Jonny Hannah – McVouty’s Typeface – Signed Limited Edition Screenprint 17/50 – Cakes & Ale Press – 2009

Description

A large, highly decorative and characteristically idiosyncratic original screenprint by Jonny Hannah, entitled McVouty’s Typeface, produced in 2009 by Hannah’s own Cakes & Ale Press.

Printed in a limited edition of only 50 copies, this example is number 17/50, individually signed and dated 2009 by Jonny Hannah in pencil beneath the image.

The sheet measures an impressive 50.8 × 68.5 cm, giving Hannah’s exuberant hand-drawn lettering considerable visual impact.

Against a pale blue ground, Hannah presents the alphabet in five emphatic rows of individually drawn capital letters, printed predominantly in mustard yellow and dark blue. Each letter is given depth through offset shadowing and dense hand-drawn hatching, creating the appearance of vernacular shop lettering, painted signs, circus typography and vintage display type.

At the top appears the title:

McVOUTY

while the side inscriptions proclaim:

“A NEW TYPEFACE FROM THE”

and:

“CAKES & ALE PRESS. PUTTI PUTTI.”

Small pictorial devices punctuate the design, including a pointing hand or manicule, a stylised printing press and, beside the final punctuation marks, a tiny suited figure with an illuminated light bulb in place of his head.

The lower margin carries Hannah’s pencil signature and date, the edition number 17/50, and the printed Cakes & Ale Press imprint.

McVouty and Jonny Hannah

The print belongs directly to Hannah’s important McVouty period.

In June 2009 the Coningsby Gallery in London staged Hannah’s exhibition Notes From McVouty. Its contemporary exhibition text describes “McVouty’s” as an imaginary second-hand emporium created by Hannah around the persona of jazz musician Slim Gaillard, whose slang vocabulary included the term “McVouty”. Hannah imagined Gaillard retiring to Coney Island and running what the gallery described as the ultimate independent second-hand shop.

The conceit allowed Hannah to bring together many of the recurring themes of his work: jazz, hand lettering, printed ephemera, vintage clothing, shop signs, popular graphics and the visual language of independent shops and businesses.

The same fictional world subsequently became absorbed into Hannah’s broader Darktown mythology. Merrell’s description of Hannah’s 2014 monograph Greetings from Darktown identifies McVouty’s vintage clothes shop as one of the landmarks of his imaginary coastal town, alongside the Mermaid Café and the Unquiet Grave junk emporium.

Typography and the Cakes & Ale Press

Typography is fundamental to Hannah’s practice rather than merely decorative.

His professional representation describes his work as encompassing paintings, drawings, screenprints and linocuts, with a particular fascination for nineteenth-century typefaces and the written word. His later monograph even contains a dedicated typographic section examining his hand-drawn lettering.

McVouty’s Typeface is therefore especially representative of Hannah’s work: the alphabet itself becomes the subject rather than simply carrying a message.

The print was produced under Hannah’s Cakes & Ale Press imprint, his personal cottage-industry publishing enterprise established to make limited-edition prints, books, posters and printed ephemera. Contemporary accounts describe the Cakes & Ale Press as Hannah’s own small-scale publishing operation, producing limited editions from his studio practice.

Edition 17 of only 50 copies.

A good signed original screenprint from the period in which the McVouty mythology was being actively developed.

Artist

Jonny Hannah was born in Dunfermline, Fife, studied at Liverpool Art School and subsequently at the Royal College of Art, and has developed a highly recognisable visual language combining illustration, printmaking, lettering, jazz, folk culture, vintage graphics and imagined places. His work has appeared for major publications and institutions, while his personal printmaking continues through the Cakes & Ale Press.

Condition

Very good indeed.

The colours remain strong and fresh, with the mustard, dark blue and pale blue printing presenting particularly well. Slight creasing.

The pencil signature, date and edition number 17/50 are clearly preserved.

Please study the photographs carefully as they form an integral part of the description.

Artist: Jonny Hannah
Title: McVouty Alphabet
Date: 2009
Medium: Original screenprint
Publisher: Cakes & Ale Press
Edition: 17/50
Signed: Yes, in pencil
Dated: 2009 in pencil
Size: 50.8 × 68.5 cm
Format: Limited-edition original print
Unframed: Yes

Authenticity

This print has been handled, inspected and catalogued in-house at Hornseys.

The pencil signature, date, edition number and printed Cakes & Ale Press imprint are all present and clearly visible.

It is an original signed screenprint from an edition of only 50, not a later reproduction or digital poster.

SHOP WITH CONFIDENCE AT HORNSEYS

At Hornseys, we are committed to offering original paintings, signed prints, illustrated books and related works by Jonny Hannah that meet high standards of authenticity, condition and visual quality. Our collection has been assembled carefully over more than fifteen years and reflects our long-standing appreciation of Hannah’s distinctive contribution to contemporary British art, illustration and printmaking.

Every item is individually examined, researched and catalogued before being offered for sale.

What Sets Us Apart

Authenticity and Provenance:
Each Jonny Hannah painting, print or book is carefully assessed for authenticity. Signatures, edition details, inscriptions, labels, publishing information and provenance are recorded wherever available, helping collectors to buy with confidence.

Expert Curation:
We wholly own every artwork that we offer. We trust our judgement, invest directly in the material we select and only offer works in which we have confidence. Our Jonny Hannah collection has been built gradually and selectively, rather than assembled as a single speculative group.

Detailed Cataloguing:
Each item is described individually, with information provided on medium, dimensions, signature, edition, date, condition and provenance wherever known. We aim to distinguish clearly between original paintings, mixed-media works, original prints, limited editions and illustrated publications.

Customer Satisfaction:
We strive to provide an exceptional purchasing experience, combining knowledgeable descriptions, clear condition reports, secure packing and prompt delivery. Further information or additional photographs can be supplied where required.

Unconditional Returns Guarantee:
Every item is offered with our unconditional guarantee. Should you wish to return a work for any reason, it may be sent back within fourteen days of receipt. We ask that you notify us in advance and that the item is returned in the same condition in which it was received. A full refund will then be issued.

OUR COMMITMENT TO QUALITY AND SERVICE

We understand the importance, individuality and collectable appeal of Jonny Hannah’s work. Every aspect of your purchase is therefore handled with care, from cataloguing and condition assessment to packing and delivery.

Free Expedited, Tracked and Insured UK Delivery:
All Jonny Hannah artworks are securely packed and sent using an appropriate tracked and insured service, ensuring that they arrive safely and promptly.

Fully Insured Worldwide Delivery:
International collectors can purchase with confidence through our reliable, tracked and fully insured worldwide shipping service.

EXPLORE OUR JONNY HANNAH COLLECTION

Explore our evolving collection of Jonny Hannah original paintings, signed and limited-edition prints, illustrated books and related artworks. His distinctive imagery, hand lettering and narrative style draw upon music, maritime culture, vintage advertising, folk art, popular entertainment and the visual character of British towns and seaside communities.

Whether you are an established collector, an admirer of contemporary British illustration or searching for an unusual and memorable gift, our collection offers the opportunity to acquire carefully selected examples of Jonny Hannah’s work.

Established in 1976 and based in Ripon, North Yorkshire, Hornseys is an independent gallery and bookseller specialising in original art, prints, design, collectable books and historic material. Every item is handled, inspected and catalogued in-house at our Ripon gallery.