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Title: Library Step-Stool
Description: 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.
Date: 1880
Location: OBJ 913

Title: Elliott Cresson
Description: Three-quarter length portrait of the Philadelphia Quaker philanthropist who was a president of the American Colonization Society. Shows Cresson standing and attired in a white collared shirt, a black cravat, a black waistcoat with a gold pocket watch chain, a black jacket and pants. Cresson holds a manuscript map on top of a table in the right, which also has books, a quill, and an inkwell on top of it. In the left is a chair that has African artifacts and art objects, including a spear and a figurine of a nude female form. Behind Cresson is a large, white column. A sailing ship is visible in the background., Title from printed signature of sitter below image., Variant of print originally published as frontispiece in Frederick Freeman's A plea for Africa (Philadelphia: Printed by William Stavely, 1838). Contains imprint "Printed by Sansom.", Gift of David Doret, 2004., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Creator: Sartain, John, 1808-1897, engraver
Date: [ca. 1838-ca. 1854]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department portrait prints - C [P.2004.46.6]

Title: Gerrit Smith
Description: Bust-length portrait of the philanthropist, social reformer, and abolitionist, who was actively involved as a "station master" in the Underground Railroad. Show Smith attired in a white collared shirt, a black tie, a patterned waistcoat, and a black jacket., Title from printed signature of sitter below the image., Published in George W. Bungay's Off-hand takings, or, crayon sketches of the noticeable men of our age (New York: Dewitt and Davenport, 1854), p. 330., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Creator: Buttre, John Chester, 1821-1893, engraver
Date: [1854]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department portrait prints - S [10753.D]

Title: Gantz, Jones & Co.'s sea foam
Description: Series of trade cards containing captioned scenes in silhouette and profile, including racist imagery, that promote and portray the use of the New York firm's baking powder in cooking. "The First Lesson in Cooking" shows a matron-like figure (in the right) holding out a can of "Sea Foam" baking powder to three young woman standing in a row (in the left). The older woman is attired in a long-sleeved dress with a tiered skirt and bustle, spectacles, and an adornment in her hair. The young women wear long-sleeved dresses with tiered skirts and bustles and hair ornaments that resemble pointed caps. The woman closest to the matron also holds a parasol in her right hand and the woman in the far left also wears a long braid that runs down her back. The women look at and lean toward the baking powder can with interest. "Mine is the Best" shows a woman home cook and a professional male cook facing off. In the right, the man, holds his right hand in a fist, and points behind himself to a table on which a can of "Sea Foam" and a bowl rest. In the left, the woman points at him with her left hand and with her right hand points behind herself at a table on which a bowl and two canisters rest. The man wears a mustache, baker's hat, long smock, and pants. The woman wears a long-sleeved dress with an apron. "Missus, We'll Nebber Use Any Odder!" shows an African American man, portrayed with exaggerated features, and holding an extra-large "Sea Foam" can, walking toward a stove at which a woman is kneeled and placing something in the oven. A pot and tea kettle rest atop of the stove across from the stove pipe. The woman wears her hair down and is attired in a long-sleeved dress with ruffles at the bodice and a skirt with bustle., Gantz, Jones, & Co. was originally established as a chemical business in 1849 by Thomas Andrews. George W. Gantz joined the firm in 1853. About 1869 Andrews retired and in 1877 Walter H. Gantz and F. B. Jones joined the business as partners. In 1884 the firm's New York warehouse was heavily damaged by fire and in 1890 the partnership dissolved. Following the 1856 patent of the first modern baking powder, several later 19th-century chemical firms, including Gantz, Jones & Co. attempted to capitalize on the new, very profitable baking powder industry. Baking powder significantly lessened leaving times for baking and cooking, and multiple companies began to market either cream of tartar or alum based powders that required no combining at home. The "Baking Powder Wars" mired in propaganda about the pure and safe properties of various firms' products ended in the early 20th century with alum baking powder companies Clabber Girl and Calumet dominating the American industry., Title from items., Date inferred from attire of figures portrayed and format of advertisements., Advertising text printed on verso of P.2018.6.3.1, "The First Lesson in Cooking": It is a first-class article, and will do more than it claims to do, and never fails to do its work well. Good health makes labor of all kinds easier and prolongs life. Sea foam is warranted to make better, lighter, healthier, sweeter, more toothsome and more [in italics] digestive [in italics] and nutritious bread, biscuits, cakes, puddings, etc., than can be made in any other way. Those who use it say: "We prefer it over all others." "It is A No. 1." "Gives universal satisfaction.", Advertising text printed on verso of P.2018.6.3.2,"Mine is the Best": SEA FOAM BAKING POWDER IS PERFECTLY PURE. Those who have used it once will never use any other. The BEST in the WHOLE WIDE WORLD. Without an equal. It is the perfection of science in cookery. Your cookery will be always good. You will always have a good cook. It makes every cook a good one. Your bread will never be sour. Light, well-raised bread, biscuits, and cakes digest easily and conduce to good health., Advertising text printed on verso of P.2018.6.3.3, "Missus, We'll Nebber Use any Odder!": Bread is always good. Cannot be beaten. Champion Yeast Powder of America. Every body likes it. Sells like hot cakes. The best customers ask for it. It is A No. 1. The ladies never get tired of telling each other about it. All first-class stores keep it. Gantz's Sea Foam is perfectly pure. Without an equal [in italics]. It is an entirely new invention. Never fails to make light bread. To avoid dyspepsia, use Sea Foam. One can is worth three of any other., Captions printed in all capitals., RVCDC, Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022.
Date: [ca. 1885]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department trade card - Gantz, Jones & Co. [P.2018.6.3.1-3]

Title: Major E. Newell, with Genl. Tom Thumb's Museum. H.R. Jacobs, manager
Description: Die cut trade card in the shape of a painting palette. Promotes General Tom Thumb's Museum, a variety company tour, and depicts Edmund Newell, known as Major E. Newell, attired in four costumes. In the top, shows Newell in yellowface impersonating a Chinese man, wearing a queue hairstyle and attired in a blue tunic and pants and black cloth slip-on shoes. He lifts his left leg up; places his right hand on his hip; and holds a red fan in his left hand. Tom Thumb, born Charles Sherwood Stratton, and Edmund Newell, also known as Major E. Newell and General Grant Jr., were people with dwarfism who toured with P.T. Barnum. Newell married Minnie Warren, whose sister, Lavinia Warren, was married to Tom Thumb., Title from item., Date inferred from content., Advertising text printed on verso: General Tom Thumb and his charming little wife with entire troupe. Horticultural Hall positively two weeks only Sept. 25 to Oct. 7th. Every afternoon & evening. Skatorial champion. Major Newell, the impersonator; Zoe Meleke, and her performing canary birds; Whiston, humorist and great facial artist; marvelous midget; Bingham, ventriloquist & illusionist with a congress of brilliants., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Digitized., RVCDC
Date: [ca. 1882]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department trade card - Horticultural [1975.F.651]

Title: Porcelain ware, Japanese Court
Description: View showing porcelain ware, mostly vases, in a stall in the Japanese Court within the Main Building designed by Henry Pettit and Joseph M. Wilson at the Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia. Vases, bowls, and jars of various sizes are displayed on tiered tables and on the carpeted floor. Framed artwork hangs on the walls. There is a small decorative table and partial view of a screen in the right. The Centennial Exhibition celebrated the centennial of the United States through an international exhibition of industry, agriculture, and art., Title on negative., Date from item., Photographer's imprint printed on mount and on verso. Imprint on verso contains initials "CPC" in decorative border surmounted by date range 1776-1876., White curved mount with rounded corners., Gift of Raymond Holstein., See related: stereo - Centennial Photographic Co. [P.9022.5]; Holstein stereo - Centennial Photo. Co. [P.2011.47.513].
Creator: Centennial Photographic Co.
Date: 1876
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Holstein stereo - Centennial Photo. Co. [P.2011.47.512]

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