Declaration of Independence

Date1818

Primary Author United States Continental Congress

Artist Benjamin Owen Tyler born 1789

Engraver Peter Maverick 1780 - 1831

OriginAmerica, Washington, District of Columbia

MediumInk on laid paper.

DimensionsOverall: 80 x 61cm (31 1/2 x 24in.)

Credit LineSpecial Collections, John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation

Object numberSCMS2008.2

DescriptionThis version of the Declaration of Independence was the work of Benjamin Owen Tyler, writing master of Washington, D.C. The work was engraved by and possibly printed by Peter Maverick. This copy was printed on paper though copies were also printed on parchment and silk.
Over the course of several weeks, Tyler visited the State Department in Washington where he painstakingly copied the text and signatures by hand from the original. He relied upon his skill as a penmanship master to create his work using various ornamental scripts to emphasize passages within the text. “IN CONGRESS, JULY 4TH. 1776” appears as an arched heading above the title. Most of the text was accomplished in a uniform round hand while words such as “Life”, “Liberty”, and “Justice” appear in black letter. The use of shading within letters, italics and backwards slanting letters all contributed to the design. The signatures appear in facsimile, their accuracy rivaled only by those of William Stone. They are arranged in the same order and style as on the original engrossed copy created by Timothy Matlack in 1776.
Tyler had been inspired to create this work to take advantage of the vigorous marketing campaign John Binns had undertaken to promote his artistic production of the Declaration (SCMS2008.3). Tyler had great success in courting the support of powerful men for his work. Thomas Jefferson, John Adams, and James Madison were subscribers, and the work itself was dedicated to Jefferson. This support and the cheaper price of Tyler’s Declaration compared to that of Binns resulted in robust sales of the print. Tyler sold copies for $5.00 on paper and $7.00 on parchment. Though he claimed to have had over three thousand orders, it is likely he produced and sold approximately one thousand copies.

Copied from the original Declaration of Independence in the Department of State, and Published by Benjamin Owen Tyler Professor of Penmanship, City of Washington 1818. The publisher designed and executed the ornamental writing, and has been particular to copy the Facsimilies exact, and has also observed the same punctuation, and copied every Capital as in the original. Engraved by Peter Maverick Newark N.J.Inscription(s)At the lower left portion of the broadside is the following endorsement: "Department of State September 10. 1817. The foregoing copy of the Declaration of Independence has been collated with original instrument and found correct. I have myself examined the signature to each. Those executed by Mr. Tyler are curiously exact imitations, so much so that it would be difficult, if not impossible, for the closest scrutiny to distinguish them, were it nor for the hand of time, from the originals. Richard Rush Acting Secretary of State."ProvenanceBefore 2008 with Seth Kaller, Inc.; 2008-present, purchased by the John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Library, Colonial Williamsburg Foundation