Anyone recognize this artist? Can't figure out signature.

[greenportny]

I am liquidating an estate. The woman who owned these prints worked for Craddock & Barnard in the UK where she acquired these two prints. They are printed on paper with watermark of J Whatman. Looks like a watermark date is 1915. Any help would be greatly appreciated. 

[janetpjohn_la]

What does it say on the left?
Janet

[greenportny]

On the one print is says SECOND STATE. I didn't find that helpful. Thanks for taking the time.

Rory

[melda58]

If all else fails, you might find it in this book if you can get a hold of a copy:

https://www.amazon.com/Craddock-Engravings-Nineteenth-Twentieth-Centuries/dp/B00IWCN71C

Rita

[greenportny]

Looks like there are many different issues. I saw Zorn listed as an artist they represented but signature doesn't look like Zorn to me. Third letter looks like C to me. Second letter looks like O.

Thanks for the input.

[argon38]

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@greenportny wrote:

Looks like there are many different issues.

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I think it's one of their regular auction catalogues. The artist might well feature in one or several of them, but the firm was in existence for decades and issued many catalogues.

[Anonymous · Accepted solution]

Check out Anton Lock (British 1893-1970) Sig looks like a match.

https://www.liveauctioneers.com/item/75993932_anton-lock-1893-1970-british-sketches-of-a-horse

Click link, scroll to bottom of page and click on 3rd pic of horse sketch to zoom in on signature.

[maxine*j]

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@Anonymous wrote:

Check out Anton Lock (British 1893-1970) Sig looks like a match.

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I think you found it.   Subject matter, style, period, and signature all look right.  Here's the bit showing the signature, for anyone else who had the trouble with that page that I did. 

[greenportny]

I think you're correct. Thanks so much. I had thought "Lock" was the name but could not find a signature as close as what you did. Mystery solved. Thanks again.

Rory

[greenportny]

I think you're correct. Thanks so much. I had thought "Lock" was the name but could not find a signature as close as what you did. Mystery solved. Thanks again.

Rorty

[lacemaker3]

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@greenportny wrote:

On the one print is says SECOND STATE. I didn't find that helpful. Thanks for taking the time.

Rory

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"Second state" means that this impression was produced before the plate was finished. The artist worked on the plate to develop the image, then made a test print (or a few) to see how the image printed at that point. The first test print(s) would be marked "First state", the next time they tried printing it the result(s) would be marked "Second state" and so on.

This second-state impression might be of interest to a collector, gallery or museum that is interested in this artist's works.