“Gentlemen’s Apparel c1923 Watercolour Vignette” by Herbert ‘Fell’ Sharp (1880-1972) The Cary Collection

Stylish & dapper watercolour ‘decoupage’ vignette by ‘Fell’ 1923

Featuring seven English gents sporting various styles of bespoke apparel

Image Sz: 17″H x 12 3/4″W

Frame Sz: 23 1/4″H x 18 3/4″W

(4/14/1880- 11/1972)
Herbert Fell Sharp was a British comic artist/illustrator born in London, United Kingdom in the district of Islington, son of Charles Sharp and Catherine née Fell. He immigrated to United States by 1910 married Ruth Sheriff in 1916 in Westchester, New York.

He lived at 31 Poplar Street, Brooklyn and served as a former president to the New Rochelle Art Association in Westchester County, New York, an organization that included J.C. Leyendecker as a prominent member during the 1950’s. Sources suggest that Fell Sharp began his career as a comic artist, composing illustrations for the Amalgamated Press comics circa 1900 and “The Jester and Wonder” in 1905.

Mr. Sharp possesses an artistic technique that is easy to identify and yet unique. The people featured in his artwork show details of pointed noises. Sharp’s career, like his contemporaries, explored a diversity of avenues in which to market his craft. For example, he sketched artwork that consisted of war themes. As you will see, his art signatures feature his middle name on most prints, but sometimes may include middle and last names together coupled with the year of its completion.

There are some websites that happen to confuse Sharp’s work with Laurence Fellows, mainly because of the words Fell contained in the signature. This is a careless mistake, because there are definite stylistic differences between the two. Furthermore, there are significant differences in the art signature. Laurence Fellows pens his art signature with L. Fellows or L.F., moreover, the accents placed on the pen strokes are another indicator as well. Artistically, Fellows’ art is more animate, whereas Fell’s possesses a comic or caricatured aura.