1864 Emancipation Proclamation Print
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GUEST:
It came from my mother, and it's been in the family I know at least 50 years.
APPRAISER:
Uh-huh.
GUEST:
And how much longer than that, I don't know.
APPRAISER:
And where is your family from?
GUEST:
Well, we was born in Jackson, Mississippi.
APPRAISER:
I see. Do you know anything about the background of this print, as to what it shows and what it's telling about?
GUEST:
All I know, it's Emancipation Proclamation that Abraham Lincoln signed, and I've been in my house 29 years, so I've had it ever since.
APPRAISER:
I see. Well, the first thing I looked at was to see if it was an original print. And down here, there's a copyright date on it, 1864. So the Civil War was in full swing at that time, Union troops were pouring into the South, and because of the Emancipation Proclamation, many slaves were being freed. And this picture shows Union soldiers coming into a residence and announcing that the Emancipation Proclamation... actually reading it to them. And what's fascinating is the various expressions on the people's faces. There's hope, there's joy. And with the older lady, there's fear. It's a beautiful piece. Even symbols such as the cotton hanging on the line here, some cotton bolls, it shows what their work was.
GUEST:
Mm-hmm.
APPRAISER:
So it's a fine example of American historical prints and printmaking from the 19th century. And then, of course, with the portrait of Abraham Lincoln, the Great Emancipator. And if I were selling this retail, I would ask $650 for it.
GUEST:
Wow, okay.
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