ANNOUNCEMENT is
herewith made of a sumptuous art and
bibliographical work now in course of
preparation, THE ENGRAVED AND
LITHOGRAPHED PORTRAITS OF ABRAHAM
LINCOLN, a descriptive check list
of all the known engraved and other
portraits based on the life photographs,
to be issued in four parts, in the
manner and on the terms described below,
to be completed in 1932.
Lincoln was one of the most photographed
and most beloved men of his time, his
features and form became very familiar
to the Country through the countless
thousands of copies of photographs, and
the engravings based on them, that were
circulated in the political campaigns of
the sixties. During the many years that
have elapsed since his death these
photographs have largely disappeared,
but many of them were preserved in the
hands of admirers and collectors. All
that are known of these were brought
together in "The Photographs of Abraham
Lincoln," by Frederick Hill Meserve, in
1911, by contact photography. They are
reproduced in this work in aquatone,
with data as to time and place and
circumstances of their making.
THE CHECK LIST
For many years collectors of prints and
other Lincolniana have been greatly
handicapped by the lack of a proper list
on which to base and identify their
portraits. The present work enumerates
and describes in detail all the known
engravings, etchings, lithographs and
wood engravings of Lincoln. The list is
not padded with descriptions of any half
tones or other mechanically produced
portraits, of which there are
multitudes; nothing but bona fide
engravings and lithographs being
included.
The preparation of this check list has
engaged the author's attention for some
years, and every print described has
been examined by him personally. In
addition to his own collection, he has
had the courteous privilege of examining
all the larger collections of the
country, including those of Mr. Harry
McNeil Bland, the late Major W. H.
Lambert, the late Mr. Chas. W. McLellan,
the late Mr. Judd Stewart, the late Mr.
W. C. Crane, and others, to which
reference will be made in the work
itself.
PLAN OF THE WORK
Almost all the engravings and
lithographs of Lincoln have been based
on the various life photographs, in but
few instances on the life paintings. It
is therefore in accord with the
character of the subject to divide the
list into types as presented by the
photographs and paintings, and to give
after each the various prints that have
been based on it, using the numbering of
the Meserve photographs.
Indexes by engravers and artists, and
the different publishers, etc., will be
given. Each print is described in
detail, including inscriptions, states,
size, and if it is a book print, the
publication in which it appeared, as
well as other particulars that would aid
in identification.
THE ILLUSTRATIONS
These will include a number of
engravings specially made for the work,
including three in pure mezzotint by
Frederick Reynolds, a color wood block
in five printings by Harry Cimino, a
wood engraving by James Bann, and a
lithograph by Albert Rosenthal.
The life photographs, 112 in number, all
that are known will be reproduced in
aquatone, and actual photographic copies
in their proper positions in the check
list.
There will also be reproductions of some
72 of the rarest of the Lincoln
engravings, in aquatone, as well as
examples printed from the original old
plates.
THE ISSUE IN PARTS
Subscriptions will be taken for the
completed work only; payment may be made
for the complete work, or for each part
on notification that same is ready for
delivery. Part Two, the beginning of the
Check List will be issued first. The
publisher guarantees the completion of
the work within the present year, 1932.
All subscribers who wish may receive
their copies unbound in sheets, or bound
in boards, with paper sides, but unless
preference is stated, the parts will be
delivered, sewed, with heavy protecting
paper covers, in the French "broche"
manner.
Part
One:
Title, Contents, List of
Illustrations, Foreword and
Introductions, with six original
plates engraved specially for this
work and other illustrations.
Part
Two: [this was
the only book printed]
Check List, describing
over 500 prints and their states, from
photo No. 1 to photo No. 75 inclusive.
Part
Three:
Continuation of Check
List, listing prints after photos No.
77 to 87.
Part
Four:
Completion of Check List,
with indexes of engravers, artists,
publishers, etc.
Reproductions by the aquatone process of
some 72 of the rarest Lincoln prints
will be interspersed throughout these
parts.
TERMS OF PUBLICATION
Collectors
Edition:
Consisting of 200
copies.
Price per part $15.00.
Connoisseur's
Edition:
Consisting of 25 copies
on Japan paper, with the mezzotints by
Frederick Reynolds, printed in colors
at one printing and the other original
plates, signed by the engraver's, all
the illustrations of the Collector's
Edition, and in addition, a number of
other rare engravings, printed from
the original plates.
Price per part $40.00.
IN CONCLUSION
A perusal of the foregoing cannot fail
to impress one with the importance of
the work both from the historical and
art standpoint. Well over 1,000 separate
entries have been made, besides states,
which would add greatly to the total,
and it is believed the subject has been
fully covered.
W.P.
Truesdell, Of Champlain, Publishes First of
Four Volumes
On Portraits Of Abraham Lincoln
One of the
striking facts of our time is the growth of
Lincoln’s fame since he died. The word
Lincolniana has been added to our dictionary,
and a literature under that name has grown up
extensive enough to be separately classified,
advertised and collected into distinct
libraries. Lincoln read few books and
wrote none, yet he has inspired more volumes
than any other American, perhaps more than any
other character in all history.
The
first volume of “The Engraved and Lithographed
Portraits of Abraham Lincoln,” written and
published by W. Porter Truesdell, of
Champlain, is now in the hands of print
collectors, Lincoln societies and public
libraries in many parts of the country.
The work, which is to be in four volumes, is
undoubtedly the most ambitious of its kind
ever attempted in the North Country.
“The
Engraved and Lithographed Portraits of Abraham
Lincoln” is a descriptive check list and
history of all the known engraved and other
portraits based on life photographs of
Lincoln. The first volume from the press, an
attractively bound book of 250 pages, contains
92 reproductions of photographs in addition to
the beautiful engraved portrait of the Great
Emancipator in five colors as a frontispiece.
The
collector’s edition, consisting of 200 copies
on laid paper, sells at $15.00 per volume, and
the Connoisseur’s edition, of which only 25
copies are to be printed, is on Japan paper,
with original plates signed by the engravers,
all of the illustrations of the collector’s
edition, and in addition, a number of other
rare engravings printed from the original
plates. Its price is $40 per volume.
Lincoln was the most photographed man of his
time, his features and form becoming very
familiar to the country through the thousands
of copies of photographs, engravings and
lithographs based on them that were circulated
in the political campaigns of the
sixties. During the many years that have
elapsed since his death some of these were
preserved in the hands of admirers and
collectors and all that are known of these
have been brought together by Mr. Truesdell
and reproduced in his work. Also data as to
the time and place and circumstances of their
making. Paintings and sculptures of
Lincoln are likewise shown and treated.
The
Champlain editor and publisher of the “Print
Connoisseur” has been working for years
gathering material for the books and every
print described and illustrated has been
examined by him personally. Besides his
own very extensive collection he has made an
examination of all the larger collections in
the country, including those of Harry MacNeill
Bland, the late Major W.H. Lambert, Mr.
Charles W. McLellan, (now in Brown
University), the late Judd Stewart, (now in
the Henry E. Huntington Library and Art
Gallery), W.C. Crane and others.
In
addition to the subscriptions to the four
volumes received from in many sections of the
country, the New York, Chicago, Denver Public
libraries and Harvard and Yale Universities
are among the institutions which have ordered
complete sets. Mr. Truesdell plans to
issue Volume Three in March; Volume Four in
June, and Volume One in October. In addition to the
photographs there are some forty-two large
size lithographic reproductions of rare
Lincoln prints.
It is
difficult to enumerate all the material
included, but it is interesting to note the
long, detailed description of government
postage stamps and essays, the vintages used
on paper money, a complete classification of
music sheets, war envelopes.
(The
North Countryman, February 15, 1934)
1933 Engraved
& Lithographed Portraits of Abraham
Lincoln, Volume 2, printed by the Troutsdale
Press in Champlain, NY. (Volume 2 only
printed, Volumes 1, 3 and 4 not printed). This
book is limited to an edition of two hundred
and twenty-five copies ...The numbering of the
photographs, and the very succinct
descriptions thereto, have been based on 'The
photographs of Abraham Lincoln', by Frederick
Hill Meserve, issued in 1911, and the two
supplements which have since appeared. -V.
2. Printed by the Troutsdale Press.
The first version of this book
was printed in three parts in the
1925 edition of the Print Connoisseur:
January: "The Engraved and Lithographed Portraits
of Abraham Lincoln"
April: "List of Lincoln Portraits, Part Two"
July: "Portraits of Abraham Lincoln, Part III"
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