The Columbian Magazine, or Monthly Miscellany for May, 1789 [with engravings:] An East View of Gray's Ferry, near Philadelphia, with the Triumphal Arches, &c erected for the Reception of General Washington, April 20th 1789; View of the Triumphal Arch, and the Manner of Receiving General Washington at Trenton, on his Route to New-York, April 21st. 1789 Peale / Trenchard Antique Maps

Peale / Trenchard / 1789 / [George Washington - Triumphal Arches] The Columbian Magazine, or Monthly Miscellany for May, 1789 [with engravings:] An East View of Gray's Ferry, near Philadelphia, with the Triumphal Arches, &c erected for the Reception of General Washington, April 20th 1789; View of the Triumphal Arch, and the Manner of Receiving General Washington at Trenton, on his Route to New-York, April 21st. 1789 (Safe 2, 118462) Octavo. Original printed wrappers, stitched. Untrimmed. Wrappers chipped at spine, back wrapper detached. [4],[269]-324 pages plus 2 engraved plates. Engraved allegorical vignette of eagle over plough, shield and globe on front wrapper. Complete. Leaves age toned, some foxing. Engraved plates both excellent dark impressions with only minimal foxing in the margins. Overall a very nice example in entirely unsophisticated original condition. Advertisements printed on wrappers: Thomas Mason, turner in Grey's-Alley; Bordenton Academy (with engraving of schoolhouse); J. M. Jones: port, wine and claret; Samuel Campbell, bookseller & stationer; Daniel King, brass-founder; David Robinson, watch and clockmaker; Jesse Sharples, saddling business. George Washington en Route to New York in 1789 for His First Inauguration Triumphal Arches at Gray's Ferry (Designed and Illustrated by Charles Willson Peale) and Trenton This complete issue of the Columbian Magazine for May 1789 contains a description and two beautiful, engraved plates relating to George Washington's trip from Mount Vernon to New York for his first inauguration in the spring of 1789. One of the plates, after a drawing by Charles Willson Peale, shows the elaborately designed arch and other decorations designed by the artist himself and installed at Gray's Ferry Bridge near Philadelphia. At Gray s Ferry Bridge over the Schuylkill near Philadelphia Charles Willson Peale hastily transformed the crossing into a classical pageant for Washington s April 1789 journey to his inauguration. Peale festooned the bridge with profusions of laurel, then advanced a modern federal message on four corner flags: a rising sun with The Rising Empire, another declaring The New Era, a liberty cap above a rattlesnake with Don t Tread on Me, and May Commerce Flourish, alongside the U.S. flag and banners for the eleven states who had thus far ratified the Constitution. He raised Roman-style triumphal arches so Washington would pass beneath them. At the midpoint, Peale s daughter Angelica, dressed in white, stepped forward, and a laurel civic crown was dropped from above by concealed mechanism; the visibly startled Washington brushed it aside, unwilling to be seen accepting a crown in a republic. The text articles relating to Washington's journey are: Account of the Preparation at Gray's Ferry, on the river Schuylkill, and of the Reception of General Washington there, April 20, 1789, on his way to the Seat of the Federal Government, to take upon him the high Office of President of United States. Account of the Manner of receiving, at Trenton, his Excellency George Washington, President of the United States, on his Route to the Seat of Federal Government: Communicated in a Letter to the Editor. Signed in print "P.Q." at Trenton, April 25, 1789. T. H. Breen describes the scene depicted in the engraving after Peale: Washington's path led through a jumble of symbols thrown together in a great hurry by one of the country's most highly regarded artists, Charles Willson Peale. Washington trusted Peale who had served in the army during the Revolution and some years earlier had painted Washington's portrait. The road crossed the Schuylkill near Philadelphia at Gray's Ferry Bridge, a structure owned by the brothers Gray. They commissioned "the ingenious Mr. Pe.