Maurits Cornelis Escher (Dutch, 1898-1972) wood engraving, “Stars”, October 1948, signed “M C Escher” in pencil lower left margin and “eigen druk” (artist’s impression) in lower right margin. Uncut sheet of wove paper. Signature and date “MCE/X – “48” in block. Condition – very light foxing to right margin, lower right and upper left margin corners creased, not affecting image; straight crease from center of upper margin diagonally through margin, image and center right margin, but only faintly visible in image. Circa 1948. Glen Leven estate. Note – Author Bruno Ernst writes in his book, The Magic Mirror of M.C. Escher, “During this same period (1946-1956) Escher’s interest in straightforward geometrical spatial figures such as regular multisurfaces, spatial spirals, and Moebius strips came to the fore. The origin of this interest is to be found in Escher’s delight in natural crystal shapes…The first print was Crystal (1947). Stars (1948) is almost certainly the high point.” (p.23).