1 50 1 https://d1y502jg6fpugt.cloudfront.net/50709/archive/files/14dc9664f06baaa543117cc6e041606b.jpg?Expires=1792627200&Signature=JIIDgr4zM2iLJqoT0iJ3snLfwrPxfUIp56YljUn8adnr%7E9Ub9tjhOV7jJp4bcOnUQfQ%7ERpo-E6FGH4SZZqLXN8xZm5zEt88y-epZHRC7GPsM4UYjNmE0Peyj36N0Fq0mWP%7EczgYNBxsXBBmPSaW2bnAA1b2DIwKyomslPyqe2n2n%7Et911kFBHvvGZPWwjIyhYGfJa8fKI5V4lJGjjWxz9m3TL6xIG-8JCVhXg5pl1u0soZvRCu6GwYLAbWQvF2HkjAGO%7ENBgI9KNpg-W67F8ZZ6ND8cJVzuijTxzeVBMn8-THcqINjiVZxx711l1ph8bkPruHI31BKFTqMVeMvLzGg__&Key-Pair-Id=K6UGZS9ZTDSZM 945a69e1627186916829604f849d57df Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Pat and Jerry B. Epstein Historic Document Collection Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context MS2001.23 Language A language of the resource English Description An account of the resource The Pat and Jerry B. Epstein American History Document Collection is an important collection of historical documents donated to The Colonial Williamsburg Foundation.. Highlights of the collection include a rare surviving parchment copy facsimile of the <em>Declaration of Independence</em> by William J. Stone (completed in 1823), a set of autographs of all the Signers of the Declaration of Independence, and a collection of autographs of Presidents of the United States up to, and including, Ronald Reagan. Text A resource consisting primarily of words for reading. Examples include books, letters, dissertations, poems, newspapers, articles, archives of mailing lists. Note that facsimiles or images of texts are still of the genre Text. Original Format The type of object, such as painting, sculpture, paper, photo, and additional data Ink on vellum. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource United States. Continental Congress Stone, William James, 1798-1865, engraver Title A name given to the resource Declaration of Independence Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 1823 Description An account of the resource <p>This copy of the Declaration of Independence was created to be a facsimile of the engrossed copy of the Declaration prepared by Timothy Matlack and signed by fifty-six members of Congress. It was printed from a copperplate engraved by William Stone of Washington, D.C. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams had commissioned Stone for the work in 1820. Adams was concerned about the deteriorating condition of the original Declaration and believed an official facsimile was needed to stand in for the original. Adams was also aware of the artistic versions of the Declaration being produced and thought the American people needed to see the Declaration as it was when first written without embellishment.</p> <p>William Stone labored over his plate for three years before the copperplate was ready for printing. It is not known how Stone produced his plate, but the two most likely methods are by tracing or using a wet transfer process. The latter process would have removed some ink from the original further damaging it. Whatever the method employed, the State Department authorized the printing of 200 copies on vellum. These were distributed to surviving signers of the Declaration of Independence (John Adams, Thomas Jefferson and Charles Carroll), former President James Madison, various government officials, branches and departments of the government, the Marquis de Lafayette, governors of each state and territory, and colleges and universities in the United States. Stone kept one copy for himself, a common practice among engravers. About fifty copies are still in existence.</p> <p>William James Stone (1798-1865) was born in London, England. After moving to America with his family in 1804, he trained as an engraver under the direction of the noted engraver and silversmith Peter Maverick. At seventeen, Stone moved to Washington, D.C. where he took frequent commissions from the federal government. In addition to producing passports, maps and certificates, Stone created the official facsimile copy of the Declaration of Independence at the request of then Secretary of State, John Quincy Adams.</p> Identifier An unambiguous reference to the resource within a given context MS2001.23.1 Contributor An entity responsible for making contributions to the resource Stone, William James, 1798-1865, engraver Alternative Title An alternative name for the resource. The distinction between titles and alternative titles is application-specific. In Congress, July 4, 1776 : The unanimous declaration of the thirteen United States of America. Language A language of the resource English