View Near Conway, New Hampshire, Death of Major Waldron Vignette, circa 1850

This is an original antique steel engraving, uncolored, lettered below the view "A VIEW NEAR CONWAY, N HAMPSHIRE." A log cabin with a smoking chimney and an open shed stands beneath a stand of very tall pines at left; two people sit on a bench by the door, chickens peck in the yard and a man on the rutted road waves toward a covered wagon coming down the valley. Beyond, a stream with a small fall crosses the middle ground, steep wooded slopes rise to a craggy cliff at right, and a pointed mountain peak stands in the distance under a pale sky with birds.

The uncaptioned emblem above the view shows two men walking into woodland, one carrying a gun on his shoulder and pointing ahead, with a covered wagon and cattle beyond. Below at left, "DEATH OF MAJOR WALDRON. 1689." shows armed Native American attackers with raised hatchets, a man raising a weapon, a fallen figure and women clutching each other at right. At right, "MASON'S TITLE DISPUTED." shows men in long coats and wigs arguing around a table with papers. No artist or engraver credit is lettered under the view. 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. Major Richard Waldron was killed at Dover, New Hampshire, in 1689.

A homely backwoods scene with mountain scenery that suits a New Hampshire or New England collection.

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