Summer 2017

(304) 279-7714 www.jameskochan.com jameskochan@comcast.net Gallery: 75 Main Street P.O. Box 31 Wiscasset, Maine 04578 Henry Dawkins was one of the most important engravers in early America, producing bookplates for leading colonial families, maps, and important prints, including the patrioƟc print, Liberty Triumphant (1770). He fell into bad company in 1776 and was arrested for counterfeiƟng paper money. Dawkins was later released in return for providing invaluable services to the patriot cause. During 1778–79, he was employed as an arƟficer under the Commissary of Military Stores at Knox’s ArƟllery Cantonment in Pluckemin, New Jersey, later returning to Philadelphia, where he engraved ConƟnental notes and other documents for the ConƟnental Congress and Army to the close of the war. This die for a bookplate is unique among known 18th century plate dies, in that it is an engraved plate of silver and designed as a presentaƟon piece. Although the plate is properly reverse engraved for the prinƟng of paper bookplates, being of silver rather than copper, only a relaƟve few impressions could conceivably be made before the plate would lose its clarity of design, so it was probably never intended by Dawkins for such but rather to show off his skill as a master engraver. Moreover, the reverse face features a highly detailed, engraved group portrait done in the manner of a conversaƟon piece and is inscribed below with a presentaƟon memento. Stephen Decatur Sr. was born in Newport, Rhode Island in 1752, the son of a former French naval officer. By 1774, Stephen was master of a Philadelphia merchant ship and married Ann Pine of that city. During the war, Decatur commanded a number of privateer ships, including Royal Louis, the Comet, the RetaliaƟon, the Rising Sun, and the Fair American, all of which enjoyed successful cruises, capturing or sinking numerous enemy vessels. Ann Pine Decatur, the recipient of this presentaƟon plate, is shown seated, with the infant James Bruce in her lap and future US naval hero, Stephen Jr. standing before her, while daughter Ann holds the hand of her gallant father, who points with his leŌ hand towards two ships at anchor in the harbor beyond, probably his own ship alongside one of its prizes. Judging by respecƟve ages of the children in it, the plate was probably made and presented someƟme during the final year of the war. The historical record sƟll remains silent on what prompted this unusual and striking presentaƟon piece. Most likely, it was in recogniƟon of some service or charitable act that Ann Pine Decatur had done on behalf of this skilled, but somewhat errant and unfortunate, engraver-arƟst. Provenance: Captain Stephen and Ann Pine Decatur to son Commodore Stephen Decatur, Jr. (1779–1820); to brother, Colonel John Pine Decatur (1786–1832), and by descent unƟl sold at ChrisƟe’s, New York, January 20–21, 2005, lot 141; with Jonathan Trace, 2005; The Barbara NuƩ CollecƟon, 2005 unƟl 2015.