Carved Picture Frame

DateJanuary 4, 1899

Artist Thomas Jefferson Craddock 1845 - 1918

OriginAmerica, Virginia, Charlottesville

MediumCarved and painted walnut

DimensionsOverall: 15 1/4 × 14 3/4 in (38.73 × 37.46cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number2025.708.1

DescriptionAlong the top frame member from left to right - “THOS. JEFFERSON OF VA/ BORN APR 2, 1743 WAS/ PRESIDENT USA/ 1801-1809”, an image of a house, likely Monticello “MONTICELLO VA”, and underneath that inscription are two trees and an animal, perhaps a horse.

Along the right frame member from top to bottom – A thistle, “JEFFERSON DYING WORDS/ I RESIGN MY SPIRIT TO GOD/ MY DAUGHTER TO MY COUNTRY/ DIED JULY 4 1826” and a shield decorated with stars and stripes, behind it are two American flags.

Along the bottom frame member from left to right – “WROTE DECLARATION OF/ INDEPENDENCE 1776 FOUNDER/ OF UNIVERSITY VA 1819”, a tree beside a depiction of the Rotunda from UVA, and “UNIVERSITY OF VA/ ROTUNDA/ BURNT SUNDAY/ OCT 27 1985”

Along the left frame member from top to bottom – an eagle with an American flag in it’s beak, “THIS FRAME WAS CUT/ NEAR JEFFERSONS HOME/ MONTICELLO VA/ JAN 4 1899”, and an image of a forearm with pointer finger pointing up to the sky.
Label TextBorn in 1845, Thomas Jefferson Craddock was the son of a carpenter and lived his whole life in Albemarle County, Virginia. He served for a short period of time as a private in the Confederate Army from 1862 until he was wounded in 1863 at Hamilton's Crossing near Fredericksburg. He was a prolific carver who is mainly known for the walking sticks that he made and sold as souveniers to people visiting Monticello and graduates of the University of Virginia.

Inscription(s)"THIS FRAME WAS CUT / NEAR JEFFERSONS HOME / MONTICELLO VA / JAN. 4TH 1899"Provenance2025, Jeffery S. Evans & Associates (Harrisonburg, VA, November 22, 2025, lot 2084); 2025, purchased by The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation (Williamsburg, VA)