The History List
"Declaration of Independence" Boston Broadside from the Printing Office of Edes & Gill in Boston
"Declaration of Independence" Boston Broadside from the Printing Office of Edes & Gill in Boston
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From the Printing Office of Edes & Gill in Boston. You can purchase the Declaration, described below, or the Declaration and the Constitution, which is also printed at Edes & Gill, at a savings of $5 for the pair.
Also available framed in a solid wood, made in America frame with museum-grade, UV-protecting non-glare acrylic with a black and gold finish or an antique gold finish. See additional photos of the framed Declarations and select your frame here. Please allow two weeks for framing. (We're usually much faster.)
More information on the history behind this printing appears below.
The print is about 20" x 14". (There is a variance of 1/4" to 1/2" depending on how the paper is cut.)
You can also purchase a copy of the Boston broadside of the Constitution before it was ratified. The print includes a letter from Washington urging ratification. Photos and an in-depth video explaining the five-year-long effort to find and reproduce this broadside are on the product page.
The broadsides are really wonderful. You'll have something to frame and pass down from generation to generation.
— Lee Wright | Founder | The History List | History Camp
Watch the Declaration being printed
This longer video (6:18) shows the printing of the Declaration and includes additional information on the history of the Declaration and of printing.
About Benjamin Edes & John Gill
On April 7, 1755, Edes and Gill became the proprietors of The Boston Gazette and Country Journal. According to the author of Infamous Scribblers (2006), the Boston Gazette, arguably the most influential newspaper the country has ever known, got us into the Revolutionary War, sped up the course of the war and may have even determined the outcome of the war.
Historical Background: The Declaration of Independence
"The Declaration of Independence is the founding document of The United States of America. Written by Thomas Jefferson, (one of the five members of the Committee that Congress had appointed to draft the document. Other members being: John Adams, Benjamin Franklin, Robert Livingston and Roger Sherman) between June 11th and June 28th 1776.
Congress voted for Independency on July 2nd and then took up Jefferson’s draft for the next two days. Eighty-six alterations were made to the draft and congress approved the document on July 4th, 1776.
Congress then ordered the committee that drafted the Declaration to oversee the printing of the Declaration. A fair copy was made of the amended draft and hand carried by John Adams and Benjamin Franklin to the printing office of John Dunlap in Philadelphia on the afternoon of the 4th. The Declaration was printed that night into the early morning of July 5th. John Hancock, President of Congress began to send out “official copies” on the 5th and 6th of July to all thirteen Colonies, ordering them to print the Declaration in their newspapers and generally distribute the news as they saw fit.
The first printing of the Declaration in Boston
The “official” copy of the Declaration arrived about July 15th in Boston. The patriot printer John Gill set it in type on the 16th and printed on the 17th ready for distribution on the 18th of July. On the 18th, the Declaration was read from the balcony of the Old State House for the first time. Large crowds gathered to hear the address.
Just two editions of the Boston Printing of the Declaration broadside were published by Gill and then it disappeared from history. Only three copies from this John Gill edition have survived. In June 2009 Christie's auctioned a rare Boston imprint of the Declaration.
One original copy was located in the collection of the Bostonian Society by Gary Gregory, founder and Shop Master of the recreated Edes & Gill. Gary then had all 9.000 characters of type meticulously cast in lead to match the original document.
This recreation was first printed by the Printing Office of Edes and Gill on July 3rd 2012, marking the first time since July 1776 that anyone had printed the Boston Broadside of the Declaration of Independence.
The Printing Office is a non-profit 50(c)3 corporation funded entirely by donations, gifts, and the sale of materials printed on their historic press. A portion of the proceeds of this sale will go to them.
Additional resources
- Details in this listing at Christie's about specific printings and the way in which the document was distributed to major cities. As mentioned above, this was in 2009 and it was the first Boston and tenth broadside edition of the Declaration. It sold for $722,500.
- Describing the original printing of this broadside and the reproduction, from the Declaration Resources Project at Harvard.
- The Library of Congress's site on the Declaration, with links to additional resources.
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All original designs are copyrighted by The History List
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I forgot to attach the photo on my review, so here's my review with said photo.
The printing is just amazing, and looks stunning when properly framed and mounted.
You want to buy this.
If you are on the fence about getting the Declaration, get it! It's worth it. The pictures don't do it justice. Because of the size you may have to get a bigger frame & get it matted like i did. But it enhances it. I'm very pleased with it.
As a novelist of the Revolution, I have had scenes in my books depicting the electrifying effect that the arrival of broadsides of the Declaration had all across the Colonies. It seemed only fitting that I should have a reproduction of one of those broadsides to hang over my writing desk, and this one is simply perfect. Thank you very much for your dedication to the authentic processes and tools used to spread the word that the world had changed.
Great quality print - you can even see where the letters are pressed into the paper! It's really like you are back in 1776 and getting this straight off the presses, almost like getting an old newspaper for the first time from almost 250 years ago. Allows you to feel like you are living in that time, receiving that copy like it was sent out back in that time (only 14 signed copies exist: https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/07/01/rare-copy-declaration-independence-display-july/813mcmlMXgxf0Kqj26jdsI/story.html ). This is not a signed copy - you get it like it is literally straight off the presses. It is a large piece of paper - didn't measure it, but probably about 1.5-2 feet long, maybe 1.25 feet across. Comes with a postcard of authenticity from The History List. I plan to get it framed and put it on my wall! Great for history teachers or just history buffs in general, like me. I love that they're ensuring they can print these and save them for posterity - the more that exist, the better chance these survive 100s of years into the future - I hope many will get their own copy so this timeless document will survive well into the future.
I had them framed and they are hanging in my classroom. I teach 8th grade American History and these will be something my kids can see and discuss!
I love them!!
What a great teaching aid. The letter from Washington at the end of the Constitution broadside is especially interesting. Thanks for your support, and for posting the photos. — Lee Wright | Founder | The History List | History Camp
I have purchased Paine's Amercian Crisis and the Declaration, both printed by the same shop. I love both of them. I love the feel of having an old document in my hand like they did "back in the day." History should be kept alive in this manner.
Really nice piece of history for my wall. I have been to Boston and loved walking through history. Great addition to my American Revolution collection.
Received my copy recently. Arrived quickly and in perfect condition, packaged very well. It looks fantastic, and I can't wait to get it framed so that I may hang it in my office. Great product!
Received my print and was extremely pleased with he quality
Great product
Such a beautiful piece. It will look beautiful and stately next to my pictures of Jefferson and Adams. Thank you. I love your stuff!
I'm very pleased with my Declaration of Independence. I will frame and mount in my home. Thank you
The product is as described. It’s awesome! Paper is of good quality and it feels like you are getting something much older than what it is. I can’t wait to get it framed!
I didnt know what to expect when I ordered it but I can tell you it is something special, so much so that I got it custom framed. It looks like an authentic document from the time period, and the print somewhat looks embossed. Color and material is fantastic and I highly recommend.
The closest thing you can get to the original! I am very happy and proud to display the Declaration of Independence; framed and displayed in a prominent place on my wall. The printer did an incredible job recreating every detail and nuance of America's most beloved document. It's a must-have for all patriotic Americans who love and cherish our most prized possession -- our freedom.
Not only one of our founding documents but a work of art as well. Absolutely beautiful.
I ordered the Declaration, Constitution, and Bill of Rights all together and are now getting framed. When I received them I could t believe how good they looked and how durable the paper was as well. I can’t wait to hang these up for people to see and read.
I bought as a gift for my father, who is a huge history buff. He has not received it yet however, shipping was quick, and I opened it to see the quality and it is beautiful! Cannot wait now to give it to him!
I’m very happy with the copy of the Declaration of Independence we ordered. It was delivered in a few days and arrived in perfect condition. We found an antique deep frame and hung it a day later.
Thanks Lee.
Love my print of the Declaration! I love the history of it and the authenticity of the product! Will definitely be getting the rest of the document collection at some point!
I was so excited after my order! And when my copies arrived, I was more than satisfied. The ink impression and feel of the paper were wonderful. The included book marks, cards of thanks,!were a very nice touch as well! I look forward to ordering other items.
This will be framed and hung on my library wall. Well worth the money if you are a history buff at all. My copy came with a fingerprint smudge on the bottom, obviously where the printer pulled the paper off the press. I think that smudge only adds to the "authenticity" of the copy. In my youth I worked in a print shop that still did some letterpress work and had the opportunity to use a "proof press" that was only a little less primitive than the one used to print this copy. Memories.
I live in an historic village dating from 1820. Our print shop and collection of presses date to 1839.
During the Civil War, "The Washington Telegram" was the only newspaper in the state to
proceed without interruption. As a self-proclaimed collector of ephemera, finding The History List
was a grand discovery. The product I received from you is exceptional. The type is indented into the
quality paper and reflective of a true manual press and its pressure. As a fan of Thomas Jefferson,
the Declaration carries even more impact. Thank you for providing such an exceptional historical
document that impacts the lives of all Americans.
I got the Declaration of Indepence quickly and of really nice quality. I had it framed and matted and it would be completely appropriate from the President of the United State's Office to a Patriots home. Very nice quality.
Great document and shipped quickly.
