Country

Cart

Your cart is empty

Get First Access to New Maps

New battle and city maps drop weekly. Join 10,000+ collectors and be first to know — plus get 10% off your first order.
Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776: William J. Stone engraving of 1823 showing the full text and 56 signatures.
Declaration of Independence 1823 Stone engraving in a Black frame with a white mat, hung between bookshelves in a study.
Declaration of Independence 1823 Stone engraving in a Walnut Brown frame, close-up of the corner, white mat and signatures.
Declaration of Independence detail: heading In Congress, July 4, 1776, The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States.
Declaration of Independence detail: signatures of John Hancock and the other signers, with the imprint W. J. Stone Sc. Washn.
Declaration of Independence detail: closing lines declaring the United Colonies Free and Independent States.

Declaration of Independence – 1823 William Stone Engraving

Sale price$65
Frame style:

Declaration of Independence – 1823 William Stone Engraving

The fifty-six men who signed the Declaration of Independence put their names to a parchment that had badly faded within fifty years; this is the engraving that preserved it, cut in copper by William J. Stone of Washington, completed in 1823 and offered here as a museum-quality reproduction. It reproduces the full text adopted on July 4, 1776 and every signature at the size of the original. Stone's engraving is the image most people now recognize as the Declaration. His imprint, "W. J. Stone Sc. Washn.," appears at the lower left.

Historical Context

The Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776, and most delegates signed the engrossed parchment on August 2. By 1820 the parchment had been rolled, moved and handled for decades, and its ink was fading. Secretary of State John Quincy Adams commissioned William J. Stone to engrave an exact facsimile on a copper plate, work that took about three years. In 1823 two hundred copies were printed on parchment for the surviving signers, government officials and institutions. Further copies were later printed on paper from Stone's plate for Peter Force's American Archives, and this reproduction is taken from that printing.

The Engraving's Features

The heading reads "In Congress, July 4, 1776. The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America." The full text follows in the hand of the engrossed original, down to the closing lines declaring the colonies "Free and Independent States." Below it stand the signatures, with John Hancock's at the center and the delegations arranged in columns around it. Stone's small imprint sits at the lower left, beneath the Georgia signatures.

Historical Significance

The original Declaration is now so faded that much of it cannot be read. Stone's engraving, made while the parchment was still legible, is the reason the document's appearance is known in such detail. Nearly every later reproduction descends from his plate. For anyone who wants the Declaration as its signers saw it, this is the closest surviving likeness.

Framing Options

This engraving is available unframed or professionally framed and ready to hang. Our framing partner uses museum-quality materials to protect and present your engraving for long-term display. Choose from a classic Black frame or a warm Walnut Brown frame — both available with your order. Please allow 3–4 weeks for delivery on framed orders.

Museum-Quality Reproduction

This is a high-quality reproduction of the original historic engraving, professionally printed on premium archival paper using the Giclée printing process to preserve fine detail, line clarity, and period authenticity for long-term display.

Perfect For

  • Families marking a graduation, citizenship or military milestone
  • Collectors of American founding documents
  • Veterans and serving military professionals
  • Teachers, attorneys and students of American history
  • Home offices, libraries and studies

Specifications

  • Depicts: The Declaration of Independence, adopted July 4, 1776, with the signatures of all 56 signers
  • Original Publication: Engraved 1823; this state of the plate was printed on paper for Peter Force's American Archives, published 1848
  • Engraver: William J. Stone, Washington, D.C.
  • Style: Copperplate engraving, full-size facsimile of the engrossed Declaration
  • Product Type: Giclée reproduction on premium archival paper
  • Printed In: Rochester Hills, Michigan

Dimensions (Width x Height): 24.6 x 29.3 inches (62.5 x 74.4 cm)

Each engraving is printed using the finest materials and methods. Your engraving will be handled with white gloves from start to finish. We use the Giclée printing method on premium archival paper, which produces a clear, extremely detailed, durable engraving perfect for proud display in your home or office.
Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1776: William J. Stone engraving of 1823 showing the full text and 56 signatures.
Declaration of Independence – 1823 William Stone Engraving Sale price$65