UNIVERSITY of GLASGOW

The Seamstress was never published.

It was rare and rarely exhibited. An impression was exhibited by Messrs Obach & Co. in London in 1903. This was probably the impression bought from Obach's by Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) (). 13 John Charles Sigismund Day (1826-1908) lent an impression to the Whistler Memorial Exhibition in London in 1905 () which was also bought by Freer from Obach's. 14

Impressions were also shown by H. Wunderlich & Co. in New York in 1903, and at the Grolier Club, also in New York, in 1904. 15

The London art dealers, Messrs Dowdeswell, after consulting the newly published catalogue by Frederick Wedmore (1844-1921), requested impressions of a number of etchings in February 1887. 16 By 8 February Whistler was at work printing the copper plates to satisfy their order. He sent a large batch of etchings (54 in all) including two impressions of 'The Seamstress' priced at £3.3.0 each on 27 July. 17 Dowdeswell's may have bought another 'Seamstress' in 1889 (it is listed but marked with 'x' which might mean it was kept or the opposite). 18

Whistler also sold '1 The Seamstress' for £3.3.0 to Messrs Wunderlich & Co. in 1891. 19

At the sale of the collection of the late Joshua Hutchinson Hutchinson (ca 1829 - d.1891) at Sotheby’s on 3 March 1892 (lot 309) a 'trial proof' was bought by 'Russell' for the low price of £0.18.0 () , which was obviously much less than Whistler was getting at that time. It was acquired by Henry Harper Benedict (1844-1935), and later by Lessing Julius Rosenwald (1891-1971), who gave it to the National Gallery of Art.

Samuel Putnam Avery (1822-1904) owned one impression (), as did Howard Mansfield (1849-1938) () and John Caldwell (fl. 1887-1907) (). Charles Lang Freer (1856-1919) bought two impressions from Obach & Co., one in 1903 () and one, originally owned by John Charles Sigismund Day (1826-1908), in 1909 ().