By All American Co.
Located in York County, PA
EXCEPTIONAL 1821 PRINTING OF THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE ON CLOTH, IN MULBERRY RED ON A SULFER YELLOW GROUND, PRODUCED AND DISTRIBUTED BY ROBERT & COLLIN GILLESPIE FOR THE AMERICAN MARKET, AN UNUSUALLY LARGE EXAMPLE AMONG KNOWN VERSIONS OF THIS TEXTILE, IN EXTRAORDINARY CONDITION; EXHIBITED JANUARY – AUGUST, 2023 AT THE MUSEUM OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION:
Printed in mulberry ink on cotton, this kerchief-style broadside is one of the earliest known renditions of the Declaration of Independence rendered on cloth. The text appears within a wreath of oak leaves, interspersed with circular medallions that contain the seals of the thirteen colonies. This is crowned by whimsical portraits of George Washington, John Adams, and Thomas Jefferson. An American eagle flies above celebratory flags and banners over the Presidents’ heads, with the names “Hamilton” and “Putnam” in banners to the left and right.
Revolutionary scenes fill the bottom corners. One depicts “The Patriotic Bostonians discharging the British Ships in Boston Harbour,” and the other illustrates “General Burgoyne’s Surrender to General Gates at Saratoga.” The entire piece is surrounded by six-pointed stars amid braided ropes or chains, with anchors in the corners.
Examples of this rare textile exist with two other border styles. One of these has grape vines, beehives, flags and scrolls. Another has a militaristic border of cannon, cannon balls, anchors, flowers, and gadrooning (rope-like decoration). Slight variations of this sort are common across pre-Civil War political flags and kerchiefs, which often exist in several different forms that are nearly, yet not precisely identical. Printers and engravers seem to have preferred the production of designs with subtle differences.
Three color variations are also known. In addition to mulberry, blue and black (or sepia) versions exist. In other pre-1830 American...
Category
European Antique 1820s Folk Art