Tales from Behind the Frame
Seeing that tomorrow is July 4th, we were reminded of a project we did in 2013 for FAPE. The project gave us the amazing opportunity to take an up close and personal look at a rare piece of American History, the original frame of one of a handful of known existing copper plate engraving prints of an original version of the 1823 Stone Declaration of Independence.
Through FAPE, Gold Leaf Studios was given the opportunity as part of a project that would reproduce the document in a limited edition large enough for each U.S. embassy worldwide and place each copy in custom handmade frames. The frames we handcrafted were based on a design that was modeled after the Colonial styles of Charles Willson Peale (American, 1741-1827), renowned painter, Revolutionary solider and Co-Founder of the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. To date, the Peale this frame is the only known surviving original frame associated with the 1823 Stone copy of the Declaration of Independence. The symbolic ornaments and aesthetic choices of the frame’s design, discovered by William Adair, are remnants of the spirit of the American Revolution.
But what we found behind the frame was equally fascinating. The back of the frame is covered in newspaper dating to 1824.
This little bit of newspaper pasted to the back of the frame, that was miraculously preserved by some kind twist of fate, has the date July 5, 1824. This is what enabled us to concretely date the frame as original to the document. If that paper had just rubbed off a half inch more to the left, that important bit of data would have been lost forever.
For perspective, Georgetown University was simply Georgetown College (see above) with classes beginning in 1792, not too long after we gained independence. The first year Georgetown boasted an enrollment of 40 students and the first two bachelor’s degrees were awarded in 1817, just a few years before the publication of the newspaper found pasted to the back of the frame.
And take a look at this section of the newspaper adhered to the back of the frame - one can only imagine what the missing passages of this column said...
"permitted to seek their own" "of individual" "embarrassments." "in searching for the" "state of things, it is not a little astonishing th... men should pass over the great political events which have obviously placed the United States in a new position in relation to the rest of the world"
So, always look at the back of the frame. They often tell some good stories of their own.
Happy Independence Day!
















