Brass rubbing of The Resurrection Brass at Church of All Hallows by the Tower

Description: This is a RARE brass rubbing done on March 11, 1968, of The Resurrection Brass at Church of All Hallows by the Tower. The original brass and church are located in London, Middlesex, England. This is a high quality rubbing taken from the original brass at the church before such practices were banned and persons were required to use reproduction brasses for this purpose.The Resurrection Brass is one that has not been reproduced for subsequent rubbings and display. Consequently, such rubbings are maintained in educational institutions and are displayed in museum settings, if they are displayed at all. A typed card is affixed to the back of the frame attesting to its history. The rubbing itself is obviously an odd size. It measures approximately 11” long by 10” high. It was cut and mounted on black paper board. Also note that because the frame has a torn dust paper, and a separate corner, dust has accumulated on the piece. I have not attempted to open the frame and clean the dust on the glass and mounting.The outer dimensions of the frame are approximately 15 5/8” square. The frame itself is attractive and gilded. However, a corner has separated and should be repaired if this piece is to remain in this frame.I will let the buyer decide if this piece should be shipped with or without the glass and frame. Shipping charges would likely be saved if the work was shipped without the glass and frame. From “Lasting Impressions: Monumental Brass Rubbings” by Haverford College [which exhibited a similar old rubbing of the Resurrection Brass]:"The technique of reproducing the image of a monumental brass is known as “brass rubbing.” Brass rubbing has been practiced at least since the 17th century as reflected in such Dutch paintings as Van Vliet’s church interior with the detail of children making a rubbing. Antiquarian interests spurred an initial enthusiasm for this activity during the 18th century, fortunately so, as many brasses have been lost in the intervening years. Brass rubbing became increasingly popular in the 19th and early 20th centuries, and interest peaked in the 1960s. This popularity led to increasing concern about maintaining the condition of the brasses, particularly as indiscriminately frequent rubbing was found to cause loosening of the brasses and damage to the plates. By the mid-1970s, many churches and cathedrals had banned this practice. Some institutions established rubbing centers, providing replicas of brasses, as well as supplies, to paying visitors."Brass rubbings are created by laying a sheet of paper atop a brass, fixing it with masking tape, and rubbing the paper with one of a variety of materials. This process is similar to rubbing a pencil over a piece of paper placed on top of a coin. While chalk and graphite have been used, they were not found to produce clear and sharp facsimiles. During the 19th century, a form of “heelball” (so named for its use in blacking the heels of shoes) was introduced, allowing for the production of crisply defined images. Heelball was initially introduced in “cake” form – similar in size and shape to a large bar of soap. Subsequently, smaller, stick shapes came into use, and many colors were added to the available palette. Gold and silver heelball used on black paper provide a particularly attractive image, though often not as sharp as that produced with the harder black material." From “Lasting Impressions: Monumental Brass Rubbings” relating to the Resurrection Brass: "Instead of displaying a man or woman, this brass depicts the risen Christ emerging from his tomb while holding a cross. The armored soldiers who cower below him carry a variety of weapons intended for close combat. Brass monuments of this sort were generally placed above church altars. However, this image of the Resurrection may have originally been part of a structure that served both as a tomb and as an Easter Sepulcher for Holy Week, around which a priest and attendants enacted the events of Christ’s burial and his Resurrection. The tomb possibly was located in the Royal Lady Chapel (near the All Hollows Church) and may have belonged to Sir Robert Tate, the lord mayor of London, who died in 1488. The choice of such a symbolic brass monument in conjunction with an Easter Sepulcher tomb marks his religious devotion and spirituality. Originally part of a set of five, this Resurrection brass was saved through the efforts of William Penn’s father, Admiral William Penn, who had been baptized at All Hallows, when he used a series of controlled explosions to halt the flames that raged through the church during the Great Fire of London in 1666."

Price: 140 USD

Location: Pasadena, California

End Time: 2025-01-13T20:17:03.000Z

Shipping Cost: 0 USD