O.T. CLARK       Octavius Thomas Clark     
BRITISH ARTIST
Born in Hoxton, New Town (just north of London, England) December 21,1850. His father was a painter as were two of his older brothers.  At age 24 he married his wife Ellen (December 1874.) The 1881 census report describes him as a painter living in Islington, not far from Hoxton. Mr Clark and his wife had 13 children. His youngest son Stanley (born in 1887) also worked as an artist.  Octavius T Clark lived in or around east London between 1887 to the time of his death in 1921, Romford in Essex.
Genealogy information supplied courtesy of Michael Clark, Rye, East Sussex England. 
December 2007

 
The Popularity of “By A Country Lane”
I have received many emails from people who think they have the original “By A Country Lane” because the printing process was meant to deceive. There were mass produced canvas type “paintings” that were screenprinted in color then hand brushed with a clear glaze that makes the “painting” appear to have been hand painted. This is much the way the lesser quality Thomas Kinkade paintings are made in abundance today. 

By A Country Lane

This is my very own OT Clark lithograph. It has been hanging in my house for over 65 years.

 
A closer look at the “By A Country Lane” I viewed, in the Minneapolis home of Vicky, showed a tiny ‘LITHO IN USA’ mark in the lower left hand corner. I believe Vicky’s “BACL” was printed in the 1960’s. She picked it up at a neighbors estate sale. Below is a cropped photo of Vicky’s “painting.”  

 Many of the “By A Country Lane” prints were produced by the Goes Litho Company of Chicago, IL in the 1940’s into the 1960’s. Most are larger sofa sized wall paintings and the smallest I’ve been told of measured 5 x 8 inches. Most of them have the mark “© Goes G.P. 7199” or other number in the lower left corner.

March 10, 2011: Chris Goes of Goes Litho writes to tell me that his company purchased reproduction rights for “By A Country Lane” in 1938. The company made various image sizes to picture framers who would sell the prints through “5 & dime” stores such as Woolworths and Kresge. It was also used in calendars and puzzles. A Room With A View An English Landscape   This painting was purchased through a British auction house by Marcia, great-granddaughter of OT Clark A BIOGRAPHY OF MR. CLARK FROM THE  1973 ESSEX JOURNAL    After The Rain   Ye Olde Forest Gate October 2010: Betty writes that she has a “By A Country Lane” Goes Litho 7199 that was purchased by a friend at Georgia Art Supply in 1969 for $49.95. It has a beautiful, ornate frame but the original purchaser had an artist add some red paint to the thatched roof on the cottage partially shown on the far left and to the one on the right in the distance as well as some ground vegetation. Most unusual! January 2011: Cathy of Essex, Iowa writes to say she rescued a “By A Country Lane” from the bird poo of an office at an old grain elevator. Her litho has an original and identical frame to mine. Now it hangs with pride in her home! August 2011: Stanley in Manitoba, Canada says he’s had a By A Country Lane in the family since the late 1940’s. September 2011: Wanda of Missouri emailed to say she picked up a By A Country Lane at a rummage sale for 50 cents. March 2011: Sally Jane Clark Perrin, an artist living in Hertfordshire, England, is a great grand-niece of Octavius Clark. Her great grandfather, Samuel James Clark, was Octavius’ older brother and he was a painter also. Her great-great grandfather James L. Clark was also a painter. Octavius had two sons that were painters. There is a long line of artists in this talented family! The information in the Essex Journal pages were very helpful to her genealogy search.

January 2011: Mary of Canada writes and sends a photograph of a painting purchased in Norfolk, England  in 1996. It’s signed as OT Clark but its house is more contemporary. Perhaps this is a very late work of Mr Clark. July 19, 2009: Mary Ann from Maryland writes that she purchased a framed “By A Country Lane” at a garage  sale for $1.00 in Smithsburg, MD. The print is stamped Mallard Frame Inc. in Lumpkin, Georgia. July 2009: Ivan from Maryland writes to say he purchased a small framed print of “By A Country Lane” at  an auction and found this site via Google search. The 5 x 8 inch print says in the lower left corner  “G P 7192, Litho in U S A “ May 2009: Cathy D. from Canada sends me photos of her “On The Dart” print. February 2009: Bonnie from Ontario Canada writes that her husband purchased a “By A Country Lane” framed  lithograph from a local flea market for $10.00. She says it’s in beautiful condition, despite it’s unflattering, contemporary frame.  “By A Country Lane” shows a tiny 'G.P. 7199 LITHO IN USA’ mark in the lower left hand corner. December 2008: Charles B. of England has two O.T. Clark oil painting which he received as a gift from a friend. September 7, 2008: A new photo submitted by Ruby M. of British Columbia, Canada, my first  “Friend of O.T. Clark.”   I also received a photo and email from the Vaughn’s of North Carolina. The list of emails and photos keep growing!  August 28, 2008: email and photo received from the Allen family of England of their prized OT Clark. June 6, 2008: An email received from  D. and V. Snyder saying they have a “By A Country Lane” lithograph. “It hung in my grandmother's living room and when she died I got it because I enjoyed the scene.” April 27, 2008 - OT Clarks great-granddaughter, Marcia, writes me to share her memories of having OT Clark paintings  in her childhood home. She recently purchased her own at an art auction in Surrey, England (shown above) and also has a small watercolor of a cottage near a creek with a bridge over it, 2 swans in the water. She also has a  lithograph of “By A Country Lane.”  March 15, 2008 - Tami writes on behalf of a friend who has a painting of “By A Country Lane.” It appears to be a  1960’s era reproduction. March 9, 2008 - Chris P. of Arkansas writes to say a print of  “By A Country Lane” had hung at her aunts home for over 50 years.  She now has it displayed in her home. She also sent me a photo of her as a very small girl with the OT Clark print on the  wall behind her. March 5, 2008 - Amelia writes me to say she has a painting signed OT Clark titled “Ye Olde Forest Gate.” Shown at right, it depicts a person at a cross-arm gate,  a gravel road leading into a property surrounded by a picket fence, a gate house and a country manor to the right side. There are chickens on the road, lots of shubbery and trees. March 4, 2008 - Gordie writes to say he has “By A Country Lane” and another unsigned print that could be attributed to OT Clark. Feb 27, 2008 - J.W. writes to say she has “By A Country Lane” Feb 25, 2008 - Stephen in Austria writes to say his family has had 2 OTC oil paintings at their home. Photos of O.T. Clark paintings that have been sent to me:

"The Sheep Drover"