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Cowan's
Corner
Frankliniana More Popular Than Ever as Ben Turns 300
By Wes Cowan
On January 17, 2006, Ben Franklin would have turned 300 years old. The oldest of
America's founding fathers, he had retired from his printing profession by the
time Thomas Jefferson was four years old. He was old enough to have been father
to George Washington and John Adams and grandfather to James Madison and
Alexander Hamilton.
Unlike the estates of most historical figures for
collectors of Frankliniana, there is no Monticello or Mt. Vernon to view a
collective grouping of Franklin artifacts. The Philadelphia house Franklin
shared with his wife Deborah was torn down by Franklin's grandson in 1812 to
construct residential property. The hotel in Passy, near Paris, where Franklin
lived for nine years is no longer standing. And, while the home at 36 Craven
Street in London in which Franklin lived for 16 years remains, it contains no
pieces from the period. (It opened to the public on January 17, 2006, but
focuses on high-tech demonstrations of Franklin's inventions and comes across as
a drama theatre museum.)
All hope is not lost, however, for the true and
patient collectors of Frankliniana. The Year 2006 is host to an international
traveling exhibit called Benjamin Franklin in Search of a Better World.
Organized by the Benjamin Franklin Tercentenary, the largest exhibit of Franklin
material ever started at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia and
will rotate to St. Louis, Houston, Denver, and Atlanta before its grand finale
in Paris in 2008. The exhibit features Franklin's traveling chess set and his
sterling silver tankard. Other highlights include Franklin's own copy of the
U.S. Constitution, more than 250 artifacts, including many owned by Franklin's
family, and more than 40 interactive devices featuring special effects and
hands-on opportunities.
The Library of Congress in Washington, D.C., has had
a successful six-month exhibit on Benjamin Franklin which began on December 23,
2005. Items on display include his glasses and several books, articles, and
manuscripts written by Franklin.
It is possible that Franklin enjoyed more
international attention than any other North American public figure of his era.
For the collector, there are numerous medallions, busts, prints and other
objects commemorating Franklin that were created during his lifetime. He was
well known for sending both tokens and images with his profile to his friends
and admirers. In England and France, his portraits and prints were created in
mass quantity for his European devotees.
Franklin was a good friend of Josiah
Wedgwood, known for his Wedgwood pottery in England. He produced numerous pieces
with Franklin's image. While the Revolutionary War naturally forced Wedgwood to
scale back, it resulted in the French porcelain factory at Sevres increasing its
production of busts and medallions in even more vast quantities.
 About the Author: Wes Cowan is founder and owner of Cowan's Auctions, Inc. in Cincinnati, Ohio. Wes stars in the PBS television series History Detectives and is a featured appraiser on Antiques Roadshow. He can be reached via email at info@historicamericana.com. Article research by Joe Moran..
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This painted portrait of Ben Franklin on glass recently sold for $632.
Ben Franklin's pocket watch by Thomas Wagstaff, sold for $34,500 in June,
2006.
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