family or estates still.
The other problem with the blocks is that where sold belonging to John Nash and John O’Connor is that these estates are still under copywrite. So even if you own the block, it doesn’t mean you have the right to make reprints without the estates permission.
The three John Nash blocks were of Sheep, Spurge Laurel (from his book Poisonous Plants) and A Rustic Seat Beneath a Tree Canopy.
