Part 7

PETER RUSHTON MAVERICK was born in England, April 11, 1755, and came to America about 1774. He was originally a silversmith, and came of a family whose members were for several generations well known as engravers, and who made the art their occupation. He was an energetic worker, getting most of his practical knowledge by his own endeavors. He was the teacher of William Dunlap and of Francis Kearney, as well as of his own son, who ultimately became a more proficient engraver than his father, and, who after instructing A. B. Durand for five years, took him into partnership.

Peter R. Maverick died in New York, about 1807, and his son Peter whose partnership with Durand resulted disastrously, died in 1831.

As a designer and engraver of book-plates, Maverick was the most prolific of all the early engravers. It is presumed that all the plates signed either P. R. Maverick, or simply Maverick, were by the same hand, as a large collection of

_Weigh well each thought, each sentence freely scan, In Reason’s balance try the works of man: Be bias’d not by those who praise or blame. Nor, Servile, Yield opinion to a Name._ proofs from his plates which furnishes examples of both ways of signing is now in the possession of the New York Historical Society, and the librarian informs me that all of the plates in that collection were done in 1789 by the elder Maverick. This collection consists of sixty-five plates, of which thirty-eight different ones are signed by Maverick. There are also others which are undoubtedly his work, although not signed, and there are examples by Dawkins, Hutt, and Child. Quite a number of the plates are duplicated, too. This very interesting collection of proofs, kept by Maverick himself, and sewed together roughly, was in the library of his friend, John Allan. By far the greater part of Maverick’s plates are of the Ribbon and Wreath style, but he made a few Jacobeans, a few Chippendales, and one or two pictorial and allegorical designs. He used the same features over and over in his plates, and seems to have been a rapid worker. The plates in the following list marked * are by the younger Maverick.

A LIST OF BOOK-PLATES SIGNED BY MAVERICK.

Anonymous Plain armorial. Anonymous (Jacob Brown) Pictorial. Flamen Ball Ribbon and Wreath. Abraham Bancker Pictorial. Absalom Blackley Ribbon and Wreath. Philip Brasher Ribbon and Wreath. *Epaphroditus Champion, Jr. Plain armorial. De Witt Clinton Ribbon and Wreath. William Cock Ribbon and Wreath. James S. Cutting Ribbon and Wreath. William Cutting Ribbon and Wreath. John Cuyler Ribbon and Wreath. Frederick De Peyster Plain armorial. Barnard Elliott Plain armorial. Erasmus Hall Library Allegorical. Ebenezer Foot Ribbon and Wreath.

Andrew J. Fraunces Plain armorial. James Gibs James Giles Military. *Elias Hicks Plain armorial. Philip L. Hoffmann Ribbon and Wreath. Horanian Society Library Allegorical. William J. Hunter Ribbon and Wreath. John I. Johnson Pictorial. John Johnston Ribbon and Wreath. Thomas Johnston Ribbon and Wreath. Benjamin S. Judah Ribbon and Wreath. John Keese Ribbon and Wreath. John Keese Ornamental label. Rufus King Ribbon and Wreath. Isaac L. Kip Ribbon and Wreath. Edward Livingston Landscape. Maturin Livingston Ribbon and Wreath. William Smith Livingston Ribbon and Wreath. Hugh McLean Ribbon and Wreath. Peter Masterton Ribbon and Wreath. ---- Maxwell Ribbon and Wreath. *Nathaniel F. Moore Ribbon and Wreath. New York Society Library Allegorical. New York Society Library Allegorical. *Lewis Morris Ogden Ribbon and Wreath. Francis Panton, Jr. Landscape. W. Paulding William L. Pierce Ribbon and Wreath. John Pintard Ribbon and Wreath. William Popham Ribbon and Wreath. Halcott B. Pride Ribbon and Wreath. Samuel Provoost Ribbon and Wreath. William Seton Ribbon and Wreath. John Sitgreaves Ribbon and Wreath. James Scott Smith Ribbon and Wreath. Thomas Smith, Jr. Ribbon and Wreath. Thomas J. Smith William Smith Ribbon and Wreath. William Taylor Ribbon and Wreath. *James Thompson Plain armorial. Thomas Tillotson Ribbon and Wreath. P. I. Van Berkel Plain armorial. K. K. Van Rensselaer Ribbon and Wreath. Prosper Wetmore Ribbon and Wreath. Polydore B. Wisner Ribbon and Wreath.

A LIST OF PLATES ATTRIBUTED TO MAVERICK, ALTHOUGH NOT SIGNED.

James Agnew, Esq. Chippendale. Boudinet Ribbon and Wreath. Charles Bridgen Plain armorial. Willm. Duer Ribbon and Wreath. John Goelet Jacobean. Herbert Chippendale. Morgan Lewis, Esq. Ribbon and Wreath. Rob’t R. Livingston, Esq., of Cleremont Ribbon and Wreath. Walter Livingston Chippendale. Jonathan Meredith, Jr. Ribbon and Wreath. Joseph Murray Chippendale. William Pasley Ribbon and Wreath. Saml. Provoost. Coll. Pet. Cant. Chippendale. William Stephens Jacobean. John C. Ten Broeck Ribbon and Wreath. Stephen Van Rensselaer Plain armorial.

* * * * *

OLIVER PELTON, who engraved a plate for the _Brothers in Unity_, at Yale College, was born in Portland, Conn., in 1799, and learned his trade with Abner Read, a bank-note engraver, of Hartford. He was an assiduous worker, and was taken into partnership after two years’ work, with Mr. Read and one Samuel Stiles. Samuel G. Goodrich (Peter Parley) soon induced him to go to Boston with him, to engage in the engraving of plates for his works. This enterprise was successful, and in 1863 Pelton formed a partnership with William D. Terry, which was the foundation of the New England Bank-Note Company of Boston. The plate mentioned is the only example of his work on book-plates.

R. RAWDON, who signs the plate of _William L. Stone_, which is a very handsome steel-plate design, was born in Tolland, Conn., and was associated with his brother in Albany. The brother subsequently moved to New York.

PAUL REVERE, the Revolutionary patriot whose “midnight ride” is known the world over, was born in Boston, January 1, 1735, and died there on the 10th of May, 1818, after a life of great usefulness, leaving a name never to be forgotten.

He came of a Huguenot family, who spelled the name Rivoire originally.

He was self-instructed in the art of engraving on copper, although brought up by his father to the business of a goldsmith. He went on the Crown Point expedition, 1756, and after his return, married, and settled down to the business he had already learned. He was naturally fond of mechanics, and made himself master of its general principles. One of his earliest attempts on copper was the portrait of his friend, Dr. Mayhew. He also engraved several caricatures which were popular, and some historical pictures which are valuable now to the collector.

Not many book-plates have come down to us by this celebrated patriot, and the following list comprises all that are signed.

Gardiner Chandler Chippendale. David Greene Chippendale. Epes Sargent Chippendale. William Wetmore Ribbon and Wreath.

Revere’s plates do not have the compact appearance of Hurd’s, and are not so well designed or so well engraved as the latter’s. Presumably this branch of work was not very profitable to him, or very much cultivated.

The accompanying design was undoubtedly a book-plate, and beyond question is the work of Revere. It is a very rare plate.

* * * * *

WILLIAM ROLLINSON was born in England, in the year 1760. He was in youth brought up to the trade of ornamenting buttons; and, upon coming to New York, made the gilt buttons which decorated the coat worn by Washington at his inauguration as President. He did this without remuneration, so thoroughly sympathizing with the country of his adoption as to feel the honor of this service for Washington a full compensation. He was, through the friendship of Messrs. Elias Hicks and John C. Ludlow, recommended to the publishers of Brown’s Family Bible, for which he made several plates. Previous to this, he found work in the shops of different silversmiths, and had taught himself the art of engraving on copper. At the beginning of the century, Archibald Robertson painted a portrait of Alexander Hamilton, which Rollinson boldly undertook to make a large engraving from. He did not understand all the processes of engraving, and invented such as he was compelled to use, as he went on. The duel in which Hamilton lost his life occurred before the portrait was fully engraved. Indeed, it had been undertaken more as an experiment than with the idea of sale; but the friends of the dead statesman urged him to complete it, which he did, and the print found a good sale. Later, Rollinson invented a machine for ruling waved lines, which was of vast importance in the manufacture of bank-notes.

As an engraver of book-plates, he adopted the Ribbon and Wreath style naturally, as it was the style in vogue when he took up the work. He made one or two plain armorials, and for the _New York College of Pharmacy_ one of more ambitious design. His plates, all neat in design, are clear, skilful engraving. His work and that of Callender, in the same style, resemble each other.

The following plates are signed by Rollinson:--

Richard Harrison Plain armorial. Elias Hicks Ribbon and Wreath. George Ludlow Ribbon and Wreath. W. T. McCoun Plain armorial. Horatio Shepheard Moat Ribbon and Wreath. New York College of Pharmacy Ornamented label. James Adam Smith Plain armorial. Thomas N. Stanforth Ribbon and Wreath. Teachers’ Union, St. George’s Church Engraved label. John W. Watkins, A.M. Ribbon and Wreath. Charles Wilkes Plain armorial. Azarias Williams Ribbon and Wreath.

* * * * *

J. SMITHERS, an Englishman, originally a gun-engraver employed in the Tower of London, came to Philadelphia in the year 1773.

He had a good name as a man and as an engraver, and made the blocks for the Continental money. A large plan of the city of Philadelphia on three plates, which was his work, was subsequently purchased, when copper was scarce, for thirty dollars, and cut up into smaller pieces. Among his pupils was Trenchard, of whose work we have a few examples.

The following plates are signed by Smithers:--

John Day Plain armorial. Fenwick Chippendale. Henry Hale Graham Plain armorial. John Magill Chippendale. Henry McMurtrie Pictorial.

He sometimes signed with the final _s_, and sometimes without it. His book-plates are not especially brilliant in any way, but are good, and in the pure style. His finest attempt is the landscape plate for _Dr. McMurtrie_ of Philadelphia.

* * * * *

T. SPARROW was an obscure engraver on wood, who worked at his trade in Annapolis from 1765 to about 1780, and who did considerable work for “Ann Catherine Green & Son, Printers,” of that town, on title-pages, tail-pieces, etc. He engraved on copper the title-page for the “Deputy Commissary’s Guide of Maryland,” published by the above firm in 1774, and which is a creditable piece of work. All the book-plates known at present are on wood, and they are but two in number: the _Richard Sprigg_ and the _Gabriel Duvall_, both of whom were men of prominence in the colonial times, in Maryland.

* * * * *

WILLIAM D. TERRY, who was mentioned as the founder, with Pelton, of the Bank-Note Company, in Boston, engraved a plate for the _Redwood Library_, of Newport. This is a large representation of the library, and is a fine piece of work.

* * * * *

JAMES THACKARA was a partner of John Vallance, in the engraving business, and they were together for a good many years. Thackara was inferior to his partner as an engraver, according to Dunlap, and was for a long time the keeper of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.

We know but one example of his book-plate work, and that is the _Lenthall_ plate, which is a large and very interesting example of the Ribbon and Wreath style. It is an excellent piece of engraving, full of style, and graceful in design.

* * * * *

JAMES TRENCHARD was born in Cumberland County, New Jersey, about 1746. He was a pupil of Smithers, and engraved in Philadelphia,

about 1785. Among his pupils were Thackara, Vallance, and his nephew, Edward Trenchard, who became an officer in the United States Navy, and served in the War of 1812.

Trenchard was one of the owners of the “Columbian Magazine,” published in Philadelphia from 1786 to 1792, and he engraved many plates for its pages.

One signed book-plate of his is known,--the _Bloomfield_. This is a Chippendale plate of no striking features. The _Luther Martin_ plate is so similar to this as to leave hardly any doubt that it too was by Trenchard.

* * * * *

JAMES TURNER is another of the early American artists of whom very little is known now. He was at one time in Boston, but later removed to Philadelphia. He did some portrait and some music work. Of his book-plate work we have but three signed specimens. By far the most interesting and valuable of these is the extremely rare plate of _John Franklin of Boston in New England_. This is very fully described in the List of Early American Book-plates. The other plates are the _Sir John St. Clair_, and the plate for _Isaac Norris_, of the family of the Quaker Chief Justice of Pennsylvania.

The plate of _James Hall_, although not signed, is also attributed to him.

* * * * *

JOHN VALLANCE, whose name is connected with that of Thackara, engraved with him many plates for Dobson’s Encyclopædia. He made heads of Franklin and Howard, which were pronounced successful, and he had a high reputation as an engraver.

One authenticated example of his book-plate work is known, the _Joseph Wiseman_, in the Ribbon and Wreath style; and the _David Brearly_, although not signed, is attributed to him.

* * * * *

Of the other engravers whose names appear on but one or two plates, no information has been obtained. There were probably many who had but a local fame, and who made but a few plates. Their names are remembered now in a way not expected at the time of signing them, undoubtedly.

* * * * *

In a recent article on COUNT RUMFORD, in the “New England Magazine,” it is said that, when a youth, he designed book-plates. No authentic examples of his work are known, and no information can be obtained concerning any.

* * * * *

JACOB HURD, the father of Nathaniel, was a goldsmith of Boston, and his name is on pieces of plate in the First and Second churches in Boston, and the First Church, and Christ Church, in Dorchester. He very probably made book-plates, though no signed work is known. He died in 1758. He appears in the list of subscribers to “Prince’s Chronological History of New England,” as taking six copies.

In the “Boston Evening Post,” for March 4, 1745, the following advertisement appears:--

“FRANCIS GARDEN, Engraver from London, engraves in the newest Manner and at the cheapest Rates, Coats-of-Arms, Crests or Cyphers on Gold, Silver, Pewter or Copper. To be heard of at Mr. Caverley’s, Distiller, at the South End of Boston. N.B. He will wait on any Person in Town or Country, to do their Work at their own House, if desired: also copper-plate printing perform’d by him.”

No signed example of this gentleman’s work has thus far come to our knowledge. It is fair to presume, however, that he engraved book-plates.

A LIST OF EARLY AMERICAN BOOK-PLATES.

The following List of Early American Book-plates makes no claim to completeness: indeed it is earnestly hoped and believed that time will prove it to be quite incomplete: old plates new to collectors are continually coming to light, and there is every reason to expect their number to increase. We are persuaded that certain of the worthies of colonial times used book-plates, although no copies are now known, and that some future investigator will unearth these much-desired treasures.

Some plates will be found included which do not have a satisfactory description: this is due to their not being seen by the compiler of the List: correspondents at a distance cannot always send full details, and without them it is better to attempt little in the way of description. The aim has been to be accurate and as full as possible. There are hundreds of simple name-labels which have no place here, but all armorial examples which could be discovered are mentioned.

The plates are given in alphabetical order, and are numbered for convenience in reference. As far as possible, the first line of the description of each plate gives the exact wording of the original, with its spelling and abbreviations: the mottoes also, as well as the manner of signature, are given exactly as they appear on the original plate: wherever throughout this List _italics_ are used, they denote the exact language employed upon the plate.

1. ANONYMOUS.

Armorial. A very beautiful plate with French arms: a crown above and military trophies behind the shield: French banners, cannon, quivers of arrows, anchor, horns, swords, drum, tomahawks, bugle, lances, etc. Signed, _Maingot delt. Maverick_, _Sct._

2. ABERCROMBIE. _James Abercrombie._

Armorial. Ribbon and Wreath. Two mottoes, _Vive ut vivas_, and _Meus in arduis aequa_. Of Philadelphia, and mentioned in Boswell’s “Life of Dr. Johnson.”

3. ADAMS. _John Adams._

Armorial. The Boylston arms. The shield surrounded by a garter on which the motto is given,--_Libertatem amicitiam retenebis et fidem_. The whole design surrounded by thirteen stars. Second President of the United States.

4. ADAMS. _John Quincy Adams._

Simply the name rudely engraved and surrounded by a narrow line. Probably the first of the J. Q. A. book-plates. Sixth President of the United States.

5. ADAMS. _John Quincy Adams._

Armorial. Boylston arms. Ribbon and Wreath. Motto-ribbon empty.

6. ADAMS. _John Quincy Adams._

Armorial. The Boylston arms; the shield enclosed within a garter, on which the motto appears,--_Fidem--Libertatem--Amicitiam_.

7. ADAMS. _John Quincy Adams._

Armorial. The shield is quartered, and bears in the first quarter a curious specimen of home-made heraldry. The ancestors of the President bore no arms, and in their place appears a stag standing at gaze before a pine tree, while below in the water a fish, probably a cod, is swimming; the whole design surrounded with thirteen stars. This was his own invention. The other quarters bear the Smith, Quincy, and Boylston arms. The whole shield is surrounded by a garter bearing the motto _Fidem, Libertatem, Amicitiam retinebis_. From “Tacitus.”

8. AGAR. _Property, Lydia Agar. 1806._

Pictorial. An eagle bears a broad ribbon, on which the word _property_ is given; an oval frame encloses what resembles a row of eggs.

9. AGNEW. _James Agnew, Esq._

Armorial. Chippendale. Motto, _Consilio non impetu_. Attributed to Maverick.

10. AITKIN. _Robert Aitkin._

Simple name label: the printer of the “Aitkin Bible.” Philadelphia, 1782. The first American edition.

11. ALBANY. _Albany Society Library. 1759._

A peculiar plate something in the shape of the figure 8, with intertwining foliations above and at the sides. The upper part of the frame is the larger, and contains a spirited illustration of an Indian in ambush aiming an arrow at a leaping fox. On the frame surrounding this is the motto, _May concord prevail and the undertakeing prosper_. In the lower and smaller part is depicted a prim man, bewigged and ruffled, with an open book in his hand; presumably a patron of the Library. Very little can be learned concerning this early Library. It was probably interrupted by the Revolution. Some of its books are in the New York State Library.

12. ALLAN. _John Allan._

Pictorial. An open book, across the pages of which is printed the name of the owner. Behind all an anchor. This is the plate of the old book collector of New York City.

13. ALLEN. _John Allen._

Armorial. Jacobean. Motto, _Law & Right_. This is believed to be the plate used by John Allen, an early bookseller of Boston. He published the “News-Letter.” From the general design and the crude engraving, it must be taken for early American work: circa 1720. Illustrated in “Curio,” page 15.

14. ALLISON. _Joseph J. Allison._

Armorial. Chippendale. Hour-glass, books, globe, palette, and brushes, grouped above the escutcheon. Motto, _Hinc labor et virtus_. Of Philadelphia.

15. ALSOP. _Richard Alsop._

Armorial. Belongs to no particular style, although the ornamentation is of Chippendale tendency. Beneath the shield, at either side, stands a cupid holding out a bunch of arrows: the drawing of these figures is not above criticism: they seem to have one arm each, and but one wing also. A Connecticut poet. Born, 1761; died, 1815. One of the famous “Hartford Wits.”

16. AMBLER. Armorial. Of Virginia.

17. AMERICAN. _American Academy of Arts and Sciences. MDCCLXX._

A very handsome plate, having a large curtain looped back by ribbons and cords, whereon to record the name of the giver of books to the library, and above this an oval vignette representing Minerva with shield and spear in hand, and helmet on her head, standing upon the sea-shore (of Massachusetts), watching a three-master which sails far away under a glaring sun and a heavy cloud: through a corn-field and then through the woods lies the path to the distant village whose roofs can be seen: on the sand about the goddess lie scattered the scientific and agricultural implements, the uses of which it was the function of the Academy to teach. The Academy was instituted in 1779. Very good engraving but not so good drawing. The work is attributed to Callender.

18. ANDERSON. _Alexr. Anderson._