1818 Declaration of Independence Broadside Engraved by Benjamin Owen Tyler

View Similar Items

Large Scale Printed Kerchief of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence

Declaration of Independence Printed Scarf

"Rally Freemen!..." Civil War Recruitment Broadside

Colorful Civil War Recruitment Broadside for the "Manhattan Rifles"

Large Civil War recruitment Broadside for the 53rd New York Volunteer Infantry

Antique Silk Broadside An Elegiac Poem Death of President George Washington 1800

Antique Federal Eagle American 50 Star Flag with Brass Eagle Pole, 19th Century

13 Hand-Embordered Stars Made by Great-Granddaughter of Betsy Ross, Sarah Wilson

1868 Map of the Upper Part of the Island of Manhattan Above 86th Street

Hand-Painted Patriotic Banner With The Seal of the State of Illinois

Hand-Painted Patriotic Banner with the Seal of the State of Oregon

Mr. Dooley at His Best, by Finley Peter Dunne Edited by Elmer Ellis

Want more images or videos?

Request additional images or videos from the seller

1 of 8

1818 Declaration of Independence Broadside Engraved by Benjamin Owen Tyler

About the Item

This is a stunning 1818 broadside engraving of the Declaration of Independence, the first engraved broadside of our nation’s founding document. The year 1815 saw the conclusion of the United States’ second war with Britain, the War of 1812, and our American nationalism peaked in its wake. Entrepreneurial publishers hoped to fill this demand and rushed to produce the first engraved printing of the Declaration of Independence. At the time of publication, the American populace was hungry for prints, paintings, and books that retold and celebrated their nation’s founding. Two publishers- Benjamin Owen Tyler and John Binns- created engraved copies of the Declaration, however in distinctively different styles. Binns was the first to announce his Declaration printing and was the first to collect subscriptions. However his printing took over three years to complete and he did not publish his engraving until 1819. In the meantime, Tyler funded, engraved, and even secured an endorsement for his Declaration printing from the then Secretary of State, Richard Rush. Rush’s departmental seal is seen engraved at lower left of this broadside, along with his note: "I myself have examined the signatures... Those executed by Mr. Tyler are curiously exact imitations, so much so that it would be difficult if not impossible for the closest scrutiny to distinguish them." Benjamin Owen Tyler was a master, self-taught calligrapher and this broadside is a testament to his artistic skill and prowess. Tyler’s engraving of the Declaration was the first decorative print with facsimiles of the signatures based on the original manuscript. Although rigorously exact in his signature facsimiles, Tyler made no effort to match the handwriting in the body text of the Declaration. Rather, Tyler used the text as an opportunity to showcase his craft, with selected key words and phrases, such as “life,” “liberty,” “free and independent states,” and “rights of the people”, emphasized with artfully ornamental script. At top left of the broadside is Tyler’s dedication to Thomas Jefferson, the author of the Declaration’s first draft. Tyler's dedication reads: "To Thomas Jefferson, Patron of the Arts, the firm Supporter of American Independence, and the Rights of Man, this Charter of Freedom is, with the highest esteem, most Respectfully Inscribed by his much Obliged and very Humble Servant Benjamin Owen Tyler." At time of publication, paper engravings of the Tyler broadside were sold for five dollars, while engravings on parchment cost seven dollars. A very small number were also printed on silk, however those are remarkably rare. Although Tyler assertively claimed to have received orders for over 3,000 copies, the copperplate matrix could not have produced so many impressions without significant wear to the plate. Tyler's original subscription book, part of the famed Albert Small Collection at the University of Virginia, records just over 1,000 names. The first subscriber listed is Thomas Jefferson; James Madison, John Quincy Adams, and other notables were among those who signed the subscriber's book. CONDITION: This printed broadside is a large folio, measuring 29 7/8"H x 23 7/8"W. The broadside was varnished at early date and folded into eighths, with associated crease surface wear. It had a loss of approximately 2” x 3” piece at top right corner, scattered edge chipping, and the right edge stained top to bottom for depth of 5 3/4". The document has since been stabilized, with old varnish removed, paper repaired, and cleaned by a professional paper conservator in October of 2021. The publisher’s line along the lower margin remains intact and is very strong. Publisher’s line reads: "Copied from the original Declaration of Independence in the Department of State and published by Benjamin Owen Tyler, Professor of penmanship, City of Washington 1818. The Publisher designed and executed the ornamental writing and has been particular to copy the facilitates exact, and has also observed the same punctuation and copied every Capital as in the original. Engraved by Peter Maverick, Newark, N.J.” Engraving has been mounted in an archival, custom black wooden frame with a stunning gold spandrel, black linen mats, and UV Plexiglas. Framed Dimensions: 48"H x 40"W x 2 1/2"D.

Dimensions:
Height: 48 in (121.92 cm)Width: 40 in (101.6 cm)Depth: 2.5 in (6.35 cm)
Style:
Federal (In the Style Of)
Materials and Techniques:
Paper,Engraved
Place of Origin:
United States
Period:
1810-1819
Date of Manufacture:
1818
Condition:
Additions or alterations made to the original: Engraving has been mounted in an archival, custom black wooden frame with a stunning gold spandrel, black linen mats, and UV Plexiglas by Art Source International in Boulder, Colorado in May of 2022. Repaired: The document has been stabilized, with old varnish removed, paper loss repaired, and cleaned by a professional paper conservator in October of 2021 in Boulder Colorado. Wear consistent with age and use. Minor losses. Minor structural damages. Minor fading.
Seller Location:
Colorado Springs, CO
Reference Number:
Seller: PR4451stDibs: LU909730720862