DeLorean Artwork: Anyone ever seen this print or know some history?

[Jonathan]

A co-worker realized recently I have a DeLorean and he told me he has had this DeLorean print framed up and hanging in his garage for the last 30 years. He took this picture of it (sorry for the glare/reflections).

8560

Anyone ever seen it before or know some history on it? Who the artist was? Or when and why it was produced? My guess is that it is not all that rare if you went looking for one. He was hinting that he would sell it to me if the price was right, but I don't have a clue what I should offer him (if anything). Any ideas?

[DMCVegas]

I bought a copy if this off eBay about 10 years ago for $14. Not the article, but a print like that. It's somewhere is storage... They do pop-up from time to time. It was artwork that accompanied an article in a magazine regarding the future of DMC. One of the key points of the pictures was you can see that the stainless would still be gleaming decades after the car was abandoned because no one would be able to find parts for it (they were WAY off on that one!).

I believe that De Lorean: The Gold Portfolio contains a reprint of this very article. Or you can see it here. (http://www.entermyworld.com/articles/car-and-driver/)

Now if it's a signed lithograph by the original artist, it might be worth a bit more. How much someone is willing to pay being the answer to that.

[DMCH James]

I have that same print in my office; I bought it off eBay several years ago. The artist, Leo Skidmore began his career as a retail and exhibit designer in the late 1940’s and then worked as an automotive stylist for Ford Motor Company. By the mid 1950’s he had found his passion for automotive illustration and worked at the famous New Center Studio in Detroit before starting his own firm.

In 1959, he co-founded Skidmore Sahratian, Inc., with partner John Sahratian, which would grow to become one of largest and most respected automotive illustration and advertising art studios in the country. Leo was known as a master of all styles and mediums and produced work for clients as diverse as McDonalds and Chevrolet.
This piece, simply titled “The DeLorean”, was painted in 1981 as a personal sample – a commentary that the stainless steel body would outlast the rest of the car. It was reproduced once in a limited series of 250 prints.

We had the original painting on loan from his daughter for display at our Open House last October here in Houston. The original, with reproduction rights, is for sale for $8500.

Leo passed away in 1999.

James

[DMCH James]

It appeared on the cover of the July 82 Car and Driver magazine as well as on the first page of that article inside:

http://www.entermyworld.com/articles/car-and-driver-july-1982

James

[Jonathan]

That is really helpful James, thanks. My coworker is trying to tell me he got it from the artist's Mother who still lives in the area (small town Ontario, Canada that is). I was sorta thinking BS when he told me that, but didn't know for sure.

Where was Leo Skidmore from? And if he was getting into illustrations in the 40's, would he have been born at the turn of the century? Reason I ask is that a google search also finds a baseball reference page where a Leo Skidmore played baseball in the 30's. I wonder if there is a connection there?

In any event, I'll go check this print out he has and look to see if it is a numbered one of 250. The image showed a signature in the bottom right hand corner, but I don't know if that was just copied rather than signed.

[DMCVegas]

We had the original painting on loan from his daughter for display at our Open House last October here in Houston. The original, with reproduction rights, is for sale for $8500.

Leo passed away in 1999.

James

Quick segway:

Stuff like this always fascinates me. James, is there any chase that one day you might write some memoirs or something that details unusual finds like this, and other facts and weird things that you've encountered since working for DMCH?

[suredave]

This weekend (3/31-4/1) in Dearborn, Mi. I attended an estate sale at his residence where many of his original drawings and illustrations were for sale including two signed and numbered prints of the abandoned DeLorean that were priced at $160 with 20-50% markdowns taken on the last day of the sale.

[MaryH]

That is really helpful James, thanks. My coworker is trying to tell me he got it from the artist's Mother who still lives in the area (small town Ontario, Canada that is). I was sorta thinking BS when he told me that, but didn't know for sure.

Where was Leo Skidmore from? And if he was getting into illustrations in the 40's, would he have been born at the turn of the century? Reason I ask is that a google search also finds a baseball reference page where a Leo Skidmore played baseball in the 30's. I wonder if there is a connection there?

In any event, I'll go check this print out he has and look to see if it is a numbered one of 250. The image showed a signature in the bottom right hand corner, but I don't know if that was just copied rather than signed.

I can help with some of this information. Leo Skidmore (my uncle) is from London Ontario, actually quite a large city. It would not be his mother as my grandmother passed before I was born in the late 50's. His sister in London did not sell it to your friend as her's is still on the wall. Leo was born in the 1920s and was my mother's younger brother. He moved to MI in the last 50's. He was struck with Polio as a small child and did not walk for many years after that. He took up drawing as a hobby that he could do. If you look at the picture you will see that the barn is very "Canadian" and he meant to do that. Leo had a wonderful sense of humour. I have one of the original first printings and I love to tell the story behind it. I am very happy to see the link to the article here as we have been looking for it for years. I have many of his works in my home, some done when he was very young and all are fantastic. The original printing would have been signed by him. :-)

[Jonathan]

I can help with some of this information. Leo Skidmore (my uncle) is from London Ontario, actually quite a large city. It would not be his mother as my grandmother passed before I was born in the late 50's. His sister in London did not sell it to your friend as her's is still on the wall. Leo was born in the 1920s and was my mother's younger brother. He moved to MI in the last 50's. He was struck with Polio as a small child and did not walk for many years after that. He took up drawing as a hobby that he could do. If you look at the picture you will see that the barn is very "Canadian" and he meant to do that. Leo had a wonderful sense of humour. I have one of the original first printings and I love to tell the story behind it. I am very happy to see the link to the article here as we have been looking for it for years. I have many of his works in my home, some done when he was very young and all are fantastic. The original printing would have been signed by him. :-)

Hi Mary,

That's really great to hear from you. Thanks a lot for posting here. We're glad you and your family found the link here that James posted. Nice to learn about some of the history.

Our season here for the Ontario DeLorean Owners Club has pretty much wrapped up for the year. Perhaps next year if you'd be interested, we could arrange a day on some weekend in the summer, where a few of the local DeLoreans could come meet with your family, get some photos, have a BBQ, or something like that? I am about 2.5 hours north of London, and would not mind making the drive, but we also have owners right in London, as well as Kitchener, Guelph and some other spots nearby. Steve Plunkett also does his big London car show in June I think it is that some of us go to.

If you'd like, you can email me at canadiandelorean3937 (at) gmail (dot) com and we can get the ball rolling with the other guys in the club.

Take care.