(New York: William E. Marshall, 1862), the work's explanatory caption, "Engraved by William E. Marshall From the Original Portrait in the Boston Athenaeum Painted by Gilbert Stuart," is centered above a bold facsimile of Washington's signature that serves as the work's title. A nearly obliterated statement in the lower margin reads "Presented to subscribers for The Christian Union, J.B. Ford & Co. publishers, New-York," this being placed above the publisher's line.

Throughout the 1870s Marshall's Washington engraving was offered as a premium to those subscriber's who paid $3 to take Henry Ward Beecher's Christian Union, a weekly religious newspaper of high regard. One advertisement gushed that the Marshall portrait of Washington was "A work of world-wide fame, universally acknowledged to be the most magnificent engraving ever executed in America."

There exist several period references to Marshall's G. Washington being a "steel engraving" whereas the present plate is most definitely copper. Possibly the plate on hand was created for later limited editions of the print since its verso is twice painted with B.74 G.W. OVAL ENGRAVING in a neat mid-20th century hand.

DOA 23 x 16 7/8 in.

10 lbs.

Proceeds to Benefit the Durham Rescue Mission, Durham, NC

Engraved copper printing plates occasionally appear on the market, however these are usually for small illustrations rather than for famous folio engravings such as Marshall's Washington.

The subscriber's line is nearly obliterated as noted, otherwise the image and text are intact; the verso has numerous ink stains from use.

$500 - 1,000