Antique Pencil Drawing - New Jersey College 1855 - Collage - Original Frame Found a few years ago- & altered to some small extent by me. A pencil drawing of New Jersey College main building c. 1855. The drawing stayed framed behind glass for decades- & on the reverse- written in pencil: “View of New Jersey College c. 1855” (Note: this I removed & cut down to fit at the bottom of the drawing itself. It also obscures some of a glue stain from long ago.) It’s a modest little piece, by a sweet & naive hand. Other than the title written on the back, it is unsigned… or rather, any signature was cut off by framers. Featured behind a collection of tall trees & tall fence - a rendition of the main building of the College of New Jersey - as it’s now called. & in the street, a horse & rider cantor by- with a few ladies entering on foot. The drawing is in pencil- on a thick card paper… greatly yellowed at the borders where an acidic mat interacted with the paper. The College was founded in 1855 as New Jersey Normal School. This piece - as found- with frame & backing information - seems to have been made somewhere around or after that date. Unfortunately- the framer seemed to have cut off an inked in title to the piece. It is barely visible at the bottom of the piece. The frame is a simple darkened wood- a bit banged about thru the years- but sturdy yet. There is an embedded loop on the top which might have served as the original hanging device. Later, I presume, eye hooks & a copper wire were added to hang. Measures: The wooden Frame is 16 1/4" x 12 1/8" & the window: 13 1/2" x 9 1/2". The Framer: The Old Print Shop- located in NYC, was operating since 1898 & proudly displayed their printed tag on the back. The backing paper was in tatters, & the old mat was quite destructively acidic to the piece. I took the whole thing apart- & there were glue marks & etc- I covered these to the best of my abilities - with bits from old valentine cards- circa 1905. I saved both the written description & the framer’s tag & they are mounted now below the drawing… & so. As Found & altered by me. {211.21} Antique Pencil Drawing With Pertinent Applied Collage - View Of New Jersey College C. 1855 Original Frame
