Lot 230D email save

BIRCH, William. The Water Works, in Centre Square

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"Near Neshaminy Bridge": William Birch, c. 1809-1827. Engraving, hand-colored (275 x 340 mm). Framed. Provenance: Martin P. Snyder. unrecorded state, showing william rush's fountain. This view of the waterworks includes a depiction of William Rush's carved fountain, erected in 1809, thus dating this version of the plate after the 1804 second edition of Birch's City of Philadelphia. The c. 1827 third edition included this image, but with a caption identifying the building as having been "taken down in 1827." Thus, this state of the plate appears to be intermediate between the second (with the identical caption to the present issue) and third editions. It is possible that Birch issued this print separately at around the time of the placement of Rush's fountain. This supposition is further supported by Birch's separate issuance of two other plates in this period: Philadelphia Bank in Fourth Street and Masonic Hall.

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