Harry Aberdeen

Harry Aberdeen was active across a significant historical period, documented from 1855 to 1937. His body of work is characterized by a focus on the detailed study and rendering of functional and decorative objects, associated broadly with the 15 index of american designs.

Aberdeen's output comprises precise illustrations or records of implements, jewelry, and weaponry, suggesting an interest in American industrial and material culture. The extant works in museum collections provide valuable historical documentation of mid-to-late 19th-century objects.

Representative works held in major institutions include detailed renderings of luxury and everyday items such as Locket for Perfume, the tool study Bishop Hill: Auger, and technical illustrations like Gold Watch and Frame, Gold Watch with Frame and Case, and Gun. These documents are preserved in the collections of the National Gallery of Art. Given the age and institutional holdings, much of this material is now in the public domain. The documentary style employed ensures that Harry Aberdeen prints are highly valued resources, often reproduced as high-quality prints for study and archival purposes.