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Description

Impressive Western Chromolithography and Viewmaking

Beautiful antique chromolithographed view of Mount Angel Abbey of St. Benedict, Oregon, printed circa 1899 as a promotional piece for the community following the rebuilding of its buildings after a fire in 1892.

The sheet is comprised of a large central view of the new monastery building; an inset view "Old Monastery, Destroyed by Fire, May 3rd 1892."; an inset "Holy Father St. Benedict"; a photographic portrait of Rev. P. Adelheim Odermatt, O.S.B.; an inset "Holy Mother St. Scholastica"; and "Present Monastery 1899". At the bottom is text describing the nature of the certificate:

This is to Certify, that ___________________ as special benefactors of our Monastery have a full share in the special fruit of our daily perpetual conventual Highmass, which we offer gratis, for the living and dead founders and benefactors as long as the above Monastery will exist please Cod to the end of time. Moreover, they share in all our prayers and good works for all future of our institution.

The view is possibly a proof; the printer's color proofing and registration marks have not been trimmed from the margins and the name on the certificate has not been filled out.

Mount Angel Abbey

From the Abbey's Wikipedia entry:

Mount Angel Abbey was founded on October 30, 1882 by Benedictine monks who immigrated to the United States from Engelberg, Switzerland, who found the abbey's landscape to be similar to that which they had left in the Swiss Alps. It was conceived by Father Adelhelm Odermatt, a monk of Engelberg Abbey working in Missouri. Five years after the abbey's foundation in 1882, the monks opened their school in 1887 under the name of Mount Angel College. In 1889, at the request of Archbishop William Gross of Oregon City, the monks established a seminary in conjunction with their college.

In 1904, the community was officially declared an abbey, which meant that it became independent from its motherhouse in Switzerland. Father Thomas Meienhofer, also a native of Switzerland, was elected the first abbot...

Today the Abbey is also a brewery, going under the name Benedictine Brewery. Perhaps this certificate is still valid and the holder gets a "full share in the special fruit" of the Abbey "please God to the end of time". (Disclaimer: We make no actual promise that purchasing this view entitles the owner to free beer until the end of time.)

Rarity

We are unable to locate any other examples of the chromolithograph, however, without a title, maker, or imprint, searching for another has not been an easy task.

Condition Description
Crease in the lower-right corner. Untrimmed.