1859 John McLean Supreme Court J.C. Buttre Dred Scott Antique Engraving #1451

Original 1859 engraved portrait of Hon. John McLean (1785–1861), longtime Associate Justice of the United States Supreme Court. This handsome 19th-century portrait was engraved by J. C. Buttre from a photograph and was “Engraved Expressly for The Ladies’ Repository,” as printed directly on the original sheet. The engraving identifies McLean as: “HON. JOHN McLEAN, LL.D. — ONE OF THE JUDGES OF THE SUPREME COURT OF THE U.S.” John McLean served on the U.S. Supreme Court from 1829 until his death in 1861. He had previously served as United States Postmaster General and was a prominent national political and judicial figure during the decades leading up to the Civil War. Of particular historical significance, this portrait was published in 1859 while McLean was still a sitting Supreme Court Justice, only two years after his notable dissent in the landmark Dred Scott v. Sandford (1857) decision. The reverse bears an old handwritten collector notation referencing “Ladies Repository 1859,” further documenting the engraving’s publication period. The portrait remains dark, crisp and exceptionally detailed. The original sheet exhibits age-related toning, scattered foxing/spotting, minor edge wear and small edge imperfections consistent with a paper item more than 165 years old. Please examine all photographs carefully for exact condition. A desirable pre-Civil War Supreme Court portrait with appeal to collectors of U.S. Supreme Court history, Dred Scott material, American legal history, presidential and political history, postal history, and antique engravings. Subject: Justice John McLean Date: 1859 Engraver: J. C. Buttre Source: The Ladies’ Repository Medium: Original engraved portrait on paper Period: Antebellum / Pre-Civil War An impressive original 1859 portrait of one of the most significant U.S. Supreme Court justices of the antebellum era.