Levi Mentzer Birth Record with Compass Rose, 1811

A pen-and-ink birth certificate-style drawing centers on a large black-and-white compass rose with sixteen points, a fleur-de-lis at the top, and W, E, and S letters marked around its ring. Below, flourished calligraphic script reads "Levi Mentzer" and "Born May 3, 1811" on a tan paper ground.

Artist

Mentzer Family Member

Date

ca. 1811

Medium

pen and ink on paper mounted on paperboard

Source

Smithsonian (Smithsonian American Art Museum)

Size

2316 × 3000 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): Smithsonian Institution, Smithsonian American Art Museum