Hanslip Fletcher - Exeter, Queen Street Old Market (1948)

Hanslip Fletcher (1874–1955) – The Old Market / Higher Market, Queen Street, Exeter, Sunday Times Reproduction Print, 1948, Framed

A vintage Sunday Times reproduction print after a pen-and-ink architectural drawing by Hanslip Fletcher (1874–1955), depicting the imposing classical façade of Exeter’s Higher Market on Queen Street, also often referred to as the Old Market. Rendered in crisp monochrome line, the composition has a strong architectural clarity and decorative elegance, making it an appealing piece for collectors of British topography and historic print material.

The subject is one of Exeter’s best-known civic buildings. With its grand Greek Doric portico and commanding street presence, the Higher Market has long been admired as a notable example of early 19th-century architecture. Fletcher’s image focuses on this stately frontage, capturing the rhythm of the columns and the dignified balance of the façade with the precision and confidence for which his architectural drawings are known.

This print was issued in 1948 and reproduces Fletcher’s earlier 1938 drawing of the building, giving the piece both topographical and documentary interest. It is a characterful mid-century reproduction that reflects the period’s appreciation for historic British architecture and printed illustration. The clean black-and-white presentation also makes it especially easy to place in both traditional and more contemporary interiors.

Presented behind glass with a simple outlined border and no mount, the print has an understated, classic look that suits the subject well. A pleasing example for collectors of Exeter interest, architectural prints, and vintage newspaper reproductions.

Details
Artist: Hanslip Fletcher (1874–1955) (after)
Title: The Old Market / Higher Market, Queen Street, Exeter
Medium: Reproduction print on paper after a pen-and-ink drawing
Signature: Signed in plate lower right, “Hanslip Fletcher 1948”; printed with “Reproduced from The Sunday Times”
Date: Printed 1948; after the original 1938 drawing
Framed picture size: 38 × 29 cm
Condition: Good overall condition with no foxing and only minimal toning to the paper.
Frame: Presented behind glass with a simple outlined border and no mount. The reverse is inscribed in red: “Hanslip Fletcher reproduction / ‘The Old Market’ / Queen Street / EXETER.” Ready to hang.

This is a vintage reproduction print, not an original drawing.

Carefully packed and dispatched from the UK.