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Table of Contents > Colonial America > Lot 59 |
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Lot Number: 59
Click for a Printable PageSign-in to Bid or Register to Bid Estimate Range: $200,000 - $300,000 |
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1770 Paul Revere Hand-Colored Engraved “The BLOODY MASSACRE perpetrated in King - Street, BOSTON on March 5th 1770, by a party of the 29th Regt.”, Boston: Engrav’d Printed & Sold by Paul Revere, (March 1770) Considered The Most Famous Political & Historic Engraved Print in American History |
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PAUL REVERE (1734-1818). Original Hand-Colored Copper-Plate Engraved Print titled: “The BLOODY MASSACRE perpetrated in King - Street, BOSTON on March 5th 1770, by a party of the 29th Regt.”, Boston: Engrav’d Printed & Sold by Paul Revere, (March 1770), One of only 29 Known, most held in Institutional Collections, Framed, Very Fine. PAUL REVERE, Jr. (1734-1818) Copper-Plate Engraver, Authentic Original Hand-Colored Print titled: “THE BLOODY MASSACRE perpetrated in King Street, Boston, on March 5th 1770, by a Party of the 29th Regt. Boston: Engrav’d Printed & Sold by Paul Revere”, (March 1770). Stauffer, 2675. First Edition, Second State showing the corrected 10:20 time on the small clock tower (the first state incorrectly showed 8:10). This Engraving is printed on proper laid period paper made with the known correct watermark “W”. Only 29 Original Prints are Known to Existent. Most examples remain unavailable to collectors, as they are held within institutional collections. Considered to be the most important, historic and famous American Copper-Plate Engraving, Printed and Sold by Boston Patriot and one of the founding members of “The Son’s of Liberty” as a professional Silversmith and Copper-Plate engraver, Paul Revere, Jr.. This Engraving is widely seen illustrated in virtually every American History reference book. Paul Revere’s Copper-Plate engraving was advertised for sale in the March 26th, 1770 editions of the “Boston Evening Post” and the “Boston Gazette” (printed by fellow “Son’s of Liberty” founding member, Benjamin Edes) as: “a Print, containing a Representation of the late horrid Massacre in King-street.” Two days later, Revere noted in his Day Book that he paid the printers Edes & Gill to produce 200 impressions which were then first advertised for sale on March 26th, 1770. These engravings naturally cost a bit more these days, in 2019 a choice example of another Revere “Massacre” print sold in a major New York auction for well in excess of $400,000. This cataloger, while attending Northeastern University in Boston as a student (1971-1976), visited the Massachusetts State House on Beacon Hill in Boston, having arranged for a viewing of its existing original Copper-Plate engraved by Paul Revere held in the State’s archives. It proved a memory of a lifetime, holding that original engraved plate in my hands for close firsthand examination. Chills went up my arms when I turned that original Revere engraved plate over to view its reverse side. I still get goose bumps remembering my amazement that the reverse side was also engraved by Revere. It was used for engraving and printing a Sheet of rare first issued August 1775 dated “Sword in Hand” Revolutionary War Colonial Currency notes. These Massachusetts paper money notes display its historic vignette of an American Patriot “Minuteman” holding his Sword in one hand and a copy of the “Magna Charta” in his other (after November of 1776, the plate was re-engraved to read “Independence”). The legend above the Minuteman’s head reads, “Issued in defence of American Liberty.” The first designed note, having a 1 Shilling lowest denomination, printed off that Paul Revere engraved currency sheet on the opposite side of the “Bloody Massacre” plate, is offered in this auction. It was a remarkable amazing experience to hold that Copper-Plate, much as your now having the opportunity to acquire in this auction a both the Engraving and Currency Note printed off that same plate that I held in my hands. The “Bloody Massacre” engraving was a powerful propaganda tool that helped to galvanize public opinion against British rule, and helped spark the coming American Revolution for Independence and Liberty. The image depicting British “Redcoat” soldiers firing on unarmed civilians in Boston was designed to evoke outrage and sympathy for the victims of the “Massacre”. Originally, 200 copies of the engraving were printed by Sons of Liberty member and newspaper printer Benjamin Edes for Paul Revere. The image was widely distributed throughout the colonies in other publications ,and helped to fuel Anti-British rule sentiment. “Few prints have influenced history as much as Paul Revere’s engraving of the Boston Massacre of 1770.” - D. Roylance, American Graphic Arts, Princeton, 1990, page 48. This Hand-Colored Engraving measures about 7 7/8” tall x 8 11/16” wide, having its full text and designs engraved within the outer plate margins. It is professionally framed, viewed through special protective Museum “TRU VUE” UV Plexiglas, and is custom mounted within a surrounding light tan mat. The mat has a small rectangular cut-out on the reverse to display the name of a likely prior contemporary owner handwritten in rich brown ink on the blank reverse side of this print. The name is not known to us, “Wollem”. It has a few trivial scattered pinholes (visible only when held to a strong light). It has the complete printed Copper-plate outer impression, with one small 1” x 1.75” sealed corner tear at upper right, remaining whole and complete. The outer margins were irregularly trimmed to fit its standard Colonial era style decorative wood frame. The print has an even overall moderate natural tone, no doubt having been originally framed with a wooden backing. The reverse has several minor old fiber-paper reinforcements and three short strips of white archival mounting paper at the top margin edge from a prior framing. An important opportunity to acquire one of the few available famous original copies of Paul Revere’s Engraved Print: “The BLOODY MASSACRE perpetrated in King - Street, BOSTON on March 5th 1770, by a party of the 29th Regt. Paul Revere’s political engraving, “The Bloody Massacre”, was the most provocative and stirring American propaganda engravings, leading up to the American Revolution. It depicts the events of March 5, 1770, when British soldiers of the 29th Regiment fired into a crowd of American colonists in Boston, killing five people. Revere famously also made and engraved a large “Sons of Liberty” Silver Punch Bowl in 1768 (currently displayed at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston), which is widely regarded as the most famous example of Colonial American Presentation Silver. References: “The Engravings of Paul Revere”, Clarence Brigham, Plate 14: Stokes & Haskell, 1770-C-10, Stauffer, 2675. First Edition, Second State (with the corrected 10:20 time on the small clock tower]. Engraved caption at top, at bottom 18 lines of verse (“Unhappy Boston! See thy Sons deplore...”) and a detailed list of the American casualties: “Saml Gray, Saml Maverick, James Caldwell, Crispus Attucks, and Patrick Carr,” plus “Six wounded; two of them (Christr Monk & John Clark) Mortally.” Provenance Ex: Christie’s New York Auction Sale January 21, 2011 Lot #159, to the Collection of Ambassador J. William Middendorf II., (previously on Loan for display to the Harvard University Library, returned to Ambassador Middendorf 2024). Provenance: From the Collection of Ambassador J. William Middendorf II Paul Revere's inflammatory Copper-Plate engraving titled, "The Bloody Massacre" was one of the most evocative propaganda pieces printed during the American Revolution. Revere lived in Boston and made his living as a silversmith, engraver and metalworker. A founding member of the “Sons of Liberty”, a militant group formed in 1765, he produced engravings with pro-revolutionary themes to raise money for that dissident Patriot organization. The best known among these engravings are a depiction of the arrival of British troops in 1768 at Boston Harbour and the present depiction of the March 1770 Boston Massacre. The momentous event, the evening of March 5th 1770 in which five Bostonians died by soldiers of the 29th British Regiment’s musketry took on great political symbolic significance in the highly charged fervor over the public affairs between England and its American colonies, particularly in “hotbed” Massachusetts. As a founding member of the Sons of Liberty, Paul Revere immediately recognized the propaganda value of the deadly incident, and he "saw the opportunity of furthering the Patriot cause by circulating so significant a print" (See: Clarence S. Brigham, Paul Revere's Engravings, New York, 1969, pages 52-53). Revere's powerful depiction was based on a prior sketch of the bloody confrontation made by Henry Pelham. Revere's engraving was Advertised for Sale in the March 26th, 1770 editions of the Boston Evening Post and the Boston Gazette (owned by fellow “Sons of Liberty” founding member Benjamin Edes), described a: "a Print, containing a Representation of the late horrid Massacre in King-street." Two days later, Revere noted in his Day Book that he paid the printers “Edes & Gill to produce 200 impressions”. Paul Revere and Benjamin Edes were also ringleaders in the “Boston Tea Party” of December 16th, 1773, when, in protest of unfairly levied taxes, American colonists dumped British Tea into Boston Harbor from the British merchant ship “Dartmouth”. Revere’s exalted place in American legend was cemented by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" (1860), which recounted the patriot’s dangerous mission the night of April 18th, 1775 to warn American Patriots Samuel Adams and John Hancock, plus other colonists at Lexington and Concord of the impending arrival of a large force of British troops. Famously, one lantern would be lit in the steeple of the North Church to alert if the British were arriving by land, and “two if by sea.” Paul Revere, Jr. was an American silversmith, engraver, early industrialist, and historic Patriot in the American Revolution. He is best known for his midnight ride to alert the colonial militia in April 1775 to the approach of British forces before the battles of Lexington and Concord, as dramatized in Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "Paul Revere's Ride" (1861). At age 41, Revere was a prosperous, established and prominent Boston silversmith. He had helped organize an intelligence and alarm system to keep watch on the British military. Revere later served as a Massachusetts militia officer, though his service ended after the Penobscot Expedition, one of the most disastrous military campaigns of the American Revolutionary War, for which he was absolved of any blame. Following the American Revolutionary War, Revere returned to his silversmith trade. He used the profits from his expanding business to finance his work in iron casting, bronze bell and cannon casting, and the forging of copper bolts and spikes. About 1800, Revere became the first American to successfully roll copper into sheets, and to provide many forms of copper fittings or use as on the United States first built naval vessels, including the frigate USS Constitution (a.k.a. “Old Ironsides), and later for sheathing covering the domed roof of the Massachusetts State House in Boston. This Hand-Colored original engraving, beneath the image is a poem which reads: “Unhappy Boston! See thy Sons deplore. Thy hallow’d Walks besmear’d with guiltless Gore. While faithless P-n and his savage Bands. With murd’rous Rancour stretch their bloody Hands; Like fierce Barbarians grinning o’er their Prey, Approve the Carnage and enjoy the Day. If scalding drops from Rage from Anguish Wrung if Speechless Sorrows lab’ring for a Tongue, or if a weeping World can ought appease The plaintive Ghosts of Victims such s these; The Patriot’s copious Tears for each are shed, a Glorious Tribute which embalms the Dead. But know Fate summons to that awful Goal, Where justice strips the Murd’rer of his Soul; Should venal C-ts the scandal of the Land, Snatch the relentless Villain from her Hand, Keen Execrations on this Plate inscrib’d Shall reach a Judge who never can be brib’d.” Beneath is Revere’s hand-engraved script text which reads: “The unhappy Suffers were Mess s Sam L Gray, Sam L Maverick, Jam S Caldwell, Crispus Attucks, & Patk Carr. Killed Six. wounded: two of them (Christ R Monk & John Clark) Mortally.” Above the image is the formal title: “The Bloody Massacre perpetrated in King-Street Boston on March 5th 1770 by a party of the 29th Regt.” The scene features the American colonists to the left, and the British 29th Regiment soldiers firing rifles with bayonets to the right. There are eight soldiers, all wearing red coats and hats, with one of their legs extended forward. In the foreground, behind the regiment, is the British commander, Captain Preston with Sword Raised. Between the soldiers and colonists is a thick cloud of smoke; two pair of legs are visible beneath. There are about twenty-four colonists in various states of panic and casualties from musket shot. Three are prostrate on the ground and bleeding; two have been shot in the head, and one shot in the chest. Two men help to move another wounded man away, who has been shot in the chest. A fifth man in the background is bleeding from the head. One man extends his arm towards the soldiers, one man looks away from the scene with his hand in his pocket, another figure has a cloak draped around his/her shoulders and with arms folded looking right. In the foreground is a spotted dog beside the boxed text: “Engrav’d Printed & Sold by Paul Revere Boston.” In the background are several buildings including, and labeled: Butcher’s Hall and the Custom House with balcony; in the center is the State House with clock and central balcony. To the left is a raised steeple of the First Church with cupola, and a chimney billowing smoke, as well as a crescent moon facing left in the upper-left corner. The weathervane of the Old State House intersects with the text above the image. Engraved caption at top, at bottom 18 lines of verse (“Unhappy Boston! See thy Sons deplore...”) and a detailed list of the American casualties: “Saml Gray, Saml Maverick, James Caldwell, Crispus Attucks, and Patrick Carr," plus "Six wounded; two of them (Christr Monk & John Clark) Mortally." Revere was a founding member of the Boston “Sons of Liberty,” a group of American patriots who opposed British rule, who typically held their meeting at the Green Dragon Tavern in Boston, often together with fellow compatriots; printer Benjamin Edes, John Hancock, Samuel Adams and Doctor Joseph Warren. As a member of the Sons of Liberty, a militant Patriot group formed in 1765, Revere produced engravings with Pro-Revolutionary themes to raise money for their dissident organization. The best known among these prints is a depiction of the “Arrival of British Troops in 1768 landing at Boston Harbor” and the present depiction of the March 1770 “Boston Massacre” is the most significant. Revere also made and engraved a “Sons of Liberty” punch bowl in 1768 The tragic event of the evening of March 5th, 1770, in which five Bostonians died by British musketry took on great symbolic significance in the highly charged tenor of public affairs between England and its American colonies, particularly in “hotbed” Massachusetts. Paul Revere immediately recognized the potential propaganda value of the incident, and "saw the opportunity of furthering the patriot cause by circulating so significant a print." (See: Clarence S. Brigham, “Paul Revere's Engravings”, New York, 1969, pages 52-53). Revere's powerful depiction was based on a sketch of the bloody confrontation by Henry Pelham. Revere's Copper-Plate engraving was first advertised for sale in the March 26th, 1770 editions of the Boston Evening Post and the Boston Gazette as: "a Print, containing a Representation of the late horrid Massacre in King-street." Two days later Revere noted in his Day Book that he paid the printers Edes & Gill to produce 200 impressions. The image also played an important role in shaping the narrative of the Boston Massacre. At the time, there was a great deal of debate over who was responsible for the violence. Some argued that the colonists had provoked the soldiers by throwing snowballs and insults, while others blamed the 29th Regiment British soldiers for using excessive force. The Bloody Massacre Engraving helped to cement the idea that the British soldiers were the aggressors and that they had wantonly fired on innocent civilians. Paul Revere was a ringleader in rallying the Boston Tea Party of December 16th, 1773, when, in protest of unfairly levied taxes, American colonists dumped tea into Boston Harbor from the British merchant ship Dartmouth. Revere’s exalted place in American legend was cemented by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's poem, "The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere" (1860), which recounted the patriot’s dangerous mission in April 1775 to warn colonists of the impending invasion of British troops. Famously, one lantern would be lit in the steeple of the North Church in Charlestown to alert townspeople if the British were arriving by land, and “two if by sea.” The rest is history. References: Brigham, Plate 14; Stokes & Haskell, 1770-C-10, Stauffer, 2675. First Edition, Second State with a small clock tower more accurately reading 10:20 the time of the event (the clock incorrectly reading 8:10 in the first state). |
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Lot Number: 59
Click for a Printable Page Sign-in to Bid or Register to Bid |
Estimate Range: $200,000 - $300,000 |
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Early American History Auctions, Inc. 1520 Commerce St., # 312 • Winchester, VA 22601 Phone: 858 • 759 • 3290 Email: Auctions@EarlyAmerican.com |
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