Benjamin Franklin Statue Inauguration Broadside & Memorial Book -

This is a unique pairing of items related to the statue of Benjamin Franklin sculpted by Richard Greenough and erected in Boston, MA in 1856. The highlight of this lot is the scarce 1856 broadside that was printed in the inauguration procession as it traveled through the streets of Boston on the day of the ceremony.

THE BROADSIDE:
"A Very Brief and Comprehensive Life of Ben: Franklin, Printer, Done into Quaint Verse, by one of the Types" dated (and distributed) September 17th, 1856 (the day of the ceremony). The broadside contains a lengthy 3-column poem recounting Franklin's life and achievements from his birth to his death; ornamental border; measures 9 3/4" x 12 1/4". "Printed on a press 'from the office of Messrs. J.C. French & Brother' and distributed to the spectators during the course of the procession in Boston to celebrate the inauguration of the bronze statue of Benjamin Franklin." The poem is attributed to B.P. (Benjamin Penhallow) Shillaber.

Here is an account of the printing of this broadside on the day of the inauguration:
"The (Franklin Typographical) Society has on several occasions during its existence appeared as a body, in public, in connection with civic celebrations occurring in Boston. One of the most notable in its history of such times was the taking part on September 17, 1856, in the ceremonies of the inauguration of the statue of Franklin..."

"At the ceremony of inauguration, the Society appeared in the procession of the day in the lead of the third division, which was under the chief-marshalship of the late Col. Charles O. Rogers, of the 'Boston Journal.' There were forty-one members in the ranks, wearing a badge specially prepared for the occasion, Mr. Edward L. Pike acting as marshal. In connection with the parade of the printers of the city in this division, mainly through the instrumentality of the Society, and directly under charge of a committee of its members, a most unique display was made by the appearance of a car, drawn by four horses, upon which was a wooded screw press, such as was in universal use when Franklin was a printer. Connected with the press were ink-balls and bank of the same pattern and style as those used when the press was in common use. Beside the press stood an ancient case-stand, said to have been at one time part of the office furniture of James Franklin, and concerning which it was also related that Benjamin Franklin had been employed at it. Upon the stand were arranged cases of types, with paraphernalia of olden-time printing offices.

During the progress of the procession through the streets, the old press was in constant operation producing reprints, in the antique style of typography, of the eightieth number of the 'New England Courant,' printed in Boston, and bearing date February 4 to February 11, 1723, which were distributed from the car to an eager crowd."

"There followed, in course, another car, a counterpart of the first, exhibiting, as far as practicable, by the use of a Hoe cylinder press from the office of J.C. French & Brothers, the contrast of a modern printing-press and its accompaniments. The press was managed and worked by the firm contributing it and their assistants, who printed and distributed a production in verse of thirty stanzas by our honored member, Benjamin P. Shillaber, entitled: 'A Very Brief and Very Comprehensive Life of Ben: Franklin, Printer, Done into Quaint Verse, by one of the Types. - September 17th, 1856.'"

THE BOOK:
"Memorial of the Inauguration of the Statue of Franklin" printed in 1857. "Prepared and Printed by Authority of The City Council"; Boston. The book contains a frontispiece illustration of the statue in a Boston setting as well as plates of the Franklin family plot in the Granary Burying Ground, Franklin's birthplace on Milk Street in Boston, and the Charles Bulfinch Monument with the Franklin Urn. Contents are as follows:
* Inauguration of the Statue of Franklin
* Preliminary Arrangements
* Decorations
* Procession
* Inaugural Services
* Close of the Festival
* Final Proceedings
* Appendix (History of the Franklin Statue, Description of the Statue, Notice of the Artist, Letters in Answer to Invitations, List of Contributors)

This is a rare, one-of-a-kind lot for the Benjamin Franklin or American history buff!

Condition:
BROADSIDE: Light foxing; crease lines; 1/2" tear along one crease; during the printing process, the top-left corner folded over towards the front of the page...therefore, a block at the top left corner is "blank" when unfolded, and the copy that should be in that location is instead printed on the back of the page (see photos 1 and 4). BOOK: the extremities of the gray end papers have faded; tight binding, no cracks, no loose pages; the pages are mostly clean and white - sparse light foxing to random pages, newspaper clipping left between pages 348/349 resulting in tanning at the gutter; 1" tear at outer edge of page 101; page 233 has "1898 1746 - 150 years" written in pencil in the outer margin and 6 words underlined in pencil...no other writing found. 5 of the front end papers (including half-title page, which is actually upside down) are filled with notes from what I believe to be Dr. visit house calls from the 1890's. Notes in pencil also on back of title page and Preface page.