Head Waters of the Juniata, Pennsylvania, Penn's Treaty Vignette, circa 1850

This is an original antique steel engraving, uncolored, lettered below the view "HEAD WATERS OF THE JUNIATA ALLEGHANY MOUNTAINS, PENSYLVANIA." The central view looks down into a rocky gorge where a stream pours over a low fall and runs in a fast current toward the foreground. A rough footbridge made of two long tree trunks with a rail spans the gorge between two rock outcrops. A young man in a straw hat crosses it with a long fishing rod over his shoulder and a basket at his side, while a dog stands on the far end of the log. Dense woods fill the middle distance, a dead tree rises at the right, and a mountain peak appears through low cloud under a stormy sky with a few birds.

The ornamental border carries an uncaptioned emblem above the view: a Native American man with a feathered headdress sitting on a rock in a pensive pose, a long gun leaning beside him. Below at left, a vignette lettered "PENN'S TREATY WITH THE INDIANS." shows William Penn and his companions in broad hats meeting a group of Native Americans under a large tree, one man kneeling to unroll a cloth. At right, "STONE TO COMMEMORATE THE TREATY, PHILADELPHIA." shows visitors at an obelisk lettered "PENN SOCIETY AD. 1827. GREAT ELM TREE.". No artist or engraver credit is lettered under the view. The imprint at the foot reads "J & F. TALLIS, LONDON, EDINBURGH & DUBLIN." The title spells Pennsylvania with a single n and Allegheny as "ALLEGHANY", both as engraved.

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.

A fine choice for a collection of Pennsylvania views.

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