The History Buff, Inc. - Phone: (952) 937-0325
17509 Bearpath Trail, Eden Prairie, MN 55347 or Palm Beach, FL, 33480
The 'Stone' Copy
of The Declaration of Independence
The W.J. Stone
engraved Rice Paper Copy
SOLD
SUMMARY: This offering is the Stone Declaration
of Independence printed on rice paper. The most important of
our founding documents. Price $27,500.00
Would
you like to purchase this product? Simply click BUY
NOW to securely shop online with eHistoryBuff.
The original Declaration was
not cared for properly in that is was left hanging in sunlight
in the Library of Congress and its condition was obviously deteriorating.By
1820, growing concern about the condition of the original Declaration
by the surviving Signers of The Declaration of Independence 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 during
which the original 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
the copper plate in 1823. However the original document was almost
destroyed during the ink transfer process thus making the Stone
copperplate itself exceedingly valuable as the only accurate
replica of the original D of I. The first time Stone used his
engraved plate he printed 201 copies on the same type of vellum
parchment as the original. Approximately 31 of these "vellum
Stone D of I's" are known to have survived***, 19 of
which are in museums. The first few copies of vellum replica
was distinguished from the original document by the fact that
"Engraved by W. J. Stone for the Department of State, by
order" was printed in the upper left hand corner and "of
J. Q. Adams, Sec. of State July 4th 1823." was printed in
the upper right hand corner. Later printings on vellum did not
have the aforementioned printing on them.The details of how the
vellum iteration was distributed are below.*** The Stone copperplate
was then placed in storage. Twenty years later, in 1843, Peter
Force was commissioned by Congress to to print a series of books
that became known as the American Archives. The purpose
of 
the nine-volume set
was to create and preserve copies of the founding documents of
the United States. The Stone engraving plate was taken from storage
and used to produce copies of the D of I on rice paper for
Volume I of the Fifth Series of the Archives (the seventh
volume out of the nine).Originally it was planned to print 1500
copies of the rice paper iteration but the project ran out of
funding and it is estimated that far less than 1000 copies were
done. Both the rice paper and vellum copies are
distinguishable from the original document by an engraving in
the lower left corner "W.J. Stone S.C. Washn" (as
shown). After printing the copies of the D of I on rice paper
the Stone plate was again retired and is now displayed at the
National Archives.
STONE'S MAKERS MARK
LEFT LOWER PORTION OF THIS D OF I
The Declaration is in very fine
condition, measuring 26" x 29", showing normal
folds with faint shadowing or , as it is called, ink transfer
from having been inserted in the book.This type of ink transfer
helps to authenticate the document. It is ready to be floated
in an archival frame.We can advise a client on how to frame this
document.There is some slight paper separation on one of the
vertical paper folds on the bottom right third of the document
but that probably will not require repair..
In the opinion of The History
Buff this is one of the scarcest and most worthwhile American
historical collectibles available today.It is as close as a citizen
will ever come to owning one of America's founding documents.The
Declaration of Independence along with the United States Constitution
and Magna Carta are certainly the three most important political
documents in the history of man. There has been a steady appreciation
of the value of these documents over the past 5 years. One of
the six copies of the Magna Carta sold for over 21 million dollars
recently:"A rare 710-year-old copy of the Magna Carta,
among the most important historical documents ever to hit the
auction block, sold for $21.3 million on Tuesday at Sotheby's."
The vellum copy of the D of I
seldom comes on the market and they are increasingly hard to
find. One sold recently for in excess of $400,000. The rice paper
D of I's are of course more available but, because of the fragile
nature of rice paper, condition is important in determining value.Almost
every rice paper item was folded at one time. However, on occasion,
an unfolded one surfaces on the market.
***On May 26, 1824, a resolution
by the Senate and House of Representatives provided: “That
two hundred copies of the Declaration, now in the Department
of State, be distributed in the manner following: two copies
to each of the surviving Signers of the Declaration of Independence
(John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Carroll of Carrollton);
two copies to the President of the United States (Monroe); two
copies to the Vice-President of the United States (Thompkins);
two copies to the late President, Mr. Madison; two copies to
the Marquis de Lafayette, twenty copies for the two houses of
Congress; twelve copies for the different departments of the
Government (State, Treasury, Justice, Navy, War and Postmaster);
two copies for the President’s House; two copies for the
Supreme Court room, one copy to each of the Governors of the
States; and one to each of the Governors of the Territories of
the United States; and one copy to the Council of each Territory;
and the remaining copies to the different Universities and Colleges
of the United States, as the President of the United States may
direct.”
PRICE: $OLD
The History Buff - Authentic Historical Autographs & Collectibles
17509 Bearpath Trail, Eden Prairie, MN 55347 or
Palm Beach, Florida 33480
eMail:
thehistbuff@aol.com
Phone: 952-937-0325
SUMMARY: This offering is the Stone Declaration
of Independence printed on rice paper. The most important of
our founding documents. Price $27,500.00
|
|
||||
The original Declaration was
not cared for properly in that is was left hanging in sunlight
in the Library of Congress and its condition was obviously deteriorating.By
1820, growing concern about the condition of the original Declaration
by the surviving Signers of The Declaration of Independence 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 during
which the original 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
the copper plate in 1823. However the original document was almost
destroyed during the ink transfer process thus making the Stone
copperplate itself exceedingly valuable as the only accurate
replica of the original D of I. The first time Stone used his
engraved plate he printed 201 copies on the same type of vellum
parchment as the original. Approximately 31 of these "vellum
Stone D of I's" are known to have survived***, 19 of
which are in museums. The first few copies of vellum replica
was distinguished from the original document by the fact that
"Engraved by W. J. Stone for the Department of State, by
order" was printed in the upper left hand corner and "of
J. Q. Adams, Sec. of State July 4th 1823." was printed in
the upper right hand corner. Later printings on vellum did not
have the aforementioned printing on them.The details of how the
vellum iteration was distributed are below.*** The Stone copperplate
was then placed in storage. Twenty years later, in 1843, Peter
Force was commissioned by Congress to to print a series of books
that became known as the American Archives. The purpose
of the nine-volume set
was to create and preserve copies of the founding documents of
the United States. The Stone engraving plate was taken from storage
and used to produce copies of the D of I on rice paper for
Volume I of the Fifth Series of the Archives (the seventh
volume out of the nine).Originally it was planned to print 1500
copies of the rice paper iteration but the project ran out of
funding and it is estimated that far less than 1000 copies were
done. Both the rice paper and vellum copies are
distinguishable from the original document by an engraving in
the lower left corner "W.J. Stone S.C. Washn" (as
shown). After printing the copies of the D of I on rice paper
the Stone plate was again retired and is now displayed at the
National Archives.
The Declaration is in very fine condition, measuring 26" x 29", showing normal folds with faint shadowing or , as it is called, ink transfer from having been inserted in the book.This type of ink transfer helps to authenticate the document. It is ready to be floated in an archival frame.We can advise a client on how to frame this document.There is some slight paper separation on one of the vertical paper folds on the bottom right third of the document but that probably will not require repair..
In the opinion of The History
Buff this is one of the scarcest and most worthwhile American
historical collectibles available today.It is as close as a citizen
will ever come to owning one of America's founding documents.The
Declaration of Independence along with the United States Constitution
and Magna Carta are certainly the three most important political
documents in the history of man. There has been a steady appreciation
of the value of these documents over the past 5 years. One of
the six copies of the Magna Carta sold for over 21 million dollars
recently:"A rare 710-year-old copy of the Magna Carta,
among the most important historical documents ever to hit the
auction block, sold for $21.3 million on Tuesday at Sotheby's."
The vellum copy of the D of I seldom comes on the market and they are increasingly hard to find. One sold recently for in excess of $400,000. The rice paper D of I's are of course more available but, because of the fragile nature of rice paper, condition is important in determining value.Almost every rice paper item was folded at one time. However, on occasion, an unfolded one surfaces on the market.
***On May 26, 1824, a resolution by the Senate and House of Representatives provided: “That two hundred copies of the Declaration, now in the Department of State, be distributed in the manner following: two copies to each of the surviving Signers of the Declaration of Independence (John Adams, Thomas Jefferson, Charles Carroll of Carrollton); two copies to the President of the United States (Monroe); two copies to the Vice-President of the United States (Thompkins); two copies to the late President, Mr. Madison; two copies to the Marquis de Lafayette, twenty copies for the two houses of Congress; twelve copies for the different departments of the Government (State, Treasury, Justice, Navy, War and Postmaster); two copies for the President’s House; two copies for the Supreme Court room, one copy to each of the Governors of the States; and one to each of the Governors of the Territories of the United States; and one copy to the Council of each Territory; and the remaining copies to the different Universities and Colleges of the United States, as the President of the United States may direct.”
PRICE: $OLD
| The History Buff - Authentic Historical Autographs & Collectibles 17509 Bearpath Trail, Eden Prairie, MN 55347 or Palm Beach, Florida 33480 |
eMail: thehistbuff@aol.com Phone: 952-937-0325 |