112 images chosen for "At the Instance of Benjamin Franklin" : A Brief History of the Library Company of Philadelphia (Philadelphia: Printed for the Library Company of Philadelphia by York Graphic Services Inc., 1995).

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Air-Pump Case
Built to house a gift of scientific glassware from John Penn, which Franklin used in his electrical experiments. It is the earliest surviving piece of architectural furniture in the Palladian style made in America.
American Weekly Mercury
Joseph Breintnall's copy, and the only known copy of the first issue.
Anne Hampton Brewster
Pencil on paper. Brewster bequest, 1892.
Articles of Association.
Manuscript on vellum.
Austin K. Gray
Photograph. Librarian from 1931 to 1943.
Birds of Great Britain
Collection of Francis R. Cope, Jr., 1922.
Book from Christ Church Library
Donated by the Rev. Thomas Bray ca. 1700, deposited with the Library Company 1966
Bookplates of the Amicable Library, the Association Library, and the Union Library Company.
These early subscription libraries were absorbed by the Library Company in 1769.
Buildings of the Great Central Fair, in Aid of the U. S. Sanitary Commission, Logan Square.
Lithograph., Provenance: Gift of John A McAllister, 1886.
A Catalogue of Books
Manuscript. In the Library at Westover. William Mackenzie bequest, 1828. The Library Company published a critical edition of this catalogue in 1995.
A Catalogue of Books Belonging to the Library Company of Philadelphia.
The earliest extant catalogue of the Library Company; Franklin also printed broadside catalogues in 1733 and 1735, of which no copies have survived.
A Chart of the Harbour of Rhode Island [from] The Atlantic Neptune
This atlas was taken as a prize from a British brig and was used by the Continental Congress during the Revolution., Provenance: Gift of Joseph Parker Norris, 1824.
Chess Automaton
Allen Chess collection, 1884.
Common Sense
Confessions
Das Buch der Schatzbehalter
Purchased 1878.
Difficiliorum quorundam Elucidatio
Manuscript explanations of certain of Newton's propositions tipped into the front of Logan's copy of the Principia.
Discourses on Several Public Occasions
The pencilled shelfmark, C113 N20, on the pastedown endpaper was the key to Edwin Wolf's reconstruction of Franklin's library., Provenance: Mackenzie bequest, 1828.
Edwin Wolf 2nd.
Photograph. Librarian from 1955 to 1984.
An Elegiac Poem, on the Death of...George Whitefield.
Only known perfect copy; Du Simitière Collection, 1785.
Encyclopedia; Or, A Dictionary of Arts and Sciences.
Benjamin Rush's copy, James Rush bequest, 1869.
Examples of the Crafsmanship of the Conservation Workshop.
Photograph.
Facade of 1314 Locust Street Building
Photograph
Fireplace tile
From the Librarian's office in the Ridgway Building, depicting coat of arms.
For Sale at Public Vendue
Broadside announcing the post-mortem sale of the Pierre Eugene Du Simitière Collection.
For the Young Ladies' Academy
Printed cover of an exercise book. James Rush bequest, 1869.
Gallery of Arts & Manufactures
Gift of Marguerite Brenner, 1984.
The Generall Historie of Virginia, New-England and the Summer Isles.
Gift of the naturalist Peter Collinson, with his manuscript notes.
George Campbell
Oil on canvas. Librarian from 1806 to 1829. Gift of Edwin Wolf 2nd, 1960.
"Geranium Maculatum" for Vegetable Materia Medica
Watercolor, gift of Elizabeth S. Abbot, 1961.
Girard Bank
Daguerreotype. Gift of John A. McAllister, 1896. This view of militia gathering in the wake of an anti-Catholic riot is Philadelphia's first news photograph.
Grandma Toppan
Daguerreotype. Purchased 1986.
Handwritten cards from the original card catalogue.
Historia Naturale
Mackenzie bequest, 1828.
Historique et Description des Procédés du Daguerréotype et du Diorama.
First printing of the first description of photography.
The History of Louisiana, or of the Western Part of Virginia and Carolina.
Purchased 1823 at the sale of the library of Benjamin Smith Barton. Barton previously lent this copy to Meriwether Lewis, who took it on the famous expedition. Inscription on fly-leaf by Meriwether Lewis, Philadelphia, May 7, 1807.
History of the Jews
Gift of Edwin Wolf 2nd, 1980.
Hoch-Deutsches Lutherishes ABC
George Allen Collection, purchased 1959.
The Homilies of Michael
Ethiopian manuscript. Gift of Countess Van Cuelenbroeck, 1900.
Hortus Sanitatis
Collins Collection, 1832.

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