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Declaration of Independence on Cloth, Printed in Boston 1832

About the Item

COPY OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ON CLOTH, PRINTED IN BOSTON IN 1832 TO MEMORIALIZE THE PASSING OF THE LAST SURVIVING SIGNER, CHARLES CARROLL OF MARYLAND, IN THE YEAR THAT COINCIDED WITH THE 100th BIRTHDAY OF GEORGE WASHINGTON This printing of the Declaration of Independence, rendered in black ink on cotton, was produced in Massachusetts by the Boston Chemical Printing Company in 1832. Along the top register, within a border of conjoined rings, is an eagle in flight, carrying a streamer with the familiar Latin phrase “E Pluribus Unum” (out of many, one). This is flanked by fanciful wreaths of sea shells, flora fauna, containing the words “In Congress July 4th, 1776” and “Of the Thirteen United States of America.” 1832 was the year that marked the celebration of Washington’s 100th birthday, which was widely celebrated. The reason for the making of this textile seems to have had dual purpose, however, which is revealed in the text that follows that of the document and its signers. Included are a letter from John Adams on July 5th, 1776, announcing that the Declaration had been signed, plus the date of the signing of the treaty and the end of the Revolutionary War (1783, ratified 1784), the date of the Constitutional Convention (1787), and that of the first congress to meet following the adoption of the Constitution (1789). This is followed by a list of states that had thus-far joined the Union, and a list of presidents and the dates that they served. Next is a discussion of the deaths of Adams and Jefferson, who passed on the same day, July 4th, 1826, exactly 50 years after July 4th, 1776, and a note of honor regarding the 1831 death of James Monroe. At the end, the text gives honor to the last surviving signer, Charles Carroll of Maryland, who passed in 1832. This copy of the document and related historical information seems to have been printed to remember Carroll and the others whose deaths preceded him. The text appears in columns, like a newspaper. The name of the maker appears in the bottom center in the following manner: “Henry Bowen’s Chemical Print, 19 Water-Street, Boston.” Note that the date Andrew Jackson would leave office was presumptuously added, five years in advance of the actual. Reelected in 1832, he would serve another 4 years., as he was re-elected in 1832. Arkansas would become the 25th state in 1836, followed by Michigan in 1837. It is of interest to note that prior to 1818, just 14 years before this textile was produced, Americans were not even able to view copies of the Declaration of Independence. The text had been published in some newspapers during the 18th century, but at the time it was more of a tool to achieve independence and not precisely the iconic treasure that it would become. Prior to that time there were no large-scale, printed copies that reproduced the actual document or any representation thereof. Benjamin Owen Tyler of Philadelphia became the first to publish an engraved rendition, which he released in 1818. Printed on parchment, velum, linen and silk, this appeared in a simple, unembellished style, without pictorial imagery. Almost all were printed on parchment. Today just four of Tyler's engravings are estimated to survive that are printed on cloth. This is actually a fairly remarkable number, because, according to Declaration expert Seth Kaller, only 6 may have ever been ordered. Tyler's original ledger book is among the holdings of the University of Virginia, where it is part of the Albert H. Small Declaration of Independence Collection. Having had the opportunity to pour through the book to compile data, Kaller counted "roughly 1,694 copies sold on paper, 40 on vellum, 3 on silk, and 3 on linen." Very few copies were rendered on cloth in early America, which is one of the reasons why this copy is important. Besides the 6 copies produced by Tyler, a version is known that was produced on silk by H. Brunet in Lyon, France between roughly 1820 and 1825. Another was produced in three different styles (extremely similar) by a dual-citizenship Scott and American, by the name of Collin Gillespie, produced copies in Scotland for the American market in 1821. It is of interest to note that the first identical copies of the Declaration of Independence (on parchment) were not made until 1823. With the fifty-year anniversary of the document at hand, fear of the degradation of the original caused John Quincy Adams to seek out the services of William J. Stone of Washington, D.C., who soaked the original in order to make a copperplate engraving. Stone then printed a copy on rice paper for each state and each surviving signer. It was not copied again until 1843, when the Stone plate was allowed to be used by Peter Force for another printing that was inserted in a book. Mounting: The exceptional, veneered, bird’s eye maple frame, with its wide, beveled profile, dates to the 1830’s and is of English origin. The textile has been hand-stitched to a background of 100% cotton twill, black in color, that has been washed and treated for color-fastness. The glazing is U.V. protective acrylic (Plexiglas). Condition: There is moderate to significant fading. There are two minor to moderate areas of loss, including one in the first column of text, near the bottom, and one between the 3rd and 4th columns, accompanied by a scattering of extremely minor losses elsewhere, in limited areas. Fabric of similar coloration was placed behind the textile during the mounting process. The early date and the rarity of the textile well-warrant its present state of preservation. Frame Size (H x L): 27.75" x 27.25" Flag Size (H x L): 17.5" x 18.5"

Dimensions:
Height: 27.75 in (70.49 cm)Width: 27.25 in (69.22 cm)Depth: 2 in (5.08 cm)
Materials and Techniques:
Cotton
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1830-1839
Date of Manufacture:
1832
Condition:
See Item Description.
Seller Location:
York County, PA
Reference Number:
Seller: pat-7381stDibs: LU849740600142

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