T. Sparrow was an obscure engraver on wood, who worked at his trade in Annapolis from 1765 to about 1780, and who did considerable work for “Ann Catherine Green & Son, Printers,” of that town, on title-pages, tail-pieces, etc. He engraved on copper the title-page for the “Deputy Commissary’s Guide of Maryland,” published by the above firm in 1774, and which is a creditable piece of work. All the book-plates known at present are on wood, and they are but two in number: the Richard Sprigg and the Gabriel Duvall, both of whom were men of prominence in the colonial times, in Maryland.
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William D. Terry, who was mentioned as the founder, with Pelton, of the Bank-Note Company, in Boston, engraved a plate for the Redwood Library, of Newport. This is a large representation of the library, and is a fine piece of work.
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James Thackara was a partner of John Vallance, in the engraving business, and they were together for a good many years. Thackara was inferior to his partner as an engraver, according to Dunlap, and was for a long time the keeper of the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
We know but one example of his book-plate work, and that is the Lenthall plate, which is a large and very interesting example of the Ribbon and Wreath style. It is an excellent piece of engraving, full of style, and graceful in design.
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James Trenchard was born in Cumberland County, New Jersey, about 1746. He was a pupil of Smithers, and engraved in Philadelphia,