I bought this in the 80's in an "art antique warehouse" dive on unrenovated South Grand Street with a 4-foot gilted rubbing of a Spanish knight's tomb and a few other pen and ink drawings (one from a listed artist). I almost sold this on ebay, but became curious about its signature. It always seemed better work than it appeared at first glance to be -- the work of an extremely confident hand. It didn't take long to hypothesize that it was a Harry Clarke...

Maybe a signed Harry Clarke book plate test print?

Would he have signed "by H. Clarke"?

The signature has many similarities to Clarke's published signature (see the Cl and the rk, but also the y and possibly the lar and the ke)... with some differences, notably the H, though this is actually the most artistically drawn character in the group.

But consider this: http://www.harringtonbooks.co.uk/signed.html

[CLARKE, Harry] GOETHE, J.W. Faust. From the German by John Auster. Illustrated by Harry Clarke. London: George Harrap & Company Ltd., 1925. [18721] FIRST EDITION, SIGNED by H. Clarke, and LIMITED to 1000 copies (UK) of which this No167. 4to. Superbly clean publishers quarter vellum with gilt titles to spine, grey boards, pictorial end papers, top edge gilt others untrimmed. With 21 full page illustrations in colour and black and white, and numerous in-text black and white drawings. Corners bumped and lightly rubbed. A superb bright copy held in a protective cloth slipcase. UK850

The composition and many of the themes are undeniably Clarke's. Compare celebrated work of Clarke for geometry, distribution of textural detail, use of high contrast dark swath and elliptical division in composition, and overall eerie mood.

Could this have been from his earlier bookmaking apprenticeships? Is this from a trip to Spain, "Garden Gate Spain"? Or does it say "Garden Gate Span"?

If you have any thoughts on this, email me, loui@cse.wustl.edu.