Details
Title Blanc, Albert
Alternate title Blanc, August
Blanc, Anthony
Date b. April 1850
Description Albert Blanc, born in Antwerp, Belgium in April 1850, was a Philadelphia engraver, electrotyper, and lithographer who specialized in horticultural trade catalog work in the later 19th century.
Blanc immigrated to the United States in 1868 and by 1869 worked in Philadelphia as a clerk and book keeper (215 South Front Street) while he resided with his future in-laws, the Pennybackers at 701 Vine Street. By about 1870, he entered the lithographic trade and delineated lithographs until about 1876 for Longacre & Co., including a series of advertisements for pharmaceutical manufactory Powers & Weightman. Listed at 615 Vine Street in 1871, he established about 1874 his own engraving and lithography firm at Room 4, 702 Chestnut Street, a building also tenanted by chromolithographers E. P. & L. Restein.
Between 1885 and 1887, Blanc entered the horticultural engraving trade and became a cultivator of cacti. In 1888, credit reports declared his dual business in "good standing" and estimated its worth at $8,000 to $10,000. By 1891, Blanc dominated the horticultural engraving trade and operated an extensive greenhouse for the cultivation of cacti under the firm name of A. Blanc & Co. He often exhibited at the annual spring flower show at Horticultural Hall.
Blanc married Sunie, i.e., Susan (b. 1850) in 1873 and the couple had no known children. In 1900, Blanc lived at 314 West Eleventh Street, his residence since about 1877. By 1910, the couple relocated to 6710 North Sixth Street and by 1915 to 222 Buckingham Place. Blanc was last listed in the 1920 census as an artist at 2528 South Cleveland Street. He resided with his wife, sister-in-law Sophie Pennybacker, and niece Susan.
Is part of Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers
References See Longacre & Co. and Restein, E. P. & L.
Call number Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers
Bibliographic citation Census 1870 (listed as August Blanc born in Bavaria), 1900, 1910, 1920
Pennsylvania, Vol. 164, p. 30, R.G. Dun & Co. Collection, microfilm, Hagley Museum & Library
Philadelphia Business and City Directories, 1869-1919 (intermittently)
Philadelphia and Popular Philadelphians (The North American, 1891), 227