E. Rogers, artist. Jeff. Davis going to War. Philadelphia: Samuel Upham, 1861. 5 x 7 3/4 in., matted and framed to 9 1/2 x 12 in. 

An engraving by E. Rogers that is an “upside down” picture. At first, it shows Jefferson Davis (1808-1889) going to war, charging forward. When the print is turned upside down, it says at the top “Jeff. returning from War AN” then depicts a donkey, conveying the message that Davis is returning from the war an ass. 

Samuel Upham (1819-1885) was a journalist, merchant, and counterfeiter during the Civil War. With his shop off Chestnut Street in Philadelphia, he sold patriotic items that supported the Union, as well as novelty items that mocked the Confederacy, including this print, which he placed on letter sheets that he sold for $1 for 100 or $8 for 1,000. He became famous for selling counterfeit Confederate bank notes and stamps, of which the Union government under Lincoln could not legally stop him since the administration did not recognize the Confederacy as a legitimate government. He later claimed he printed 1,564,000 facsimile notes, amounting to between .93% and 2.78% of the Confederacy’s total money supply in about a year and a half. 

Few copies are held in institutions, but no record can be found of this print at auction. 

Note: This lot cannot be packaged and shipped in-house. Successful bidders winning items marked as being packaged and shipped by a third-party service are responsible for paying the third party directly. We are happy to offer complimentary drop-off service to local third-party packing/shipping companies in Columbus, Ohio. 

[Civil War, Union, Confederate] [Art, Folk Art, Military Art, Etching, Engraving, Lithographs, Prints, Ephemera]