| Antique Print Description This is an original engraved print from the April 11, 1863 Harper's Weekly Newspaper. The print is titled:"ADMIRAL PORTER'S SECOND DUMMY FRIGHTENING THE REBELS AT VICKSBURG" The illustration shows a phony ironclad made of wood meant to fool the Confederate batteries on the Mississippi River at Vicksburg into wasting ammunition trying to sink the dummy vessel. The print measures 6" x 9" with 1/4" margins and paper being both flexible and sound. You may be interested in our other listings on eBay.
From the Harper's Weekly..." ADMIRAL PORTER'S DUMMY." YAZOO RIVER, March 12, 1863. "I have not sent you a sketch for some time, but make up for it by the one enclosed. "Much as we have come to mourn over the loss of the Indianola, I don't suppose that a more ridiculous thing ever occurred than the blowing up of this gun-boat after the rebels had her so securely in their clutches; and it will hardly be believed when the history of this war is written that a wooden dummy could have achieved so remarkable a victory. I must confess, however, that the dummy was a much more formidable looking vessel than the Indianola in every respect—especially her wooden gun, which was a monster. "After passing the batteries at night, and defying all the guns in Vicksburg, she lay a whole day opposite the canal—the rebels trying in vain to sink her, and never for a moment discovering their error—when she got in the current again, and 'sailed in' on the Queen of the West (which vessel had just arrived at Warrenton), when it was amusing to see that rebel rammer clap on steam and vamose the ranche."
Frequently Asked Questions
Are those odd lines on the image a defect in the print?
Antique prints often have faint vertical or horizontal lines visible. Rather than a defect, they are a fascinating historical artifact of the popular engraving process employed by newspapers at the time of the Civil War? During the war, newspaper publishers needed a method where they could get the illustrations produced by newspaper artists in the battlefield to the American public as quickly as possible.
To do this, the illustration was divided into sections usually two inches square. Double page prints were divided into as many as 40 sections. The section was traced onto a wood block. Engravers cut into the wood with various tools creating a mirror image of their section of the illustration. The blocks were then screwed together, recreating the original illustration. This would then be inked and stamped onto the newsprint. The lines on the image above are a result of where the blocks of wood were joined together.
Will my antique print deteriorate?
Before 1870, newspapers were not made from wood pulp as they are today. Instead, they were printed on a sturdy paper made by pulping linen rags. These rags came from clothing and ship sails. Because this kind of paper contains very little acid, your antique print could easily retain its appearance for many years into the future, if handled properly.
Why do people purchase antique prints and maps?
Antique prints and maps portray a moment in history. Because they represent a broad range of subjects, they are particularly useful when looking for a unique gift. Interior design has become a huge market for antique prints. From small framed botanicals to large Civil War maps, from large framed old city views to a collection of framed Harper's satirical cartoons, antique prints provide a world of design possibility. If properly framed, antique prints and maps can be preserved for many decades.
Is this item really authentic or just a reproduction?
You can have confidence that the item you purchase is guaranteed to be an original and not a modern day reproduction of any kind.
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