In commemoration of the hundredth anniversay of American independence

Philadelphia: The Presbyterian, 1877. 2nd Printing. Very good +. Stone lithograph broadside, measuring 33" tall by approx. 27" wide. The centennial of the founding of the United States of America must have been a time for great celebration. In a proclamation issued by the then-President, Ulysses S. Grant, on June 26, 1876, he noted: "The centennial anniversary of the day on which the people of the United States declared their right to a separate and equal station among the powers of the earth seems to demand an exceptional observance" (n.b., from the web site of the University of Virginia, Miller Center).

One way in which the 100th anniversary (truncated) was commemorated was by the publication of an elaborate broadside, printed by the firm of Wittemann Brothers (established 1876, in business through approx. 1929). While mostly known for their advertising lithographs, they produced this complex broadside (in their first year) filled with symbolism. The most prominant figure is George Washington astride his horse placed in the center, surrounded by a marble archway containing various vignettes and figures. The names of the thirty-eight then-current states are set into the archway, the thirteen original colonies above and the others down both sides. Various vignettes show industries and events, such as the signing of the Declaration of Independence and the freeing of the enslaved peoples.

The original (first printing) of this broadside is extremely rare, our search found no copies. The following year the publisher "The Presbyterian" had the broadside re-printed; changes from the first printing included adding their name, with the date of 1877, at the bottom of the print. Even this second printing is quite scarce; as of this writing, there are no copies in the online marketplace and no records in RBH. We were able to locate only two copies: one held by the Library of Congress (under the title "George Washington", the digital copy no. LC-DIG-pga-03068) and another held by The Library Company of Philadelphia ("In commememoration of the hundredth anniversary of American independence", P.2007.28.7).

___DESCRIPTION: Stone lithograph with most of the main element in sienna; George Washington, The Presbyterian copyright information and several other elements surrounding the main illustration in black, see description above for details. Broadside measures 33" by 26 3/4", the image measures approx. 29" by 20".

___CONDITION: Better than very good, we had a professional perform some restoration work (mostly cleaning and mending of tears, detailed report available upon request) and the resulting broadside shows, on the front, mostly clean with some light traces of soil, the closed tears show but none protrude into the image; the verso shows traces of old tidemarks, light soil and the closed tears, a small amount of loss of paper at the top right corner, a few very small chips from the edges. Please see pictures and request more if needed.

___POSTAGE: International customers, please note the following: (i) additional postage may apply as the standard does not always cover costs, please inquire for details; and (ii) any taxes, duty, or tariffs charged by your country will, of necessity, be your responsibility.

___Swan's Fine Books is pleased to be a member of the ABAA, ILAB, and IOBA and we stand behind every book we sell. Please contact us with any questions you may have, we are here to help. (Inventory #: PTMKYB007)