Ray Harm Print Appraisal

Yellow-Shafted Flicker Limited Edition Print by Ray Harm

This is a large, professionally framed and matted wildlife art print titled 'Yellow-Shafted Flicker' by the renowned naturalist artist Ray Harm. The artwork depicts two flickers perched on a gnarled, weathered grey tree stump against a soft blue wash background. The birds are detailed with their characteristic spotted breasts, black bibs, and yellow plumage under the wings and tail. The print features a printed signature by Ray Harm on the lower right, accompanied by a hand-signed pencil signature by the artist, indicating its status as a collector's edition. It is housed in an ornate, gilded wood frame with a slight distressed finish and is double-matted with a teal-blue outer mat and a black inner fillet. Based on the style and artist's peak production, this piece likely dates from the late 1960s to early 1970s. The craftsmanship of the illustration shows high-quality biological accuracy. The condition appears fair to good: while the print itself shows vibrant colors, there is noticeable moisture damage or 'tideline' staining along the bottom edge of the blue matting, suggesting previous exposure to humidity. The frame shows minor surface wear commensurate with age, but remains structurally sound. This piece is representative of mid-century American ornithological art and is a classic example of Harm's contribution to conservation-based art prints.