Restoration of Benjamin Jones Portrait

This is a portrait of Benjamin Jones a 19th century industrialist from Philadelphia.  He was born in 1767 and died in 1849.  He was the proprietor of the Hanover Furnace in Burlington County, NJ for many years, where he manufactured cannons and balls for the war of 1812.  He was involved in several other endeavors in PA and MD.  The portrait was painted around 1840.  We do not know who the artist is.  The painting has been neglected for decades.  There is a large tear across the bottom, paint is flaking off, it needs to be re-stretched and the bottom has been poorly touched up with black paint, where the tear is.  Also, the original frame is badly damaged.

We simply do not have the funds necessary to pay an art conservator to restore it.  Estimates we received were between $2-3,000, and do not include repairing or replacing the frame.  While the painting is in a private collection, it should be conserved for future generations because of its historical significance in New Jersey and Philadelphia.

We are very grateful to all who help conserve Benjamin Jones for another 180 years.

Sincerely,

Tom Worrell
Descendant