1866 Boell Advertising Broadsheet for Lithographic Services

Rare Advertisment for Civil War-era Lithographic Printer

This is a rare and unusual c. 1866 letter sheet trade advertisement for the Philadelphia lithographer William Boell. It reflects the developing sophistication of lithographic printing at the time, including ornate flourishes and cursive text.

A Closer Look

The sheet is organized around a block of text advertising Boell's lithographic printing services for 'merchants, engineers, machinists, and manufacturers in general.' Some odd constructions and spellings belie Boell's foreign birth and upbringing ('he has for many years been employed in executing the finest Work in the Art,' 'Respectfully invited to call and examine speciments'). Allegorical figures appear at the top (a Native American and a frontier settler) and the bottom (likely the goddesses Minerva and Fortuna, referring to technology, industry, and commerce). The eagle at top was a common motif of the era, an echo of the American Civil War (1861 - 1865). An ornate border surrounds and weaves through the sheet, while a variety of text types are used, demonstrating Boell's versatility.

Commercialization of Lithographic Printing in the U.S.

Although lithographic printing in the U.S. dates back to 1819, the technology took time to become distributed, affordable, and accepted as preferable to intaglio plate printing. By the 1850s and 1860s, lithography had moved from a specialized craft to a major commercial art and printing industry. Previously dependent on imported stones and European-trained artisans, American firms, especially in the northeastern cities of Philadelphia, Boston, and New York, expanded dramatically throughout the latter part of the 19th century. Improvements in press technology, the growing availability of high-quality lithographic stones, and the refinement of transfer techniques made lithography faster, more economical, and more precise. This allowed for the explosion of illustrated print culture: sheet music covers, city views, advertisements, trade cards, certificates, and political prints, which all demanded vivid, quickly produced images, a need that lithography was uniquely able to meet.

Publication History and Census

This lithographed advertisement was prepared by William Boell in Philadelphia. It must be from c. 1860 or later, given the Philadelphia location (see biography below), and likely dates from after the U.S. Civil War, as much of Boell's wartime output was related to the conflict. We are aware of only one other cataloged example of this work, held by the American Antiquarian Society.

Cartographer

William Boell (c. 1830 - 1890), sometimes also as William Buell, was an engraver and lithographic printer based in New York City and then Philadelphia. Records differ on Boell's birthdate and whether he was born in France or Germany, but in any event Boell emigrated to New York City in his youth and entered the print trade. By 1854, he was issuing works under his own name or with various partners (Lewis, Michelin) and by 1859 had relocated to Philadelphia. Always calling himself a 'practical lithographer,' Boell printed works on a variety of subjects and in a range of media, including book illustrations, advertisements, church views, bird's eye views, political cartoons, and especially industrial sketches of machinery and the like. His most famous work was the Civil War-era 'Volunteers Refreshment Saloon.' Boell married an English-born woman named Julie or Julia Thompson and had four or perhaps five children with her. He appears to have done well with his business, briefly entering into a partnership with August Steng, but ran into financial trouble in the early 1880s (owing money to a 'John Thompson,' perhaps a relation of his wife) and his cataloged works end around 1882.   Further Details...

Condition

Good. Some edge wear. A few minor closed tears, repaired on verso.

References

OCLC 957236487.