July 12-14, 2022 Collectible Firearms & Militaria
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 7/12/2022
No document could so well encapsulate the spirit of Revolution in the Colonies as the formal Declaration of Independence signed by the Continental Congress in July, 1776. Its significance was clear even in the early years of the Republic, with the original engrossed document prominently displayed to the point of deterioration. In 1820, John Quincy Adams commissioned a facsimile by William J. Stone, who created his plate directly off of the original by wetting the document and creating a transfer with the Declaration's original ink. The copy included in this lot was printed circa 1833 or 1848 by Stone off of his original plate under the direction of archivist Peter Force intending it to be included in his "American Archives" series authorized by Congress in 1833. "W. J. STONE SC WASH'N" print mark present in lower left. Although 1500 copies were to be printed, high costs and limited sales caused the print run to be left incomplete. It is believed only an approximated 500 copies of the Declaration were actually printed, with a relatively low survival rate today. View: 24 - 3/4" x 30 - 1/2". Overall: 41 - 1/2" x 48". CONDITION: Very good. A fine, clean imprint. Print is evenly toned with a few minor spots. Print has not been examined out of its arts and crafts style mahogany frame. This historically significant facsimile of one of America's most treasured documents would make a fine addition to any collection! BAS