1 of 5

Unknown
Charles Toppan Facsimile Engraving of Jefferson's First Draft of the Declaration
1829

Name: Charles Toppan Facsimile Engraving of Jefferson's First Draft of the Declaration
Brand: Unknown
Rating: 5 (4 reviews)

$9,980List Price

About the Item

Rare Historical Thomas Jefferson (1743-1826) Steel Cut Engraving of his Rough Draft of the Declaration of Independence Engraved by Charles Toppan. Philadelphia: Charles Toppan, 1829 Very Possibly a Printers Proof Copy of the Toppan Engraving Commissioned for the first biography of Thomas Jefferson Appearing in Memoir, Correspondence, and Miscellanies from the Papers of Thomas Jefferson, edited by Thomas Jefferson Randolph, Boston: Gray and Bowen, 1830 (See Images) Item is the first sheet (2 pages) only of the Four folio-format broadside woven paper sheets printed on rectos only Excellent preserved condition with Printer’s fold Charles Toppan was a noted early antiquarian and the first to produce an engraved facsimile of Jefferson’s manuscript of the Declaration. Written in June 1776, Thomas Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration of Independence, included eighty-six changes made later by John Adams (1735–1826), Benjamin Franklin 1706–1790), other members of the committee appointed to draft the document, and by Congress. The “original Rough draught” of the Declaration of Independence, one of the great milestones in American history, shows the evolution of the text from the initial composition draft by Jefferson to the final text adopted by Congress on the morning of July 4, 1776. At a later date perhaps in the nineteenth century, Jefferson indicated in the margins some but not all of the corrections suggested by Adams and Franklin. Late in life Jefferson endorsed this document: “Independence Declaration of original Rough draught.” Jefferson’s Penning of the Declaration: Originally, the delegates of the Second Continental Congress pushed for Richard Henry Lee, author of the Lee Resolution, to write the Declaration of Independence, not Jefferson. However, circumstances changed the course of history. First, Lee was appointed to the Committee of Confederation for the writing of the Articles of Confederation, and thought that being part of both committees would be too great an effort. Second, his wife became gravely ill during the Philadelphia convention, forcing him to return home prematurely. A young delegate from Virginia who had shown great promise was selected to take Lee’s place. His name was Thomas Jefferson, and he would quickly become one of the most important individuals in the history of the United States. What most people don’t know is that, at first, Jefferson had no interest in penning the Declaration. He wanted John Adams to do it instead. Adams writes in his account of the episode in a letter to Timothy Pickering, a politician from Massachusetts and a good friend of Adams: “Jefferson proposed to me to make the draft. I said, ‘I will not,’ ‘You should do it.’ ‘Oh! no.’ ‘Why will you not? You ought to do it.’ ‘I will not.’ ‘Why?’ ‘Reasons enough.’ ‘What can be your reasons?’ ‘Reason first, you are a Virginian, and a Virginian ought to appear at the head of this business. Reason second, I am obnoxious, suspected, and unpopular. You are very much otherwise. Reason third, you can write ten times better than I can.’ ‘Well,’ said Jefferson, ‘if you are decided, I will do as well as I can.’ ‘Very well. When you have drawn it up, we will have a meeting.” And so, it was settled. Over the course of seventeen days, in between meetings and other governmental affairs, Jefferson penned the Declaration of Independence under the advisement of the Committee. It was an act that secured Jefferson’s name in history forever. Jefferson’s original draft of the Declaration of Independence tried to show that “Independence had become necessary- which implies there was no reasonable alternative… The Declaration of Independence was distinguished from its American and English relatives in part by its efforts to prove that George III was a tyrant, which led to other distinctions such as the extraordinarily large number of grievances it listed” (Maier, p. 123). In Jefferson’s original draft he stated that the people of the American colonies had the right to overthrow government if it infringed on any of the people’s natural rights. Natural rights, according to John Locke, are “rights that are God given and can never be taken or given away”. His draft also contained direct accusations that King George had violated the natural rights that the people of the colony should have. Jefferson also goes on in attacking the English people, who had elected a parliament, which worked together with the king ultimately, denying the people of the colonies their natural rights. When Congress got hold of Jefferson’s draft they decided that the harsh language directed at the British people be removed as well as cutting out one of Jefferson’s grievances to the King, which dealt with the removal of slavery and the slave trade. Congress knew that southern slave states such as South Carolina and Georgia would not go along with the Declaration if it made direct attacks on slavery plus they knew such a change to remove slavery from the colonies cold not happen overnight. Even though Jefferson attacked the slave trade in his original draft Congress knew that the colonies were not quite ready for abolishing slavery. Therefore, the natural rights that were established in the colonies were not intended for slave even though they too were people who should also be given these rights. “The Americans were destined to receive criticism enough for asserting the ‘inalienable’ rights to ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness’ while themselves owning slaves” (Maier, p.146). Therefore they decided to remove this portion of Jefferson’s draft. Library of Congress Description: Original Rough Draft of the Declaration Written in June 1776, Thomas Jefferson’s draft of the Declaration of Independence, included eighty-six changes made later by John Adams (1735–1826), Benjamin Franklin 1706–1790), other members of the committee appointed to draft the document, and by Congress. The “original Rough draught” of the Declaration of Independence, one of the great milestones in American history, shows the evolution of the text from the initial composition draft by Jefferson to the final text adopted by Congress on the morning of July 4, 1776. At a later date perhaps in the nineteenth century, Jefferson indicated in the margins some but not all of the corrections suggested by Adams and Franklin. Late in life Jefferson endorsed this document: “Independence Declaration of original Rough draught.”

Creation Year:
1829
Dimensions:
Height: 30 in (76.2 cm)Width: 33.25 in (84.46 cm)Depth: 1.75 in (4.45 cm)
Medium:
Engraving
Period:
19th Century
Condition:
Gallery Location:
Gallatin, TN
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU57334477142

Declaration of Independence, Printed on Cotton, Circa 1876

$6,500

H 28.5 in W 30 in D 1.5 in

Declaration of Independence, Printed on Cotton, Circa 1876

Located in Colorado Springs, CO

Presented is a Centennial-era patriotic textile, celebrating the Declaration of Independence. At the center of the printed bandana design is artistic rendering of the Declaration of ...

Category

Antique 1870s American High Victorian Political and Patriotic Memorabilia

Materials

Cotton

The Declaration of Independence, Printed on Cotton, ca 1876

Price Upon Request

H 30.75 in W 30 in D 3 in

The Declaration of Independence, Printed on Cotton, ca 1876

Located in York County, PA

PRINTED COTTON KERCHIEF GLORIFYING THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE, WITH TEXT AND REPRODUCED SIGNATURES, MADE FOR THE 1876 CENTENNIAL INTERNATIONAL EXPOSITION IN PHILADELPHIA Printed on cotton, this beautiful kerchief pays homage to the Declaration of Independence, through the reproduction of its text and 56 signatures, surrounded by a fanciful border. The latter contains the 13 state seals, which are dispersed around the perimeter in small medallion images. Note how Pennsylvania is highlighted among them, larger and in the bottom center, both because it served as the meeting place of the Second Continental Congress, and played host to the 1876 Centennial International Exposition, the six-month long World’s Fair event that was held in honor of our nation’s 100-year anniversary of independence. The names of twelve Revolutionary War generals are spread out between each crest, on each forward-facing turn of a scroll, that wraps around the pillar and leaf border on the right, left, and bottom. These include Washington, Lafayette, Johann de Kalb, Nathiel Greene, Ethan Allen, Henry Knox, Israel Putnam, Daniel Morgan, William Moultrie, Francis Marion...

Category

Antique Late 19th Century American Political and Patriotic Memorabilia

Materials

Cotton

Kurz and Allison19th Century Lithograph of the Declaration of Independence, c. 1876

$10,875

H 17.5 in W 25.25 in

19th Century Lithograph of the Declaration of Independence

By Kurz and Allison

Located in Milwaukee, WI

This print, entitled "Declaration of Independence," is an original color lithograph by the publishing firm Kurz & Allison, produced in celebration of the centennial of the United...

Category

Late 19th Century American Realist Figurative Prints

Materials

Lithograph

Pine Barrens Speculation, Edward Telfair Georgia Land Grant, 1792

$3,200

H 22.5 in W 21.5 in D 1 in

Pine Barrens Speculation, Edward Telfair Georgia Land Grant, 1792

Located in Savannah, GA

Washington County, Georgia land deed with survey warrant and beeswax state seal granted by Governer Edward Telfair to Col. Robert Middleton. This la...

Category

Antique Late 18th Century American American Classical Historical Memorab...

Materials

Glass, Wood, Paper

Early 18th Century English Framed Indenture Document, Framed

$850

H 25 in W 32 in D 0.75 in

Early 18th Century English Framed Indenture Document, Framed

Located in Bradenton, FL

A Large Early 18th Century Framed Indenture Document. The document (deed) is written in lengthy hand-written detail. Issued in three parts, indentures were legal documents cut with w...

Category

Antique Early 18th Century English George II Historical Memorabilia

Materials

Animal Skin, Wood

Early 19th Century Original Framed Land Indenture, England, 1810

$1,950

H 41 in W 46 in D 2 in

Early 19th Century Original Framed Land Indenture, England, 1810

Located in Lambertville, NJ

A large hand written land indenture document England, 1810, framed. The beautifully hand written document mounted on board with a red velvet border and ...

Category

Antique 1810s English Regency Maps

Materials

Glass, Giltwood, Parchment Paper

"Postscript to The Massachusetts Spy" May 5, 1774 with Boston Tea Party Coverage

$9,500

H 24 in W 18.5 in D 1.25 in

"Postscript to The Massachusetts Spy" May 5, 1774 with Boston Tea Party Coverage

By Isaiah Thomas

Located in Colorado Springs, CO

Presented here is a rare printed Postscript to The Massachusetts Spy, or Thomas’s Boston Journal, issued in Boston on May 5, 1774. Founded by Isaiah Thomas and Zechariah Fowle in 177...

Category

Antique 1770s American American Colonial Historical Memorabilia

Materials

Paper

Ferdinando CampanaAncient Roman Inscriptions - Etching by Ferdinando Campana - Late 18 Century, Late 18th Century

$701

H 18.51 in W 14.18 in D 0.08 in

Ancient Roman Inscriptions - Etching by Ferdinando Campana - Late 18 Century

By Ferdinando Campana

Located in Roma, IT

Ancient Roman Inscriptions from Herculaneum, from the series "Antiquities of Herculaneum Exposed", is an original etching realized by Filippo de Grad...

Category

Late 18th Century Modern Figurative Prints

Materials

Etching

American Revolution Map Drawn For John Marshall's "Life Of Washington" First Acc

$750

H 20 in W 17.75 in

American Revolution Map Drawn For John Marshall's "Life Of Washington" First Acc

Located in Bristol, CT

A Map Of The Country Which Was The Scene Of Operations Of The Northern Army: Including The Wilderness Through Which Gerneral Arnold Marched To Attack Plate VI Map Sz: 11"H x 9 1/4"W...

Category

Early 1800s Prints and Multiples

Materials

Paper, Engraving

A relic from the family of Bounty Mutineer John Adams: documented piece of Bark

$9,938

H 2 in W 3 in D 2 in

A relic from the family of Bounty Mutineer John Adams: documented piece of Bark

Located in Lymington, Hampshire

A relic from the family of Bounty Mutineer John Adams: An exceptionally rare documented piece of Bark Cloth from the Pitcairn Islands, with a fragment of paper pinned to it stating ‘...

Category