Freeman Rawdon (August 18, 1802 - September 21, 1859) was an American artist, engraver, and publisher. Born in Connecticut, Rawdon founded his engraving and printing firm sometime after 1825, likely in New York City. He partnered with Neziah Wright in 1828 and established Rawdon, Wright, and Company of New York City. Rawdon's brother Ralph Rawdon (December 19, 1793 - September 12, 1877) founded his own printing and engraving firm in Albany in 1816, and formed several partnerships between 1818 and 1832. The Rawdon brothers merged their firms on March 1, 1832, and formed Rawdon, Wright, Hatch, and Company. At the time of the merger, Tracy R. Edson joined the firm as its business administrator and ran the company's New Orleans office until 1847. He also played an outsize role in establishing the firm in Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and Boston. Edson was transferred to the New York City office in 1847 to run the entire firm. The company's name was changed to Rawdon, Wright, Hatch, and Edson. The firm won the U.S. government contract to print the first American postage stamps from 1847 - 1851. Rawdon, Wright, Hatch, and Edson merged with seven other firms in 1858 to form the American Bank Note Company.



Out of Stock Maps