The Hill School Mascot Cat Hand-Colored Photograph

A wonderfully unusual early 20th-century portrait titled “The Hill School Mascot Cat.” The black-and-white image depicts the school’s feline mascot formally posed in a top hat and bow, with the hatband and oversized bow hand-painted in deep blue and marked “HS.”

The original backing identifies the piece as “HAND PAINTED” and credits M. T. Sheahan, Publisher, Boston, Mass.Sheahan was active as an art and photographic-image publisher in Boston during the early 1900s.

Presented in its original period frame with original backing and hanging cord. Age-related wear, toning and surface imperfections remain consistent with its age and add to the character of the piece.

A particularly charming piece of early school memorabilia with crossover appeal for collectors of antique photography, collegiate and prep-school ephemera, and, of course, cats.

Dimensions: 6.5" W × 9" H
Origin: American, early 20th century, circa 1905–1910