Large Lighthouse Rescue Schoolplate – Josef Klemm Chromolithograph, c.1900

Maritime · 19th century

Large Lighthouse Rescue Schoolplate – Josef Klemm Chromolithograph, c.1900

€ 1 250

Original antique · The actual sheet photographed · Certificate of authenticity on request · Sold unframed · Worldwide shipping from € 15 (rates)

Date: 1900
Mapmaker / artist: Josef Klemm, Leipzig, ca. 1900
Technique: chromolithography
Sheet size: 60 × 125 cm (23.6 × 49.2 in)
Condition: Good
Reference: BG-14208-1

What the condition grades mean

Excellent: Bright and clean, with no faults worth mentioning.
Very good: Only light signs of age, such as faint toning.
Good: Normal signs of age for a sheet of this period: toning, some foxing, small marks or neat old repairs.
Fair: Clear faults such as staining, tears or repairs, priced to match.

Every fault we see is written in the condition note, and the whole sheet is shown uncropped in the photos.

Condition

Good overall condition. Central vertical fold present, as issued. Light surface wear and minor age-related toning consistent with use as a schoolplate.

About this sheet

Large Lighthouse Rescue Schoolplate – Josef Klemm Chromolithograph, c.1900
Impressive and visually striking educational wall chart depicting a lighthouse and a dramatic coastal rescue at sea, produced as a chromolithographic schoolplate by Josef Klemm and published in Leipzig by Otto Wachsmuth around 1900.

The central scene shows a coordinated maritime rescue operation along a windswept shoreline, with lifeboats, rescue crews, signaling devices, and the lighthouse prominently anchoring the composition. Flanking illustrations provide architectural views of the lighthouse, including a detailed sectional diagram revealing its internal structure. This combination of narrative imagery and technical explanation was characteristic of late 19th- and early 20th-century educational wall charts, designed to communicate modern technology, safety, and engineering to a broad audience.

Printed in rich, softly muted chromolithographic colors, the plate balances instructional clarity with strong decorative appeal. Due to their large size and heavy classroom use, such schoolplates are increasingly scarce in good condition and have become highly sought after by interior designers and collectors of scientific and maritime imagery.

With its panoramic scale and engaging subject matter, this piece works exceptionally well as a statement wall object in coastal interiors, libraries, studies, or hospitality settings.

Approximate size: ca. 65 × 125 cm.

Condition report:
Good overall condition. Central vertical fold present, as issued. Light surface wear and minor age-related toning consistent with use as a schoolplate.

Framing tips:
This plate benefits from simple, understated framing to let the imagery dominate. A slim black or dark oak frame with no mat, or a very narrow off-white border, works well. For interiors, float-mounting behind museum glass gives an authentic educational-wall-chart look.