Baby chicks crowded around a tin — painted by Ben Austrian in 1901, printed in 1903, and still in excellent condition 122 years later.
This is a remarkable survival. Ben Austrian (1870–1921) was one of America's most beloved painters of baby chicks and barnyard subjects — his originals now trade for thousands of dollars and his prints are avidly collected. This small monthly calendar for July 1903 was published by Brown & Bigelow for the Lumen Bearing Company of Buffalo, NY, and carries Austrian's printed signature. The image "Crowded Out" shows a huddle of soft yellow chicks jostling around a container, rendered with the warmth and precision Austrian was known for. Mounted on heavy cardboard with metallic silver lettering, with a ring on the back for hanging. Condition is exceptional for its age — minimal wear on the cardboard, the print excellent throughout.
A rare find for advertising calendar collectors, Ben Austrian devotees, and anyone who loves the farmhouse aesthetic rooted in actual American history.
Maker: Brown & Bigelow, published for Lumen Bearing Co., Buffalo, NY; USA
Artist: Ben Austrian (1870–1921), printed signature; "Crowded Out"
