Views of Pennsylvania
One of the new formats of publishing that appeared in America shortly after the Revolution was the illustrated magazine. Publications of this type were intended to emulate the success of similar ventures in England, including Gentleman's Magazine and London Magazine. A number of the illustrations in these American magazines were among the earliest printed images of American frontier landscapes. The first American monthly magazine was the Columbian Magazine, which began publication in Philadelphia in 1787. This is a particularly interesting view, showing a tavern just south of York, for it shows a typical scene in the interior of the United States shortly after Independence. The Baltimore Road, prominently depicted, appears well kept up, but still this dirt road would have been almost impassable at times. $275
"The Great bend of the Susquehanna River, in Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania." From The Port Folio. Philadelphia, 1811. 4 3/8 x 5 1/2. Engraving. Very good condition.
An early American engraving from The Port Folio. This was a new type of American magazine, "Devoted to Useful Science, the Liberal Arts, Legitimate Criticism, and Polite Literature." It was a product of the new century, appearing first in January 1801. It began as a weekly issue until 1809, when it became monthly until its demise at the end of 1827. As with the many magazines that followed it, The Port Folio contained numerous illustrations, including this interesting view of the "Great Bend" on the Susquehanna River in upstate Pennsylvania. The fine views from The Port Folio are some of the most unusual and early American-made views of the country, and they form an important series of documents from the first three decades of the nineteenth century. $150
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Joshua Shaw. “York Springs, Adams County, in Pennsylvania.” From The Analectic Magazine. Philadelphia: 1819. 3 7/8 x 6 7/8. Engraving by John Hill. Very good condition.
In 1812, Philadelphia bookseller and publisher Moses Thomas purchased a monthly magazine entitled Select Reviews, engaged Washington Irving as editor, and renamed the publication The Analectic Magazine. Irving, his brother-in-law J. K. Paulding, Gulian C. Verplanck and, later, Thomas Isaac Wharton wrote much of the material, which concentrated on literary reviews, articles on travel and science, biographies of naval heroes, and reprints of selections from British periodicals. Illustration “was one of the magazine’s chief distinctions. Not only were there the usual engravings on copper, but some of the earliest magazine experiments in lithography and wood engraving appeared here. The plates were chiefly portraits, though some other subjects were used.” (Mott, A History of American Magazines). $225
Thomas Birch. "View of the Water Gap and Columbia Glassworks River Delaware." Philadelphia, ca. 1820. 12 5/8 x 19 1/8. Engraving by William Strickland. Hand watercolor. A few light age spots. Strong impression.
A lovely early engraving by two of America's most prominent craftsmen of the first part of the nineteenth century. Thomas Birch is well remembered both for his work with his father on the series of views of Philadelphia and independently, for his achievements as a painter and engraver. William Strickland has been immortalized in a group of impressive architectural monuments that he designed, which helped define the character of early 19th-century Philadelphia. Although best known as an architect, to supplement his income, Strickland also worked as a painter and engraver. The success of his collaboration with Birch is evident here. $1,500
Karl Bodmer. "Penitentiary Near Pittsburgh." From Travels In the Interior of North America in the Years 1832 to 1834. London: Ackermann and Company, 1843. Vignette ca. 7 1/2 x 10 3/4. Aquatint. Engraved by L. Weber. Printed by de Bougeard. Excellent condition.
Karl Bodmer, (1809-1893), is considered by many authorities to be the greatest 19th-century artist to have produced prints of the American west. Bodmer and his patron, Prince Maximilian of Wied, came to America from Germany in 1832. With Bodmer in charge of the pictorial documentary, Prince Maximilian, an experienced and respected traveler and naturalist, set out to put together as complete a study as possible of the western territories of the United States. The result was the publication of Maximilian's journals in successive German, French, and English editions between 1839 and 1843, and with it, a picture atlas of eighty-one aquatint plates after paintings by Bodmer. This picture volume is now regarded as one of the most comprehensive and finest visual surveys of the western territories ever made. Soon after Prince Maximilian and Bodmer's arrival in the United States, the party toured the Eastern United States. As the prince collected biological specimens, Bodmer would illustrate the countryside and occasionally, the specimens themselves. This is Bodmer's image of the penitentiary at Pittsburgh. $925
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"Scene On The Deleware [sic]." Boston: Haskell & Allen, ca. 1850. 8 1/4 x 13. Lithograph. Original hand color. Very good condition.
A wonderful view of the upper Delaware River, along the Pennsylvania/New Jersey or perhaps Pennsylvania/New York border. A group of farmers are shown in their field on the alluvial plain, cutting the crop while a small figure appears to ready some refreshment. Charming and unusual. $750
"Beaver Heights. (Near Pittsburgh on the Ohio River.)" From The Ladies' Repository: A Monthly Periodical, Devoted To Literature and Religion. Cincinnati: May 1854. Octavo. Steel engraving. Very good condition.
Another view of western Pennsylvania from Ladies' Repository. This one was issued a year after the Pittsburgh print (cf. above) and it shows the Beaver River near to where it runs into the Ohio River. $110
C. Inger. "St. Philomena Church, Pittsburgh." Pittsburgh: J.A. Miller, 1859. Copyright deposit September 21, 1859. Tinted lithograph by A. Krebs & Bro. 16 1/4 x 11 1/2. Very good condition.
A wonderful tinted lithograph of St. Philomena Church, founded in 1839 as the first German ethnic parish in Pittsburgh. The building, located in the Strip District, was started in 1842 and completed four years later. As the Strip District became more commercialized, it was decided to move the parish to Squirrel Hill and the original church was sold to the Pennsylvania Railroad in 1922. This print, but A. Krebs & Bro., shows the original building. A steam engine is shown passing by, with the streets teeming with well-dressed pedestrians. A rare print of a lost Pittsburgh landmark. $425
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James Queen. "Explosion of the Alfred Thomas at Easton Pa. March 6th. 1860." Easton: Bixler & Corwin, Easton Pa, 1860. Chromolithograph by P.S. Duval & Son. 12 1/4 x 20 3/4. Excellent condition. Deàk: 755; Reps: 3391.
A rare print of a disaster in Easton, Pennsylvania in 1860. The Alfred Thomas was a small passenger steamship built to run on the Delaware River between Belvidere, New Jersey and Port Jervis, New York, a distance of about 60 miles. Thomas Bishop of Easton was hired to build the hull and Mr. Wells of the South Easton Works commissioned for the steam engine and machinery. The ship, constructed at Easton, was completed and after some trials was declared ready for its maiden voyage. On Tuesday morning, March 6th, the Alfred Thomas set off from Easton, filled with an official party of about 100 passengers and watched by many spectators along the shore. After sailing down the Lehigh and then starting up the Delaware toward Belvidere, the Alfred Thomas moored near the Northampton Street Bridge to let off many of the passengers. The boat, with about 40 remaining passengers, then started upriver but had to put in to shore in order to build up enough steam to proceed against the current. As it set off again, the boiler, which had been brought to full pressure, suddenly erupted in a huge explosion, throwing the passengers far into the air and totally wrecking the boat. The chaos that followed was terrible. "The scene on shore after the explosion, it is altogether impossible to describe. Women, who were fearful that their relations were on board, ran up and down almost distracted, questioning almost every one they met in regard to the dreadful affair." (New York Times, March 7, 1860.) Many were seriously injured and twelve died, including two of the three owners of the boat. This print shows that explosion and it was said to have been based on a "Sketch from Nature" by James Queen, who likely visited the site shortly after the event. It is a classic "disaster" print, the moment of explosion sensationally depicted, with the city of Easton depicted in the left background. It is also a very nice example of the work of the important American artist James Queen and of the chromolithographic work of Philadelphia printmaker, P.S. Duval & Son. $1,800
Prints from The Life of Robert Fulton. Philadelphia, ca. 1860. Tinted lithographs by I.N. Rosenthal. Ca 4 1/2 x 7 3/4. Very good condition.
One of the most traumatic events in Pittsburgh's history was the great railroad strike of 1877. This was the first widespread labor uprising in the United States and a pivotal event in American labor history. The strike began in West Virginia and soon spread throughout the country, increasing in violence until the Federal government intervened and the strike was brought to an end after a month and a half. Pittsburgh was the site of some of the worst violence of the strike. On July 21st, Pennsylvania militia troops were brought in to try to control the situation but things got out of hand. A large mob gathered at the railroad yards-made up of at least as many present only to cause trouble as were actual strikers-and soon there was fighting and an exchange of gun fire between the strikers and militia. By morning the troops were put to flight and the rioters turned to burning and looting.
A local printmaker, Otto Krebs, produced this dramatic print showing the "Burning of the Union Depot During the Railroad Riot July 21st and 22nd 1877. Pittsburgh, PA." This colorful chromolithograph depicts the depot being consumed by flames, with a large, angry mob surrounding it and looking for more trouble. Demand for such a print would have been created both by those who were interested in a memorial of this significant local event and by those who had not been present and were interested to see an image of what transpired. It is likely Krebs would have found a ready market for his print among local citizens, with some copies undoubtedly making it to other parts of the country as well. An interesting note about this print is that the scene was copied, without attribution, from a wood engraving which appeared in Harper's Weekly on August 11, 1877. A list of those killed in the riot is included below the title. $1,800
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Views of Quakertown by Loren James. Twentieth century. Etchings. 5 x 8. Signed and title in pencil. Very good condition.
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