Title |
We never fade!! J. & P. Coats best six cord 200 yds 50 [graphic]. |
Publisher |
[United States] : [publisher not identified] |
Publisher |
UNITED STATES. 1880 |
Date |
[ca. 1880] |
Physical Description |
1 print : chromolithograph ; sheet 11 x 8 cm (4.5 x 3 in.) |
Description |
Racist trade card promoting J.&. P. Coats thread and depicting a caricature of an African American boy sitting on an oversized
spool of thread in a field. Shows the boy seated and with his legs straddling a giant spool of black thread labeled, "J&P
Coats best six cord 200 yds 50." He says “we never fade!!” and points his finger at the sun, which has a face and a concerned
expression with a downward turned mouth. The boy is barefoot and attired in a white collared shirt with the sleeves rolled
up to the elbows; a multi-colored tie and belt; and red pants rolled up to the knees. In the foreground, two black crows look
at the thread. A house is visible in the right background. Brothers James Coats, Jr. (1803-1845) and Peter Coats (1808-1890)
established the firm J.&P. Coats, a thread manufactory. Their brother Thomas Coats (1809-1883) joined the firm soon after.
By 1840, three quarters of the British company’s business was with the United States. In 1896, the firm merged with thread
manufacturer Clark & Co. and formed J. & P. Coats, Ltd. In 2015, the firm was renamed, “Coats Group.”
|
Notes |
Title from item. |
|
Advertising text printed on verso: Fast Black Spool Cotton. Does it wear? Does it wash? When a textile fabric must be dyed
a pure, rich, deep black, the question that presents itself to the dyer is: “Will these goods be washed in ordinary soap and
water, or will they be dipped in some powerful acid, like aquafortis, sulphuric, or muriatic acid?” It they must withstand
every-day wear and tear; he will not be so foolish as to fix his black by aid of powerful acids, but will treat the goods
mildly, and thus secure superior strength and endurance. In like manner, a druggist will not put a rubber stopper in a bottle
filled with sugar and water; he will naturally use an ordinary cork, and save the rubber for resisting violent acids. It is
well to look with suspicion on all Acid Tests applied to Spool Cotton. To resist acids, the dyer must use acids at peril of
rotting the thread. Intelligent people do not wash their clothes in acid baths. J. & P. Coats’ Black will hold its color as
long as any fabric on which it can be used.
|
|
Date deduced from the history of the advertised business. |
|
Gift of David Doret. |
Subject |
J. & P. Coats. |
|
African American boys -- Caricatures and cartoons. |
|
Crows. |
|
Pointing fingers. |
|
Racism in popular culture. |
|
Sun. |
|
Thread. |
|
Thread industry -- England. |
Genre |
Chromolithographs -- 1870-1880. |
|
Trade cards -- 1870-1880. |
Location |
Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Goldman Trade Card Collection - J. & P. Coats [P.2017.95.89] |
Accession number |
P.2017.95.89 |