Don Davey French Quarter Courtyard Gate, New Orleans, Framed Print, 1968
Viridian Eclection
The Piece
A framed 1968 print by the illustrator Don Davey of a wrought iron gate opening into a quiet French Quarter courtyard. A stone arch frames the scene, a lantern hangs from its keystone, and a pair of iron gates stands open onto a flagged passage that leads to a pale pink wall with blue shutters. The palette is the real colour of the Quarter rather than postcard brightness: stained stone, oxidised iron, faded blush and soft teal, laid in with a light wash.
The print is signed in the plate at lower right, Don Davey, and carries the copyright line ©1968 Don Davey, New Orleans, La. along the lower edge. It is presented in a vintage gilt frame with a green patterned liner and a neutral mat.
History & Provenance
Don Davey trained at the American Academy of Art in Chicago and worked for Chicago illustration studios before joining a San Francisco advertising agency in 1954. By the mid 1960s he was in New Orleans, where in 1965 the Art Directors and Designers Association awarded him a gold and two silver medals for his advertising illustrations for Avondale Shipyards.
He then turned to the French Quarter. In December 1968 the D. H. Holmes department store on Canal Street advertised his Colorful French Quarter Prints: a portfolio of four scenes, Pirates Alley, Chartres Street, Brulatour Courtyard and the Wishing Gates, and single prints matted for two dollars each. The advertisement illustrates an arched gateway with a lantern and open iron gates, the same composition as ours. Davey went on drawing New Orleans for decades, and his publishers later reported more than a million lithographs of his work sold. His full story, with every source, is on the Don Davey artist page.
Product Details
| Artist | Don Davey, American illustrator |
| Subject | French Quarter courtyard gate, New Orleans |
| Date | 1968, from the copyright line |
| Medium | Colour reproduction of a pen and wash drawing, on paper |
| Marks | Signed in the plate lower right; ©1968 Don Davey, New Orleans, La. along the lower edge |
| Frame | Vintage gilt frame with green patterned liner and neutral mat |
| Condition | Clean presentation with even colour and no tears; light age toning possible; light patina and wear to the frame |
| Dimensions | Available on request |
Why It Belongs in Your Home
This is a picture built of thresholds: an arch, a gate and a passage that draws the eye into a quiet courtyard. It gives a hallway, study or reading corner a sense of depth without demanding attention, and the muted stone and iron colours sit easily with wood, brass and linen. It pairs naturally with other regional or travel pictures, and it carries a small piece of New Orleans history: a print sold at a Canal Street counter in 1968 by a medal-winning illustrator who drew the Quarter as it really looked.
Every piece is packed with professional-grade materials: multiple foam layers, double-boxing, directional and fragile handling labels. For large furniture we use custom timber crating. We photograph packing before dispatch and can provide images on request.
White-glove delivery is complimentary within 100 miles of Reno, NV. National shipping quotes provided at checkout. All shipments are photographed and documented. Damage claims must be filed with the carrier; we provide all documentation needed to support your claim.
Local pickup is available at Viridian HQ (Reno, NV) with 2–4 days notice. Contact us to arrange. Private viewings also available.
All antique and vintage items are sold as described and all sales are final. Each listing includes detailed condition notes and photographs so you can make a fully informed decision. We encourage buyers to ask questions — about condition, dimensions, finish, provenance — before purchasing.
Antiques are irreplaceable and one-of-a-kind. Carrier handling is outside our control once a piece has left our facility, and major carriers including FedEx do not insure antiques. We do everything within our power to ensure safe transit, but cannot accept liability for carrier damage. If damage occurs in transit, we will provide full documentation to support your carrier claim.
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