2024-01 Raynors Americana Auction
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/20/2024
Historic 1881 facsimile reproduction of Paul Revere's 1766 engraving entitled "View of the Obelisk Erected under Liberty-Tree in Boston on the Rejoicings for the Repeal of the Stamp Act," featuring an image area of 13.25 x 9.25 on an off-white 18.75 x 13.25 sheet. In 1766, Paul Revere designed an obelisk to be erected under the 'Liberty Tree' in Boston to celebrate the repeal of the Stamp Act, the principal incitement to rebellion in the American Colonies. Revere engraved a copper-plate for printing with the text and images of the obelisk, which were mainly common motifs of the culture of the American colonies. The figure of 'Liberty' appears twice in the image: in the left panel as a 'Winged Woman' holding her Staff with the Liberty Cap on top, and also in the right panel as a 'Maiden' in contemporary dress with her Staff and Liberty Cap, accompanied by Britannia, and also by America represented in several panels as a classic Indian Maiden. In fine condition, with intersecting folds. This print is well documented in the reference, Paul Revere's Engravings, by Clarence Brigham, published by the American Antiquarian Society. Brigham states: 'In 1881 two Boston antiquarians, R.D. Child and A.O. Crane, discovered the (Paul Revere engraved copper- plate) plate in Connecticut, and issued a facsimile reproduction. This was published, as they state in their circular, in three forms… Child was Richard D. Child who liked antiquarian matters, and Crane was Albert O. Crane who conducted an art and bric-a-brac store on Washington Street, was especially interested in Revere, and often helped Mr. Goss in preparing the Revere biography. The publishers, in issuing their facsimile, omitted the defects, although they retained the reversed letters on the left margin. The Antiquarian Society has examples of all the restrikes.'
Click on a thumbnail above to display a larger image below
Hold down the mouse button and slide side to side to see more thumbnails(if available).
Click above for larger image.