A nice piece of Civil War ephemera: a pull-tab card with an engraved caricature of Jeff Davis wearing a fiendish smile of satisfaction “after the surrender of / Fort Sumter / April 13 1861,” that changes with a pull of the tab to an outraged scowl “after the surrender of / Vicksburg / July 4 1863.” The bottom of the tab is marked “Postage 3 cents,” indicating you could send it to a friend as an amusing joke. The reverse is marked, “Designed and published by D.C. Johnston Studio Building / Tremont st Boston.”

David Claypool Johnston (1799-1865) was a noted cartoonist, satirist, printmaker, painter and sometime actor, with an obvious sense of humor. Born in Philadelphia, he studied engraving under Francis Kearney. An initial round of caricatures did not do well and he opted for a theatrical career that got him out of town and up to Boston, where he settled. His theatrical experience provided fodder for character portraits of American and British actors in a popular series of nine editions published from 1829 to 1849, but his interests (and targets) extended to politics, religion, temperance and even the militia. He published several versions of his  “Militia Muster” between 1819 and 1862, which was a satirical portrait of that bulwark of the Republic, the “citizen soldier,” as he actually appeared on muster days.

Excellent condition with collector pencil notations on reverse at upper right rear and a small round sticker with an ink notation.  Measures 5 ¾” long including pull tab, and 2 ¾” in width.  [sr]  [ph:L]

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