Details
Title Frank Miller's blacking. [graphic].
Publisher [New York] : [publisher not identified]
Publisher N.Y. New York. 1870
Date [ca. 1870]
Physical Description 1 print : lithograph ; sheet 8 x 12 cm (3 x 5 in.)
Description Racist trade card illustration depicting an African American man walking down a street past two white male onlookers and with a small white man behind him. The African American man stands tall with his right hand tucked into the breast of his coat and his legs crossed. He carries a cane in his left hand and smokes a cigar. He is attired in a top hat, a collared shirt, a bowtie, a coat, striped slim-fitting pants, and heeled shoes. The two white men stand with their hands in their pockets and are attired in top hats, coats, pants, and dark-colored shoes. The small white man stands in an identical pose to the African American man and carries a box in his left hand. He is attired in a coat, a vest, pants with a patch, and shoes. The African American man is depicted with exaggerated features. Frank Miller & Co. was a New York manufacturer of shoe polish based in Manhattan. The company was founded in the 1860s and continued operating throughout the late 19th century.
Notes Title from item.
Date inferred from content and genre of print.
Text printed on recto: Over.
Advertising text printed on verso: Frank Miller's peerless black[in]g. This article will fully meet the requirements [of the] dealer and consumer, as to quality and appearance, [for] the general consumption of the country. It gives a quick [radiant], jet black gloss, without injury to the [?]. Frank Miller's improved French blacking gives a quick, brilliant and durable polish with positive nourishment to the leather. It is different in composition from common blackings, being based upon the French pro-cess, with every vluable feature of the French style retained, while such improvements have been made as to insure a dryer and more durable gloss, with increaed pliability of the leather.
Gift of David Doret.
Subject Frank Miller & Co.
African American men -- Caricatures and cartoons.
Dandies.
Polishes industry -- New York -- New York.
Racism in popular culture.
Shoe shining.
Genre Lithographs. -- 1860-1870.
Trade cards. -- 1860-1870.
Location Library Company of Philadelphia| Print Department| Goldman Trade Card Collection - Miller [P.2017.95.129]
Accession number P.2017.95.129

In Collections