2006-03
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 2/28/2006
In 1820, growing concern about the original Declaration of Independence document's condition and the desire by the surviving signers and other leaders resulted in an Act of Congress to reproduce a facsimile of the original. Charged with heading the project, Secretary of State John Quincy Adams commissioned engraver William J. Stone of Washington to reproduce the Declaration by engraving a copperplate facsimile from the original utilizing a wet-ink transfer process. The Declaration was moistened and ink was lifted directly from it and transferred to a clean copperplate, which was then engraved, creating a perfect copy of the original document. Stone completed the task of engraving in 1823. However, during the ink transfer the original document was almost destroyed, making the Stone copperplate exceedingly rare as the only accurate replica of the original. Nevertheless, he printed 201 copies on the same type of paper as the original. Approximately 30 of these are known to have survived, 19 of which are in museums. The Stone copperplate was then placed in storage. Twenty years later, in 1843, Peter Force was commissioned by Congress to print a series of books that became known as the American Archives. The purpose of the nine-volume set was to create a record of the founding documents of the United States. For the occasion, the Stone engraving was taken from storage and used to produce copies on rice paper. An estimated few hundred of the Force rice paper copies are known to exist. The Declaration of Independence is in very fine condition, measuring 25-1/4" x 30-1/2," housed in an elaborate custom frame.
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