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1800-Dated Extremely Rare Engraving of George Washington, Ex: Goodspeeds Framed

Currency:USD Category:Collectibles Start Price:1,800.00 USD Estimated At:2,800.00 - 3,600.00 USD
1800-Dated Extremely Rare Engraving of George Washington, Ex: Goodspeeds Framed
Washington Related
Choice Historic Goodspeed’s Book Shop Boston Framed 1800-Dated General George Washington Engraved Portrait
1800-Dated Washington Memorial Period, Engraved Print titled, “His Excel. Gen. Geo. (George) Washington Engraved by I. G. Walker, from a Picture By W. BIRCH 1796, J. G. Walker; M. Bowyer Historic Gallery; Mr. R. Wilkinson,” London, Framed, Choice Extremely Fine.
Historic Engraved Print of George Washington on period Paper, measuring 8.5” x 6.75”, matted and with vintage labelon the reverse frame reading, “Framed - Goodspeed’s Book Shop, Inc. - 18 Beacon Street, Boston - Date 7/8/(19)64 No. 6468” having a small 1” tear at the mid top label edge. Engraving is displayed under special UV Plexiglas to fully 13 x 10.75”. Overall, pleasing in appearance, clean and well printed, having some slight tone that appears to blend in below the image of Liberty and Child. This 1800 dated engraving was issued immediately after George Washington’s death. The central Bust Portrait of George Washington at center shows him facing right within a surrounding square. Above are the Sun’s Rays dispersing clouds, below is the figure of “America,” with a Child and Liberty Cap on Pole. The engraved text reads:

"His Excely Genl Geoe Washington / Engraved by / J G Walker / From a Picture / by W Birch in 1796 / Painted from Life / in the Office of His Excellency / The General / by the request of I.G. Staphorft Esqr / of Amsterdam in whose possession the Original Portrait now of Amsterdam in whose possession the Original Portrait now is / To J G Van Staphorst Esq the particular Friend of the General / This Print is with permission most respectfully inscribed / by His obliged and obed. Servant / I G Walker / Copy right secured by Law in the United States of America / Published as the Act Directs June 21, 1800 by M. Bowyer Historic Gallery Pall Mall Mr. R. Wilkinson No. 58 Cornhill Mr. Brewer the corner of Newgate Street and J. G. Walker Church Lane, Hammersmith."

We have only located one other copy of this very rare engraving, held in the collection of the Scottish Rite Masonic Museum & Library. The example offered in the “Catalogue of the Very Important Collection of Rare Americana ...” See: https://books.google.com

References: Edwin Babcock Holden, 1910. Hart 272. Baker 390. Listed as “Very Scarce”.
George Washington Portrait Engravings:

At the time when George Washington took command of American forces in 1775 at the outset of the American Revolution, he was virtually unknown outside the colonies, and even within the colonies he was but one of many patriots supporting the cause. By the time of his death in 1799, less than 25 years later, he was known throughout the western world for his primary leadership role in establishing the United States of America.

During this time, portrait artists flocked to Washington to paint his likeness, and engravings of Washington were published far and wide. Some of the earliest engravings look nothing like Washington because the artists and engravers had no image of him to base their likeness on; thus they simply made his likeness up. Others engraved from paintings of Washington by John Trumbull or Charles Willson Peale, who themselves made multiple copies of their paintings.

Engravers copied other engravings, and thus there are groupings of early Washington engravings that are based on a particular early subject, such as those after Charles Willson Peale or Edward Savage.

By the 19th century, collectors began to collect and catalog the engravings of Washington, organizing them based on their rarity and the lineage of their likenesses. Scholars such as William Spohn Baker and Charles Henry Hart published books in the late 19th century that describe the examples they were aware of, assigning reference numbers to them.

Today, prints of Washington are referenced by these numbers, such as "Hart 81" or "Baker 34". They also approximated their scarcity, with annotations such as "rare", "very rare", or "exceedingly rare". Washington engravings that date to his lifetime, between 1775 and 1799, and the year of mourning in 1800, are especially sought after and difficult to locate.