Antique 1876 Maryland Great Seal Drawing Mary Dorsey Davis Purnell Gallery Frame For Sale

Rare Antique 1876 Maryland Great Seal Drawing Mary Dorsey Davis Purnell Gallery FrameItem SpecificsItem SpecificValueArtistMary Dorsey Davis(1845–1939)TitleThe Arms of Lord Baltimore and The Great Seal of MarylandYear of Production1876Production TechniquePen and Ink / Pencil DrawingSubjectGreat Seal of Maryland, Calvert Coat of Arms, Lord BaltimoreStyleAmericana, Colonial Revival, Historic Document ArtFeaturesFramed, Signed, Original Gallery Label (Purnell Art Co.)FramingOriginal Late-19th Century Ebonized Wood Frame with Gesso BaseCulture / OriginMaryland, USA (Ex-Collection \"Greenwood\" Estate, Montgomery County)Comprehensive Historical Item Description🎨Historic 1876 Centennial Drawing of the Great Seal of MarylandThis is an original, historically significant pen-and-ink and pencil drawing executed in1876byMary Dorsey Davis. The artwork beautifully captures both sides of the original 1658Great Seal of Maryland, which was brought across the Atlantic by Governor Josias Fendall and served as the state\'s official emblem until the American Revolution.The drawing was meticulously sketched directly from the early colonial land patent seals preserved at\"Greenwood,\"the prominent historic Dorsey-Davis family estate in Montgomery County, Maryland.⏳ Chronological History of the Great Seal

• The First Great Seal:Brought over during the early days of the Maryland colony, it was stolen by Richard Ingle during his rebellion of 1645. Cecilius Calvert, 2nd Lord Baltimore, sent a similar replacement silver seal from England in 1648. Except for the period of crown rule (1692–1715), that Great Seal remained in use until the end of the 18th century. The Maryland Council authorized its continued use on March 31, 1777 (Constitution of 1776, sec. 36).
• The 1794 Republican Seal:A new seal with republican imagery was adopted by the Governor and Council on February 5, 1794. Designed by the famous American painter Charles Willson Peale, this seal remained in use until 1817. In that year, the General Assembly adopted a single-sided Great Seal bearing an eagle holding a shield. Another seal authorized in 1854 depicted an eagle and a variant of the Calvert arms.
• The 1874 Restoration (The Basis of this 1876 Drawing):Maryland readopted the reverse of the original Calvert seal in 1874 via Joint Resolution no. 9, Acts of 1874. This new seal corrected the imagery of the Calvert arms used in the 1854 version. In 1959, the General Assembly formally adopted the obverse into the seal by statute and codified its description.

🏷️ Premier Local Provenance: The Purnell Art Rooms Gallery LabelThe back of the frame features an intact, highly coveted circular gallery label reading:\"Purnell\'s Art Rooms,345 N. Charles St., Baltimore, MD.\"

• Historic Significance:Established in Baltimore, thePurnell Art Companywas the absolute premier fine art dealer, framer, and importer catering to Maryland’s high-society families during the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
• Location Relevance:The address345 North Charles Streetplaces this framing precisely within Baltimore\'s historicCathedral Hill District/ Mount Vernon neighborhood—the affluent cultural epicenter of Gilded Age Baltimore.
• Authenticity Anchor:This label serves as an institutional guarantee of antiquity. It proves the drawing passed through Baltimore\'s top-tier fine art pipeline shortly after its creation in 1876, establishing an elite, localized chain of custody.

📐 Item Specifications & Dimensions

• Frame Dimensions:15 ¾\" x 12 ¾\"
• Paper Dimensions:9\" x 7 ⅛\"
• Seal Circle Diameter:Each hand-drawn seal side measures exactly 3 ¼\" in diameter.
• Framing:Original late-19th century ebonized dark wood molding with an elegant beaded inner lip (astragalprofile). Natural antique chipping on the corners reveals the authentic, warm yellowed gesso composition base layer underneath.
• Backing:Fully intact, period-authentic raw wood panel backing secured with original glazier/glier points and hand-twisted iron hanging wire.

🔍 Condition NotesThis item is in authentic, unrestored antique condition. The frame shows beautiful age-appropriate wear and patina, with minor finish losses revealing the gesso substrate. The drawing paper shows expected age-toning and uniform yellowing consistent with its 150-year history, with minor wear to the edges.Please review all high-resolution images closely to evaluate condition prior to purchasing.
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