Back to top

China Retreat Pennsylva. the seat of Mr. Manigault [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylvania.
View showing the Bucks County estate, near the Delaware River, built in 1796 by former Resident Director of the East India Company in China, André Everadus Van Braam-Houckgeest. Sold by Van Braam in 1798, the estate pased through several owners, including Gabriel Manigault in 1807, and at various times housed Bristol College, a boarding house, and an orphan asylum for African American children. The mansion, the estate grounds severely diminished, was demolished in the mid 20th century. View includes a worker attending the yard in front of the mansion., Gift of Mrs.S. Marguerite Brenner.

The country seats of the United States of North America : with some scenes connected with them / Designed and published by W. Birch, enamel painter.
Issued to subscribers in 4 pts., 1808-9. The subsequent trade ed., of which this is a copy, has copyright notice, dated 20 Jan. 1809., Added t.p. has subtitle: Part the first., The 20 plates include both t.ps., which are illustrated. Most plates have legend: Drawn, engraved & published by W. Birch. The 10th plate is "painted by T. Birch;" the 12th is "drawn by G. Birch.", Lacking 3 11. letter-press descr. of plates., Lib. Company. Annual Report, 2017, p. 49 - 50., With copyright statement on v. engr. t.p. and wrapper title: Birch's Country Seats In The United States., 19 plates., Obl., Retrospective conversion record: MARC Link database., Recon note: Match points differ

Devon in Pennsylva. the seat of Mr. Dallas [graphic] / Painted by T. Birch; Engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylvania.
View showing the country seat of Secretary of the Treasury Alexander J. Dallas on the banks of the Delaware River north of Philadelphia. The mansion, sold by the family in 1853, was destroyed in 1858. In the left foreground, a schooner sails the river., Title altered in manuscript: Devon in Pennsylva. The Seat of Mr. Maris, Campbell., Gift of Mrs. S. Marguerite Brenner.

Fountain Green Pennsylva. the seat of Mr. S. Meeker [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylva.
View showing the mansion, built around 1781, on the estate near the Schuylkill River (East Fairmount Park) originally settled by John Mifflin around 1679. The estate, purchased by Samuel Meeker in 1802, became a tavern and picnic site for Engel and Wolf Brewery around 1849. The mansion was torn down in 1871. A statue adorns the lawn., Gift of Marguerite Brenner., Retrospective conversion record: original entry, edited.

Hampton the seat of Genl. Chas. Ridgley, Maryland [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsa. [1808].
View of the mansion built in 1790 after the designs of Jehu Howell and constructed with a unique octagonal cupola for Captain Charles Ridgely in Towson, Baltimore County. The estate, purchased by the Ridgely family in 1735, was inherited by Ridgely's nephew Charles Carnan in 1791, and was later transferred to the custody of the National Park Service in 1949., Gift of S. Marguerite Brenner.

Hoboken in New Jersey, the seat of Mr. John Stevens [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch, Springland near Bristol, Pennsylva.
View of the mansion, Stevens Villa, completed in 1787 near the Hudson River on the estate (Hoboken) of Colonel John Stevens III, renowned inventor of steamboats and railroads. The seat, purchased by Stevens in 1784, (initially developed as a summer resort) became incorporated as the city of Hoboken in 1855. In 1859, Stevens's sons replaced Stevens Villa with Stevens Castle. In the foreground, a woman and boy walk the grounds., Gift of S. Marguerite Brenner.

Landsdown [sic] the seat of the late Wm. Bingham Esqr. Pennsylvania [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylva.
View of the mansion on the estate west of the Schuylkill River (West Fairmount Park) purchased by legislator William Bingham in 1797. The mansion, originally built around 1773 for Pennsylvania governor John Penn, was destroyed by fire in the mid 19th century. The ruins were bought and ceded to the city in 1866 for inclusion in Fairmount Park. In the foreground, two women, a man, and two dogs walk the grounds., Gift of S. Marguerite Brenner.

Mendenhall Ferry, Schuylkill, Pennsylvania [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylva.
View showing the ferry with passengers on the ford of the Schuylkill River above Philadelphia at the end of Ford Road (West Fairmount Park). Includes Mendenhall Ferry Tavern in the foreground. Three sheep graze nearby. The estates of Philadelphia merchant Joseph Sims (The Laurels) and Philadelphia physician Dr. Phillips Sing Physick (Fairy Hill) are visible on the ridge (Laurel Hill Cemetery) in the background., Gift of Mrs. S. Marguerite Brenner.

Montibello the seat of Genl. S. Smith Maryland [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylva.
View showing the estate and grounds of Maryland Senator and Congressman Samuel Smith., Gift of S. Marguerite Brenner.

Mount Sidney, the seat of Genl. John Barker, Pennsylva. [graphic] / Drawn, engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylvania.
View showing the country seat of Philadelphia Mayor John Barker above Philadelphia (Fairmount Park). Depicts the mansion surrounded by trees and shrubbery. A small gatehouse stands in the background., Title altered in manuscript: Mount Sidney, the seat of Mrs. Lanerswyler Pennsylva., Gift of Mrs. S. Marguerite Brenner.

Mount Vernon, the seat of the late Genl. Washington [graphic] / Drawn by W. Birch; Engraved by S. Seymour; Philadelphia, Published March 15, 1812.
View of the first president's Virginia estate showing the residence and grounds near the Potomac River. Shows the house and a white gentleman standing near the entrance. On the grounds, two white women with parasols promenade, an enslaved African American man leads a horse, a white man carries a sickle and a bundle of wheat, and a dog chases another horse. In the left background, a boat sails on the river., Title from item., Date inferred from provenance and publication history., Originally published as a smaller plate in William Birch's Country Seats in the United States of North America (Philadelphia: 1804), this view was revised on a larger plate and reissued as a separate print by Birch in 1812. The popular larger 1812 plate was later republished, probably by John McAllister, around 1860., Originally part of a McAllister scrapbook of views of Virginia. McAllister Collection, gift, 1886., Reaccessioned as P.9683.5., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Part of digital collections catalog through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.

Mount Vernon, Virginia , the seat of the late Genl. Washington [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylva.
View showing the mansion and grounds in Fairfax county, Virginia owned by the first President of the United States. The seat, originally granted to Washington's great-grandfather John Washington in 1674, was inherited by George in 1761 and purchased by the Mount Vernon Ladies Association in 1858. In the far right foreground, a handler walks a horse., Gift of S. Marguerite Brenner.

The seat of Mr. Duplantier near New Orleans & lately occupied as Head Quarters, by Genl. J. Wilkinson. [graphic] / Drawn by G. Birch of Light Dragoon, U.S. Army; Engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylva.
View showing the plantation estate of Armand Duplantier, originally purchased by Francois Duplessis in 1763. The plantation house, built in 1765, was purchased by Duplantier in 1807. General James Wilkinson and his troops, acting as envoys, following the Louisiana Purchase of 1803 occupied the mansion from 1807 until 1810. The house served as a residence until 1860, when the building was incorporated into an existing brewery. In 1881 the estate was purchased by A.A. Maginiss and rebuilt as a cotton mill. View includes military officers patrolling the grounds., Retrospective conversion record: original entry, edited., Gift of Mrs. Marguerite Brenner.

Sedgley the seat of Mr. Wm. Crammond Pennsylva. [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylva.
View showing the estate with Gothic country house, built in 1799 after the designs of Benjamin Henry Latrobe, owned by Philadelphia merchant William Cramond on the east bank of the Schuylkill River (Fairmount Park). The property, sold to Samuel Mifflin in 1806, was owned by several successive owners, including merchant James C. Fisher from about 1812 until 1836, and antiquarian Ferdinand J. Dreer, before purchase and demolition by the city in 1857., Title altered in manuscript: Sedgley the Seat of Mr. James C. Fisher Pennsylva., Gift of Mrs. S. Marguerite Brenner.

Solitude in Pennsylva. belonging to Mr. Penn [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylva.
View showing the estate and mansion originally owned by John Penn, grandson of William Penn. The mansion, built around 1785, remained in the Penn family until 1869 when the estate was acquired by the city for inclusion in the Zoological Gardens in Fairmount Park., Gift of S. Marguerite Brenner.

The sun reflecting on the dew, a garden scene. Echo, Pennsylva. a place belonging to Mr. D. Bavarage [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylva.
View showing a hill and grove of trees on the grounds of the estate of D. Bavarage near the Schuylkill River (West Fairmount Park)., Gift of S. Marguerite Brenner.

[Title page for Birch's country seats of the United States containing a view of the unfinished capitol building in Washington, D.C.] [graphic] / Designed and published by W. Birch enamel painter, Springland near Bristol, Pennsylva. 1808.
Depicts a bald eagle clasping the American coat of arms above the unfinished "Capitol at Washington." Bricklayers work in front of the Capitol., Title supplied by cataloguer., Partially obscured copyright statement on verso., Gift of S. Marguerite Brenner.

View from Belmont Pennsyla. the Seat of Judge Peters [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylvania.
View showing the Schuylkill River and wooded grounds near the country seat above Philadelphia (West Fairmount Park) of Judge Richard Peters. The estate, originally purchased by William Peters in 1742 was used as a working model farm by his son Richard until Richard's death in 1828. Subsequently, the estate was utilized by the railroad, an oil refinery, and a country resort before purchased by the city in 1869 for inclusion in Fairmount Park. View includes a wood shack near a grove of trees., Gift of Mrs. S. Marguerite Brenner.

The view from Springland [graphic] / Designed & published 1808, by W. Birch enamel painter Springland near Bristol Pennsylva.
Title page to first edition, later subtitle plate containing "The View from Springland" depicting the Neshaminy Creek and lush grounds near William Birch's estate in Bucks County. Birch resided at the estate from 1798 to 1818. View includes a woman standing near a potted tree, an abandoned bridge, and the abandoned toll house converted by Birch into his studio., Gift of S. Marguerite Brenner., See William Birch study drawing of plate in Doret and Mitchell Collection - Drawings & Watercolors [P.2019.4]

View from the Elysian bower, Springland Pennsylva. the residence of Mr. W. Birch [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylvania.
View from the bower on the artist's Bucks County country estate near Neshaminy Creek. Birch lived at the estate from 1798 to 1818, despite selling the property in 1805. He repurchased the estate in 1813. In the background, a sailboat sails the Delaware River., Gift of Mrs. S. Marguerite Brenner.

Woodlands the seat of Mr. Wm. Hamilton Pennsylva. [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylva.
View showing the West Philadelphia mansion (built in 1742, remodeled and enlarged between 1787 and 1790) of William Hamilton, grandson of Alexander Hamilton. The estate was purchased in 1840 by the Woodlands Cemetery Company., Gift of Marguerite Brenner.

York-Island, with a view of the seats of Mr. A. Gracie, Mr. Church & c. [graphic] / Drawn engraved & published by W. Birch Springland near Bristol Pennsylvania.
View showing the shoreline of New York City lined with several estates along the East River, including the seat owned by wealthy businessman Archibald Gracie. Gracie purchased the property from the heirs of merchant Jacob Walton in 1798, built his mansion in 1799, and sold the estate in 1823. The city purchased the property in 1896, which serves as the official residence of the Mayor of New York City. Includes a sailboat gliding on the river in the foreground., Gift of Mrs. S. Marguerite Brenner.