Vintage Salesman Sampler Print published by Thos. D. Murphy Co. of Red Oak, Iowa — pioneers of the American art calendar industry.

Image Date Range: 1940s

Image Size: 10″ x  14″

Paper: Early machine-made wood-pulp paper

Image Description: “First Lessons” – Edmund Osthaus

Early Murphy sampler print reproducing an oil painting by Edmund Osthaus titled “First Lessons.”  A man and his trusty dog trains a new litter of puppies in the sport of hunting wild game. A scene frequently depicted in commercial art.

This piece was produced as a salesman sampler, created for traveling representatives and retailers to preview artwork and print quality for upcoming calendar lines. Unlike standard calendar pages, sampler prints were not mass-distributed to the public and were made in smaller quantities, making them scarcer today.

Printed on smooth, hard-calendered machine-made wood-pulp paper characteristic of early 20th-century calendar production, this stock was favored for its even surface and clarity of reproduction prior to the widespread adoption of linen-textured paper. The paper and printing reflect the high production standards that defined Murphy’s early calendar output.