The Old Print Shop, Inc.

The Old Print Shop, Inc. is an art gallery specializing in artist-made works on paper, drawings, watercolors, paintings, sculpture, and antique maps. The gallery focuses on artwork created in America or related to the Americas, spanning from the 17th century to the contemporary period.

The Old Print Shop was founded in 1898 by Edward Gottschalk in Wanamaker’s Department Store in New York City. Around 1900, Gottschalk relocated the gallery to Fourth Avenue, then known as Bookman’s Row. In 1929, the gallery moved to 150 Lexington Avenue, between 29th and 30th Streets, becoming the first commercial tenant in what had been a single-family home converted into a business front and apartments.

Following Gottschalk’s death in 1926, the family hired Harry Shaw Newman—my grandfather—to manage the gallery with the option to purchase it. On October 11, 1928, Harry signed a five-year contract to buy the business. The onset of the Great Depression in 1929 made this a difficult period, but in 1932, Harry received a crucial loan from Harry T. Peters, a friend and board member of the New York Trust Company. Their friendship grew from a shared interest in Currier & Ives; Peters was the leading authority on the firm, and he and Harry co-authored two books: Best Fifty Currier & Ives Lithographs (Large folio, 1932) and Best Fifty Currier & Ives Lithographs (Small folio, 1933).

After serving in the Navy during World War II, Harry’s son Kenneth M. Newman joined the gallery and worked closely with his father. Kenneth brought a deep interest in maps, marine art, Currier & Ives, and ephemera, helping to expand the gallery’s reputation. Following Harry’s passing in 1966, Kenneth continued to grow the business with his sons. Robert K. Newman joined full-time in 1979, having worked part-time during high school and college since 1972. His brother, Harry Shaw Newman II, followed in 1982.

Robert, a trained printmaker, expanded the gallery’s scope to include early 20th-century American printmaking. He brings encyclopedic knowledge to the field, and over the past several decades has helped establish the gallery as a leader in this area. In 1992, The Old Print Shop began handling works by living artists and now represents over 80 contemporary printmakers.

Harry Shaw Newman II has led the map division of the gallery for over four decades, specializing in early American prints and antique cartography. He is regarded as one of the foremost experts on antique maps in the world, and is a meticulous researcher known for uncovering overlooked details in the visual history of the Americas.

The next generation continues the tradition. Brian R. Newman, son of Robert, is a cataloguer and researcher with a particular focus on 19th-century American lithography, especially the work of Currier & Ives. He also has a strong interest in 20th-century war posters and their impact on design and public sentiment. Brian brings a thoughtful approach to cataloging, blending visual insight with historical context.