A silk banner that was carried by Thomas Leiper for the tobacconists in the Grand Federal Procession in honor of the ratification of the Constitution in Philadelphia on July 4, 1788., Banner has a painted design of a tobacco plant, bottle and bladder of snuff, thirteen stars, and a tobacco barrel beneath a pink ribbon which reads, "Success to the Tobacco Plant" and the date, "1788.", See Francis Hopkinson's Account for a detailed decription of the Tobacconists in the Procession., On deposit from the Friends of the Thomas Leiper House.
Gift of Tim Long, 2016., Seal for the Woodlands Cemetery. Reads: Woodlands Cemetery Company of Philaa. Depicted is a cemetery urn with a lyre and a large tree on the right. A garden folly is in the far left background with the sun’s rays filling the sky. The Woodlands, the former country seat of William Hamilton (1745-1813), was established as the Woodlands Cemetery Company of Philadelphia in 1840. Located in West Philadelphia on the banks of the Schuylkill River, it has over 54 acres of land with over 30,000 people buried wherein.
Cardboard suitcase with metal reinforced corners and edges. Missing side on bottom piece and lacking handle. Forms part of the Stevens-Cogdell/Sanders-Venning Collection. Given by the family with Bible inside [*Am 1873 Bible 17281.Q (SCSVC)]. Has labels for CC Hinkson, 329 N. 40th St. Phila. [ie Cordelia Chew Hinkson (1897-1983)]; Miss Bunny Hinkson [ie Mary Hinkson Jackson (1928-2014)] address obscured by Bekins sticker. [Cornelia was Mary’s mother]. Also has several Railway Express labels. Inside the top case, metal snap is labeled “United Carr.”, Gift of descendants Cordelia H. Brown, Lillie V. Dickerson, Mary Hinkson Jackson, and Georgine E. Willis in honor of Phil Lapsansky, 2016.
In his will, Dr. James Rush left the following instructions: "...I should be glad that the remains of the late Jacob Ridgway, of his daughter, my late wife, and of myself, should be removed to the new library building...and be placed in some spot within the outward limits of the building, under a plain and simple tablet.....I desire that my wife and myself may be placed in the new library building...The library will then be her monument, and I desire to lie by her side." Jacob Ridgway was not buried with the Rushes. The inscription on the tombstone reads as follows: "Sacred/To the Memories of/ Mrs. Phoebe Ann Rush./ Daughter of/Jacob & Rebecca Ridgway./ And wife of/ James Rush M.D./ Born Dec. 3, A.D. 1799/ Died Oct. 23, 1857./ And of/ James Rush M.D./ Third son of/ Dr. Benjamin & Julia (nee Stockton) Rush./ Born March 15, A.D. 1786./ Died May 26, A.D. 1869. The tombstone was moved to the Library Company's building at 1314 Locust Street in 1966., Bequest of Dr. James Rush, 1869.
Cardboard suitcase with metal rivets with cloth straps that have metal reinforced ends. Has label of Dehaven Hinkson, 29 N. 40th Street, Phila, 4, Penna. and Mrs. Mary D. H. Jackson, 146 West 23rd Street, New York 11 New York stamped 1961 [ie Dr. Dehaven Hinkson (1891-1975); Mary Hinkson Jackson (1928-2014) DeHaven was Mary’s father].Also has Bekins sticker. Forms part of the Stevens-Cogdell/Sanders-Venning Collection., Gift of descendants Cordelia H. Brown, Lillie V. Dickerson, Mary Hinkson Jackson, and Georgine E. Willis in honor of Phil Lapsansky, 2016.
Staffordshire figurine of Benjamin Franklin wearing a blue jacket, vest with floral decoration, gold-striped breeches, and black shoes carrying a tricorn hat in his left hand and a newspaper in his right hand. Gilded decoration and “Franklin” at the base in gilt. No maker’s marks. Firing hole at the bottom of the base., Gift of Beatrice Garvan, 2015.
David Doret and Linda G. Mitchell Collection, 2018., Label on the front reads: Old Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, Where the First Grand □ of F. & A.M. was Held in America. Tun Tavern stood at the intersection of King (later Water) Street and Wilcox (later Tun) Alley. It was the location of the first lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in the colonies as early as 1732. The June 26, 1732 Pennsylvania Gazette contains an announcement of William Allen being chosen Grand Master. The Tavern is also regarded as the location where the United States Marines held their first recruitment drive in 1775. In 1781, Tun Tavern burned down. A reproduction was built on the grounds of the 1926 Sesquicentennial and demolished after the exposition ended.
A genre painting in the vein of Anthoni Palamedesz (Rotterdam) or Pieter Codde (Amsterdam) of the 1630s. The panel support suggest they could be 17th century., Bequest of Dr. James Rush, 1869.
Depicts the meeting of Jacob and Esau from Genesis 33:4. Esau comes with an army, Jacob with his family, and the twin brothers embrace in the center. From the circle of Gillis van Coninxloo (Antwerp-Utrecht) or another Bruegel follower- an Antwerp painting., Bequest of Dr. James Rush, 1869.
Commemorates the prisoner-of-war camp for German soldiers on the Isle of Man during World War I., Obverse shows a view of the prison camp with tents and huts, castle and lighthouse in background, within a wreath of barbed wire. Inscription on the reverse reads: Weltkrieg 1914-1916 Erinnerung an die Kriegshaft Douglas Isle of Man.
Medal of William Penn with "1683-1908, Founders Week." Attached to a blue and yellow ribbon which reads, "City Council." Engraved, George Morris Abbott on the reverse.
United States one cent piece, "Liberty" and "1801" on the obverse with "United States of America" and "One Cent" on the reverse., Given to commemorate the year the 204 Juniper St. building was built (1801)., Gift of the Women's Committee by Miss Gertrude Atkinson, Feb. 15, 1943.
1. Envelope addressed to “Mr. C.F. Brice 1320 Locust St. Philadelphia PA.” Postmarked, “Philadelphia PA Jun 19 3-PM.” Return address states, “If not delivered in 5 days, return to The Continental Title and Trust Co. Twelfth Street Above Chestnut Philadelphia Insures Titles-Issues Searches Acts as Executer, Administrator, Trustee, Guardian Agent, &c., and as Surety for Persons so Acting Deposits Received, Interest Allowed.” Right corner of envelope missing, appears burned. 2. Envelope, left side badly damaged, perhaps water? Addressed to ?emer, Locust St., ? City. Postmarked, Philadelphia, PA 1909 with a one cent stamp. Return address is “George Miller & Son Co. Importers of Mandarin Fire Crackers, Fire Works, Etc. Nos [2]55 to 263 South Third St. Philadelphia, PA.” Below is a picture of fireworks. 3. Label ripped in two pieces. Appears to have a hole burned through the larger piece. The label says, “H…Children” with pictures of children surrounding, all in blue. Scant bits of the address remain; the rest is torn away. 4. Brochure for “Miller’s Fireworks 255-263 SO. THIRD ST., PHILADELPHIA.” For the Fourth of July, 1909, lists the different fireworks and their prices. Booklet is torn in half but repaired with tape. Much of the top half is faded but still legible. 5. Instructions for restarting the “gas lights” by turning off and turning on “switches” to determine the area in the house that is causing the problem. Typed. 6. Matchbox. Ads for “Hanscom Restaurants” and “Protection from Fire.” 7. Book of matches. “Safety BookMatches” “The Diamond Match Co.” 8. Small envelope from “The Bailey, Banks & Biddle Company Philadelphia, PA.” which included samples of their stationary. Lists two different sheets with their price., Found at the Cassatt House, 2000-2001.
Nine badges with silk and metallic trim and a photo portrait on each. M. A. Bruder New Years Association, Comic Club. These badges were worn as identification badges by club members in the parade. Some were marked President, Treasurer, etc. Some were dated and worn only once. As much work went into making the badges as costumes. Mostly Comics and Fancies wore badges. Many of the Comic and Fancy clubs marched for a few years and then died out or combined with other clubs.
Silk mourning ribbon with portrait of President Zachary Taylor. Atop the portrait is a bald eagle with a shield. Reads, “A Nation Mourns, A Nation’s Loss. The Peoples Choice, Inaugurated March 5th 1849. Died July 9th 1850. Aged 66 Years.”, Gift of John J. Nesbitt, III in memory of Mary (Rogers) Grist, 2012.
White silk satin ribbon. At the top of the ribbon is an American eagle with a shield of the republic on its breast which is sewn to a black five-pointed star in folded gauze. Letterpress and wood engraving of a funerary urn and weeping willow tree, on a base with a portrait of Lafayette. The base is flanked by French and American flags. Atop of the tree is an eagle that holds in its beak a banderole that reads, “a grateful nation’s mournful tribute.” Written at the bottom, “Gen. Gilbert Mottier Lafayette, born at Auvergne, Sept. 6th 1757. Died May 20th, 1834, aged 76 years 8 months, and 14 days, Funeral Obsequies performed to his memory, July 21, 1834, Philadelphia.”, Various fire companies, trade associations, and civic societies marched in the parade., Gift of Davida Deutsch, 2011.
Small medal from the 1876 Centennial Exhibition. Obverse inscribed, "Memorial medal, 1776" with image of Independence Hall; reverse inscribed, "Struck Within the International Exhibition 1876.", Gift of Raymond Holstein, 2011.
19th century tooled and dyed leather book cover. Crests with a lion in the center on the front and back. Gold, green, blue, and red paint., Gift of David Doret, 2007.
The Library Company acknowledges that in the past it regarded the mummified hand as a curiosity, which is harmful and offensive. The Library Company aims to correct this by showing dignity and respect to the remains of a once living person., On the top of the box is a label in Francis Hopkinson's hand that reads: “Woman's Hand taken from an Egyptian Mummy: presented to the Library Company of Philadelphia by Mr. Benjamin West formerly of this City, but now of London - Historical Painter - November 1767.”, LCP Minutes vol. 1, Dec. 14, 1767, p. 253: “He [the secretary, Francis Hopkinson] reported that Mr. Benjamin West formerly of this City; but now of London, Historical Painter had presented the Company, with his respectful Complts. a Woman's Hand taken from an Egyptian Mummy in good Preservation. Ordered that the Secretary in the Name of this Board return Mr. West their respectful Complts. with many Thanks for the Present he has been pleased to make them; being a real & valuable Curiosity; but more particularly as Instance of Regard from a gentleman of this City who has distinguished himself by his extraordinary Abilities.”, Gift of Benjamin West, 1767., Exhibited in the Library Company's exhibition, Quarter of a Millennium (1981).
Set of six flags: French, Belgium, Italian, Union Jack, and two 48-star American flags. These flags decorated Mabel Brice’s home at 1320 Locust Street when she hosted the Queen of Belgium for tea. Mabel Brice Wheeler (1873-1965) volunteered in the Emergency Aid of Pennsylvania’s Belgium Relief Committee during the First World War. The Belgian Royal family toured the United States between September 23 and November 1919 to thank the American people for all of their help. King Albert and Queen Elisabeth of Belgium, along with their son Leopold, the Duke of Brabant, traveled to Philadelphia on October 27, 1919. They went to Independence Hall and the headquarters of the Belgian Relief Committee. The Queen had tea at the home of Mabel Brice while the King and Duke explored the shipyard at Hog Island. Ephraim and Mary Brice (Mabel’s parents) purchased the house in 1900, and Mabel lived there the rest of her life. The Library Company bought the residence in 1967., Found in the collection-from the Cassatt House.
Gift of David M. Doret and Linda G. Mitchell in memory of Robert Lindsley and Eric de Hoogh, 2019., Made for the Library Company’s Juniper and Locust Street Library branch, which was designed by Frank Furness and opened on February 24, 1880. Carved Library step stool with two steps and stabilizing arm topped with a carved finial.
Oak with black walnut veneer., This desk was owned by William Penn., John Fanning Watson saw the desk in 1827 when it was owned by Nathaniel Coleman, a silversmith of Burlington, N.J. Watson described the piece as in "in very old & unsightly condition," but it still had its mirrors. The desk no longer has mirrors., Gift of John Jay Smith, 1873., Exhibited in the Library Company's exhibition, Quarter of a Millennium (1981). Exhibited at the State Museum in Harrisburg, PA, 1964-1966 and 1993-1994.
Four-sided top capable of being raised or lowered on its helical center pole ; cabriole with acanthus; ball and claw feet., Inscription on metal plaque reads, "This desk once the property of the Honorable John Dickinson Author of the "Farmer's Letters" &c. was presented to the Loganian Library by Albanus C. Logan II." Albanus C. Logan was John Dickinson's great grandson, so it is probable that the desk remained in the family before being given to the Library Company., Gift of Albanus C. Logan II, 1870., Exhibited in the Library Company's exhibition, Quarter of a Millennium (1981).
A funeral hatchment depicts the coat of arms of the deceased person., Used at the funeral of Gov. John Dickinson, Feb. 14, 1808., Letter inserted in the LCP Minutes, vol. 9, p. 117 from Miss Maria Logan to G.M. Abbot discussing the gift of the Hatchment to the Library Company., Gift of the Heirs of John Dickinson, 1887.
Inscription reads, “In Commemoration of the Hundredth Anniversary of American Independence Act of Congress 1874.”, The obverse depicts the "Genius of American Independence" with a sword in her right hand while her left hand is raised to thirteen stars representing the orginal thirteen colonies. On the reverse is the "Genius of Liberty" bestowing laurel wreaths to the “arts” and “sciences.”, Gift of F. Lynwood Garrison, Esq.
The tablet is from the archives at Lagash, excavated in the 1880s. It is made of unbaked clay and is a sealed envelope surrounding a similar or identical inner tablet dating from about 2044 B.C. It records the loan of 22 ‘gur’ (small boatloads) of barley from the royal granary at Lagash to two unnamed men, who were probably going to use it for spring planting, hunger having exhausted their supply of seed grain., Gift of Miss Mary McClellan, 1929.
Merchant's Exchange, designed by William Strickland and constructed 1832-33, was one of the earliest stock exchanges in the United States., Gift of David Doret, 2002.
Merchant's Exchange, designed by William Strickland and constructed 1832-33, was one of the earliest stock exchanges in the United States., Gift of David Doret, 2002.
Merchant's Exchange, designed by William Strickland and constructed 1832-33, was one of the earliest stock exchanges in the United States., Gift of Michael Zinman, 1996.
Three badges for the Bi-Centennial Parade, 1683-1883. 1. Deutsch Amerikanischer Verein (blue and gold). 2. German American Bi-Centennial Executive Committee (red and gold). 3. German American Bi-Centennial Parade (blue and gold)., Gift of Don Yoder and William Woys Weaver, (Roughwood Collection), 2000., Exhibited in Good Bye Bayern- Grüb Gott America at the Center for Bavarian History, Augsburg Museum “Alte Schranne” in Nördlingen (Bavaria) (2004).
D.C. Heath and Company was a publishing house founded in Boston by Daniel Collamore Heath (1843-1908) in 1885. D.C. Heath and Co. ranked among the leading school-book publishing houses in America, with offices at Boston, New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Austin, Texas, Atlanta, and London. The Company was later owned by Raytheon and then acquired by Houghton Mifflin in 1995., Inscribed in gold letters: D.C. Heath and Co. New York., Gift of David Doret, 2007.
A framed cotton Centennial handkerchief or bandanna printed with views of buildings from Philadelphia’s International Exhibition, including the Main Building, the Art Gallery, and the Horticultural Building, portraits of George Washington and Ulysses Grant, and patriotic seals. Printed with black on a white ground with a geometric border. Label of the framer, Ursula Hobson, on the back., Gift of James T. Carson, 2008.
Used in electrical experiments., See Library Company Minutes vol. 1, May 1, 1738-Oct. 11, 1742, p. 74, 76, 83, 86, 94, 125-126, for discussion about the air-pump and glass implements., Exhibited in the University of Pennsylvania Library’s exhibition, Benjamin Franklin Winston Churchill (1951).
This richly decorated frame has carved and gilded moldings with pendants of leaves, blossoms, and fruit. Lettered around the frame in gilt reads, “Mischianza-1778. / This mirror was in the ballroom of the Wharton House, Philadelphia at the above date & on the occasion of above fête./ General Meredith Read’s André relics.” The Meschianza ended with a ball, which took place in an elaborate canvas tent. The interior of the tent was painted and decorated with mirrors (including this one) and chandeliers, many of them borrowed from neighboring mansions., Gift of Mrs. John Meredith Read, 1900., Exhibited in the Philadelphia Museum of Art's exhibition, Art in Revolutionary Philadelphia (2010-2011).
LCP Minutes vol. 1, May 9, 1743, p. 133: "B. Franklin acquainted the Member Met, that he had lately received from London a Glass Concave of 12 Inches Diameter for Magnifying and burning, which he would present to the Library." Vol. 1, June 13, 1743, p. 133: "The Secretary informed that he has on the 21st of Last Month taken to the Library the Concave Mirror given by Mr. Franklin.", Gift of Benjamin Franklin, 1743.
The Electrical Machine is a static energy generator that works by rubbing the leather pad against the spinning glass globe to produce a static electrical charge in the globe. Franklin owned this apparatus and used it in his experiments and demonstations., LCP Minutes vol. 3, June 12, 1792, p. 312: Benjamin Franklin Bache presented to the Company the Machine, which Doctor Franklin first used to make Experiments in Electricity., Gift of Benjamin Franklin Bache, 1792., Exhibited in: University of Pennsylvania's exhibition, Benjamin Franklin Winston Churchill (1951); Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World (2005-2007).
A suggestion box with the face of a lion depicted and the words, "Gentlemen are Requested to deposit in the Lion's Mouth the titles of such Books as they may wish to have Imported" painted underneath., Made for the Library Company., Exhibited in, Benjamin Franklin: In Search of a Better World (2005-2007).
Pastel portrait of Wood seated at a desk. Wood was the 30th President of the St. Andrew's Association. Exhibited in the Library Company of Philadelphia's exhibition, The Living Book: New Perspectives on Form and Function (2017-2018).
Written on the back of the frame: Coleman., John Markoe was the son of Abraham Markoe and his second wife, Elizabeth Baynton. John married Mehitabel (Hitty) Cox in 1804 and succeeded his father as head of extensive business interests in Philadelphia. About 1810 a mansion was built for the Markoes designed by Benjamin Henry Latrobe and supervised by Robert Mills, on Chestnut St. between 9th and 10th., Gift of Dr. Mary Dewitt Pettit, 1965.
