Very Rare Jefferson Davis Portrait Engraving as a Young Man by EW Perry

PRESENTING an EXTREMELY RARE and ORIGINAL piece of AMERICAN HISTORY, namely, an ORIGINAL engraving of a very rare Portrait of an early/young Jefferson Davis, by Enoch Wood Perry, together with accompanying letter from Jefferson Davis’ Grandson, Jefferson Hayes Davis dated 2nd April 1935. Signed by him in ink.

We estimate that the portrait must be circa 1845-55, considering the youthful look of Davis and probably was sketched by Perry around the time Davis was first elected to the House of Representatives or his early Senate days.

THIS IS A ‘HISTORIC’ and “VERY RARE’, FRAMED ORIGINAL ENGRAVING, OBTAINED AND ORIGINATING FROM THE DAVIS FAMILY!
WE CANNOT FIND A RECORD OF ANOTHER EXAMPLE ANYWHERE!
The engraving has a notation on the rear of it that reads:

“Historical Portrait of Jefferson Davis by Enoch Wood Perry”
This letter from Jefferson Hayes Davis is on ‘The First National Bank of Colorado Springs CO’, headed Notepaper, dated April 2, 1935 and is addressed to Mrs. A.G. Smith of Box 543, Belton, Texas, who was apparently doing a thesis on the ‘Early Life of Jefferson Davis’, and had written to Jefferson Hayes Davis on March 20th 1935 requesting assistance with her thesis and specifically looking for a picture of a young Jefferson Davis.

Jefferson Hayes Davis was obviously keen to help, but had no pictures at hand (he had misplaced them) and must have forwarded this picture to Mrs. Smith, when his niece returned (as referred to in his letter).

Check out the Exceptionally RARE Original Photo, of the unveiling of the Jefferson Davis Statue, in the Capitol Building in Washington DC in 1931, also in our Inventory and part of the same Collection:

Provenance: From the Estate of Eliza Calvert Hall-Obenchain Collection.

Dimensions: 14.25 in x 12.25 in (in frame)