City Hall, New York, with Colonel Manning and the Dutch Fleet, circa 1850

This is an original antique steel engraving, uncolored, lettered below the view "CITY HALL NEW YORK." The building is seen from the corner across a busy street: two tall arcaded stories with pilasters and a balustraded roof, a columned portico over the entrance steps, and a domed cupola crowned by a statue, with a large American flag flying from a mast on the roof. An iron railing with stone gate piers and an arched iron gate runs along the front. A horse and open carriage stand at left under tall trees, and people walk along the pavement.

The uncaptioned emblem above the view shows three seated female figures with an eagle, a cornucopia of fruit, ships' masts behind, and a caduceus held by the figure at right. Below at left, "COLONEL MANNING PREVENTING THE CITIZENS OF NEW YORK FROM DEFENDING THE TOWN ON THE APPROACH OF THE DUTCH FLEET. 1673." shows an officer gesturing to armed townsmen beside a cannon, with ships offshore. At right, "GURRANGULA REPLYING TO THE THREATS OF DE LA BARRE. 1684." shows a Native American speaker addressing French officers. No artist or engraver credit is lettered under the view. The number 3 is engraved at the top right of the frame. The imprint at the foot reads "J.& F. TALLIS, LONDON, EDINBURGH, & DUBLIN."

The plate belongs to the History of the United States of America, edited by John Howard Hinton (1791 to 1873), the English Baptist minister and author, and published by J. and F. Tallis about 1850. J. and F. Tallis were London publishers of illustrated works sold in parts around the middle of the nineteenth century, and the plates of this edition set a central steel engraved view inside an engraved ornamental border with small lettered vignettes of episodes from American history. The left vignette refers to the Dutch recapture of New York in 1673, and the right to the Onondaga speaker usually called Garangula answering the French governor La Barre in 1684.

This is an original antique print, not a modern reproduction. This item is sold unframed.