Picking Corn Vignette Die Proof on india on card 1853, F.O.C. Darley

Born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Felix Octavius Carr Darley began drawing in his youth. He moved to New York City, New York in 1848 and in 1850 he was invited to illustrate Washington Irving’s works ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’ and ‘Rip Van Winkle’. He continued to illustrate works by Washington Irving but added James Fenimore Cooper, Nathaniel Hawthorne, Longfellow, James Whitcomb Riley, and Charles Dickens, to his client list. He also designed bank notes and bonds for the U.S. government. His work helped popularize icons such as the Pilgrim, the Pioneer, the Minuteman and the Yankee Peddler. He became one of the best-known illustrators of his time, so great was the demand for Darley’s work that new books were promoted as illustrated by Darley. The Philadelphia Inquirer noted that Darley “dominated American illustration for nearly a half-century.”

George D. Baldwin was born in England 1803. He was listed in the New York City Directories as merchant 1830-1846; as a plate printer in 1847. He was with Durand, Baldwin & Co. 1848-1850; Baldwin, Adams & Co. 1851-1854; Baldwin, Bald & Cousland 1855-1858; worked independently until his death in 1872.