Master Proof Stencil of "The Lord's Prayer.".

Original and unused master proof stencil of the Lord's Prayer and signed E. Pine. 16 1/2 by 13 1/2 inches. Some aging to the upper margin but a truly remarkable piece.This is obviously the work of a master artisan and the skill necessary was rare. Also as all stencils were eventually used it is remarkable that this one never has been. The bridges are all extant but for one. It is also a very ambitious piece as most 19th century stencils were common things like alphabets and names. We can find no record for an unused stencil of this magnitude. This is a deliberately designed piece by a stencil cutter of great talent. Indeed under his name the stenciler has cut "artist." Stencil cutters were a class of their own and highly regarded. There were some companies that specialized in stencils. One such was the S. H. Quint & Sons of Philadelphia, established in 1849. It specialized in stencil cutting and pattern letters, along with stamps, seal presses and burning irons. Quint actually exhibited its stencil work at the 1876 Centennial Exhibition and received an award. This rather grandiose piece speaks for itself. It is possible that E. Pine was so proud of this piece that he kept it from its destiny as a template for lettering.…