National Republican., 1884-08-30
DEPT ENGRAVINGS.
PORTRAITS AND vIGSETTEs THAT MAY DE
PURCHASED FROH THE GOVERNMENT.
The High Character OF Work Executed by tho
Bureau Of Engraving and Printing Whore
the Various Portraits are Usod-Thc Pro.
tections Against Countsrreitiny.


tections Against CounterTeitiny.
"Whore did you got that pictureg
asked REPUBLICAN, reporter of gentle
man who was exhibiting an excelently
engraved likeness Of Hon. James G..
Blaine.
"Bought IL over ut the bureau of on
craving aud printing" was the reply.
Bought it 2" queried the reporter in
surprise.
"Yes; bought II. Didn't you know por.
traits could bo purchased thoro2'
Tho reporter confessed that he did not
know that fact, and then commenced to
investigate the subject. Proceeding to
tho bureau of engraving and printing, ho
learned that IN act was approved Dec. 90,
1879, providing as follows:
That the secretary the treasury, at the rc.
quest of senator, representative, or delegate
in congress, the head ofa department or bu-
rcau, art association, OF library be, and he Is
hereby authorized to furnish impressions nom
any portrait or Ylgnette which Is now or may
hereafter be part of the engraved stock OF
the bureau of engraving and printing, ut such
rates nnd under such conditions as he may
deem necessary to protect the public interests.
In accordance with these provisions q
list of the portraits and vignettcs en-
graved by tho bureau has been published,
and may bo procured on application to
the chief of the bureau. The portraits
and vignettes are sold at the rates of
seven India proofs, ten French India
proofs. or twenty plain proofs for 81.
The list includes portraits of all the pres
idents from Washington to Arthur; three
vice presidents, and tho secretaries of the
treasury from Alexander Hainilton TO
Chas. j. Folgcr. The other cabinet oiii-
GERS are not complete, as IL has been i'm
possible to obtain photographs of those
who held ofiico during the early days of
the republic. Of the secretaries of state
there are twelve, including Henry Clay,
Daniel Webster, Edward Everett, Vim.
IL. Seward, and those since his time.
There are but seven secretaries of war,
viz Con. Scott, Stanton, Rawlins, Bel
knap, McCrary, Ramsey, and Lincoln.
There are seven secretaries of the navy:
Geo. Bancroft, Messrs. Boree, Robeson,
Thompson, Goff, Hunt, and Chandler.
Tho list also includes five secretaries of
the interior, eight postmasters general,
six attorneys general, and two chief
justices.
Among the portraits of senators and re-
prosentatives may be found Robert Nor
ris, DE Witt Clinton, Thomas IL. Benton,
Silas Wright, Stephen A. Douglass, Il. ID.
Baker. Chas. Summer, o. p. Morton,
Arson Burlingame, +. Il. Spinner, Thad-
deus Stevens, Matt Carpenter, and Con.
Burnside. Among the representatives of
the army and navy are Commodores
John Paul Jones' Decatur, Perry, Balm
bridge, Admiral Farragut, Gems. Nathaniel
Greene, Lafayette, Sherman, Meade, Mans.
field, Thomas, Barnes, Mcpherson, and
Putnam, while among other portraits are
VIM. Cullen Bryant, Washington Irving,
Prof. Joseph Horny, Christopher Colum-
bus. Gov. John A. Andrew, Martha
Washington, aud Chief Ouray.
There are nearly hundred vignettes,
including engravings of the different
public buildings, tho large number of
small pictures that are used upon the
various government securities, and four
United States vessels viz: tho Iroquois,
Polaris. New Ironsides, and revenue
cutter Chase.
All these portraits and vignettes are for
use upon the different bonds, banknOtes,
and other securities issued by the govern
ment, and are executed in the very
highest style Of the engraving art. The
engraving division of the bureau now
Cuutdthh pho bCbb hhbioto IA thCit NuhiOub
specialties Of letter, ornamental, and
portrait engraving in this country. and
TT is doubtful if anywhere in the world
there are gathered together in one room
80 many skilled workmen.
Among the engravers who either are or
have been connected with the bureau
may be mentioned Charles Burt, who
stands at the very head OF portrait en-
gravers; ID. M. Cooper, who occupies
similar position as letter engraver; j.
f. Il. Proud homme, whose "a years have
not diminished his skill Us an ornamental
engraver; l.. j. Hatch. who, though yeta
young man, bids fair to rival Burt in his
delicate delineation of heads; Seeley,
Duthie. Delnoce, Schlecht, Ourdan, Balch,
Earle, Copenhaver, Gugler, Pease, Noyes,
Law, and Holmes. In the infancy of the
bureau Duthie was tho chief of the en-
gravers and Henry Hunter had charge of
the transformers; but subsequently the
two branches were consolidated, and
placed under the charge of Mr.. George
| w. Casilear, who, to fine skill as an en-
graver. added executive ability of high
order and under whose administration
this branch of the bureau Of engraving
and printing has attained its present high
degree of efficiency.
The first plates mado by the engraving
division were those for the frst issues of
the fractional currency in denominations
from cents to so cents. and on these
were placed the heads of various persons
living as well as dead. Congress subse-
quently passed law prohibiting the
placing of the head of any living person,
no matter how distinguished or how ex-
alted his position, upon any of the gov
ernment securities. 1t was stated that
the placing of the head of Mr.. s. M. Clark,
at that time chief of the bureau, upon the
5-csnt notes was the cause of tho passage
of this law.
The next work performed by the en-
craving division was the engraving ofthe
| l, 9, and 3-year interest notes the 6-20
bonds. Sd and 4th series of all denomi-
nations, both coupon and registered and
tho 7-30 bonds Then when the work
was taken away from the bank note COM
panies tho entire work of engraving as
we'll as printing was executed in the
bureau.
CAS- familiar as people are with money"
said Mr.. Casilear. 81 don't believe one
man in ten could tell you what heads are
upon tho different denominations of bank
notes, while even bankers would hesitate
before replying if you should ask them
what portraits were placed upon the vari-
GUS bonds"
The reporter admitted the forco of the
remark, but, as he had no copies of any
OF the various securities about his clothes,
reference was had to the books Of proofs.
from which it was learned that the heads
were located as follows On United States
notes-Sl, Washington; So, Jefferson; So,
Jackson; $40, Webster; 500 Hamilton; $50,
Franklin; 500, Lincoln; $500, Gen. Mans
field; $1,000, De Witt Clinton; $4,000,
cortihcates-Sl0, Robert Morris; 500, Com
modoro Decatur; $50, Edward Everett;
800, James Monroe; $500, Charles Sum
ner, and $1,000, w. l.. Marcy. On gold
notes-$2o, Garfield; $50, silas Wright
800, Thomas Ii. Benton; $500, A. Lin