Mark Coomer was born in Bay City, MI in 1914. He lived in the Chicago suburbs for a while and later in Arizona, while exhibiting his paintings and limited edition serigraphs nationally. Coomer passed away in 2004.
Above, three Chicago serigraphs in our, ahem, personal collection. Below, more Chicago, NYC, and oil derricks, all available at the Vintage Poster Bank in Mt. Lookout. Other series of his that I’ve seen include New Orleans, Williamsburg, VA, a frontier town, and Mexican and Italian village life.
Here’s the best part, found on the back of each framed print: these serigraphs, printed on masonite, are washable!
Thanks for this post, these prints are really inspiring. I especially love the colors he used.
Trackback by Ben C. — March 21, 2009 @ 5:39 pm
These are really great. I’m a sucker for just about any art featuring city scenes. I find them so romantic and beautiful.
Comment by Randy Simes — March 21, 2009 @ 10:16 pm
Randy, these prints can be had for about $100-150 each, and they’re usually framed in the frames that Coomer [I guess] designed for each series. Our Chicago prints are in these funky shadowbox-type frames; the New Orleans ones are in ornate wrought iron-type frames, etc. The ones at the Vintage Poster Bank are all unframed, I believe.
Comment by visualingual — March 22, 2009 @ 5:18 pm
I’d love to see the frames, if they were specifically designed for each print series.
Comment by Ben C. — March 22, 2009 @ 6:46 pm
[...] of urban environments. Compare Hecox’s work with the cityscapes of Katsuyuki Nishijima, Mark Coomer, and Paola Serrao. Chinatown Numbers by Evan Hecox Crumbling Empire by Evan Hecox Berlin Tower by [...]
Pingback by Serigraphs by Evan Hecox « Visualingual — March 24, 2009 @ 7:45 am
I found 3 of his chicago prints in a shadowbox frame at the ark (thrift store) in chicago. Loved them-20.00 a piece. Then 2 months later found 2 of his New Orleans prints in the basement of a vintage store. Yesterday, I found 1 more of his Chicago shadow box prints at an antique mall for 65.00. Mark Coomer keeps following me ! I love his stuff-especially the Chicago pieces,
Comment by Lauren Lauter — April 5, 2009 @ 9:04 am
Thanks for much insight on Mark Coomer. I am in the process of clearing an estate of a woman who had not decorated since 1960! It was like stepping in a time machine.I always like to do some research when I step into homes like this one. She has 2 Mark Coomer serigraphs on the wall of her dining room. Both in matching frame and mat. One is of the Palmolive Building, the other is the Wrigley building. I’d like to see these go to someone who would really appreciate them. If anyone is interested, they will be up on craigslist in a week or so.
Comment by Sue B. — May 8, 2009 @ 8:29 am
Ooooh! A friend of mine just bought a Palmolive Building print on eBay. You should post the Craigslist links here, for anyone who’s interested.
Comment by visualingual — May 8, 2009 @ 8:53 am
Thanks, I will!
Comment by Sue B. — May 8, 2009 @ 9:07 am
I’ve posted the pair of “Coomers” on craigslist. While entering the post, I found the original seller (W.T. Burger) mis-labeled the pictures. I mention this in the ad, and I have to say it confused me at first. Being from Chicago, I should know the names of the more famous buildings at the very least. Just to be sure I googled Wrigley Building,to find I was right, “they” were wrong!
The ad is sale-wd7nq-1177368478@craigslist.org. Or just go to craigslist-Chicago,type in Mark Coomer and the ad should come up. It is listed under art/crafts.
Comment by Sue B. — May 19, 2009 @ 8:58 am
For anyone who’s interested, here is the listing.
Comment by visualingual — May 19, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
I am happy to say I sold the Coomer serigraphs to a guy who is a Coomer fan. His eyes got really big when he came to pick them up! He did not realize how big they were. I was sad to see them go, but I know they went to a good home. Thanks for all your help Visualingual.
Comment by Sue B. — July 13, 2009 @ 7:57 am
[...] but it’s also good to look to the not-too-distant past, at the work of people like Takis, or Mark Coomer, or Katsuyuki Nishijima, or even Þórarinn B. Þorláksson. That traces a bit of a lineage between [...]
Pingback by Small Town Scenes by Nicholas Takis « Visualingual — August 11, 2009 @ 8:17 am
I have three Serigraph Jackson Square, The Turks House, Brulatour Court in shadow box frames.
Jackson Square: Line 222, Frame # 400Wal-87FS Order # B547
The Turks House: Line 225, Frame #400Wal-87FS Order # B547
Brulatour Court: N/A Frame #400Wal-87FS Order # B547
If interested please contact me via email.
Comment by DeWayne Gnadt — October 4, 2009 @ 6:14 pm
I think the three Coomer prints in our collection are probably enough for us right now but, if any of my readers are interested, I’ll put them in touch with you. Thanks, DeWayne!
Comment by visualingual — October 5, 2009 @ 9:03 am
Just found 2 more great ones-NYC scenes. Maybe my collection is complete
Comment by Lauren — October 6, 2009 @ 11:50 pm
Wow, Lauren! It sounds like you’ve acquired a nice range of Coomer’s work. You may or may not know that he created non-cityscape serigraphs as well — images of playing cards, for instance. I don’t connect with those at all and wish he had just focused on the amazing cityscapes.
Comment by visualingual — October 7, 2009 @ 9:04 am
I have a beautiful painting from mark coomer. I want to know how much it’s cost
Comment by edita — October 7, 2009 @ 10:06 pm
It’s amazing that people keep coming here to discuss Coomer! I’m really not an authority on his work. Edita, I’ve seen one of his paintings on eBay for $15,000/BO, but I don’t think it’s sold. I really can’t guess at a fair price for a painting; maybe you could talk to an appraiser about it.
Comment by visualingual — October 8, 2009 @ 9:21 am
Hey,
I was walking my dog and I found two original serigraph (106 and 108) being put out for trash collection. I love the architecture and water colors. It looks like a spanish villa. Does anyone have know what city he is depicting or where I can find a title of this art work? I am trying to find out more about this artist.
Comment by Midnightsummer — October 15, 2009 @ 4:48 pm
I’m guessing that this print on eBay may be part of your series, as it’s #109. [That seller is not going to get $225 for it, BTW.]
I don’t know where that’s supposed to be, or if that print is even related to yours, but I do know that Coomer did some prints of New England fishing villages, Tahiti-looking beach scenes, and Italian-esque towns. My descriptions are vague because they’re based on what I can remember of prints of his that I’ve seen over the past years that didn’t personally resonate with me the way the cityscapes above do.
Anyway, why is it that I’m not finding any Coomers in the trash?!?
Comment by visualingual — October 15, 2009 @ 5:10 pm
I have a Serigraph “Patio in Fortin”, What is the value?
Comment by Mosella Newman — December 15, 2009 @ 5:46 pm
I really have no idea. A few years ago, when I first started keeping track of prices, Coomer prints seemed to be going for $100-200. The past year or so, I’ve seen them on eBay for $10-30 without any bids. You might check recent eBay listings for an indication of the current demand which, sadly, seems to be low.
Put another way, now might be a good time to acquire Coomer prints. His work is great!
Comment by visualingual — December 15, 2009 @ 6:38 pm