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Title: Catha y Tea Garden, 1221-23-25 Chestnut St., Philadelphia
Description: Menu for the Cathay Tea Garden located at 1221-1225 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. The green and gold menu cover depicts a Chinese woman, attired in a dress and high-heeled shoes, raising her left hand to her chin as she faces the viewer. She stands on a balcony or bridge overlooking a landscape of trees and mountains under a moonlit sky. The menu is in English and organized by number in sections for “Wines and Liquors” (#1-167); “Chinese Menu” (#1-179); and “American Menu” (#181-383). The Chinese menu includes categories for chop suey, chow mein, Chinese omelettes, and a prix fixe “Table d’Hote” with three different options and prices from $1.25 to $2.50. The American menu includes categories for sea food, steaks, salads, and sandwiches. The restaurant advertises music, broadcasting, and dancing from 12 to 2:00 P.M., 6 to 8 P.M., and 10 to 1 A.M. with a note that “our patrons are requested to dance only with their escorts. This rule is for the protection of both you and us.” A one sheet insertion, decorated with a red border of bamboo, promotes three Table D’Hote dinners for Tuesday, August 17th for 85 cents, $1.10, and $1.35. The Cathay Tea Garden, also called the Cathay Restaurant, was a Chinese restaurant that had a large dance floor where musicians and bands played. They also broadcasted a live radio show. The restaurant closed in 1973., Title from item., Date inferred from content and active dates of business., Gift of Linda Kimiko August.
Date: [ca. 1930]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *ephemera - Menus - C [P.2023.43.7]

Title: Chinatown. Looking north on Hutchinson Street which dead ends into Race Street
Description: View from Hutchinson Street towards the 900 block of Race Street, Philadelphia. Shows in the foreground a partial view of a car and the buildings flanking Hutchinson Street. In the center, depicts an exterior view of the four-story building at 919-921 and the three-story building at 923 Race Street. Part of the sign for the Shanghai Garden Restaurant at 919 is visible. The neighboring business has a storefront glass window which reads, "Hong Tai & [Co.] 921 Chinese Good[s]" with a display of merchandise. The adjacent building reads, "Fook Lee Co. 923" on the storefront glass window, and a seated man is visible inside., Title and date from label on verso., Photographer's imprint stamped on verso: Photo by Phila. Inquirer, Oct. 2, 1955., Gift of Linda Kimiko August.
Creator: Irving, William, photographer
Date: Oct. 2, 1955
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department photo - Irving (Phila Inquirer) [P.2023.27.6]

Title: Cathay Restaurant, 1221-23 Chestnut St., Philadelphia, Pa Music, dancing, broadcasting
Description: Interior view of the Cathay Restaurant located at 1221-1223 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia. Shows the view from the second-floor staircase, looking down at the main dining room on the first level and the balcony sections that flank the main stairway. Depicts on the first floor, a line of red tray holders for waitstaff in the left and rows of white table-clothed dining tables and chairs. On the balconies are additional rows of white table-clothed dining tables and chairs. The edges of the balcony are lined with different-colored figurine lamps with fringed shades. Colored paper lanterns and a chandelier hang from the ceiling. The Cathay restaurant, also called the Cathay Tea Garden, was a Chinese restaurant that had a large dance floor where musicians and bands played. They also broadcasted a live radio show. The restaurant closed in 1973., Title from item., Date inferred from medium and content., Numbered 95415 on verso., Sheet number: 112A03., Divided back.
Creator: Brightbill, George M., collector
Date: [ca. 1920]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Brightbill postcards [Hotels and Restaurants - Bingham through Green's - 112]

Title: Pennsylvania at the Panama Pacific International Exposition, San Francisco, 1915
Description: Photograph album containing twenty-seven captioned views of Pennsylvania's contributions to the world's fair held in San Francisco, February 20-December 4, 1915. A number of the images include persons and groups of people posed in front of the Liberty Bell, which traveled nation wide on train from Philadelphia to the fair. Photographs include: "Pennsylvania Building"; "Corner of the Pennsylvania Garden"; "Corner of the Pennsylvania Bldg showing Plaque"; "Mural Pennsylvania Bldg. Steel Industry, Edward Trumbull";"Mural Pennsylvania Bldg. Penn's Treaty, Edward Trumbull"; "The Chinese Commission to the Exposition" in front of the Liberty Bell; "Gentlemen's Rest Room" in the Pennsylvania Building; "Education Day, October 11. 1915" showing young girls attired in "stars and stripes" dresses dancing; "Education Day, October 11. 1915" showing a woman attired as "Liberty" surrounded by young girls attired in "stars and stripes" dresses and standing in front of the Liberty Bell; "Great Grand Daughter of Gen. Putnam" by the Liberty Bell; "Ex Gov. John K. Tenor delivering address Dedication Day, March 18, 1915"; "Vice Pres. Fairbanks delivering address Dedication Day; "Judge William Bailey Lamar U.S. Repr. delivering address Dedication Day"; "Mr. Thomas A. Edison" by Liberty Bell; "A group of Chinese girls" by Liberty Bell; "Mr. Henry Ford" by Liberty Bell; Pennsylvania "Governor Martin G. Brumbaugh and Official Party" by Liberty Bell; Pennsylvania "Governor Martin G. Brumbaugh delivering address Pennsylvania Day, September 4, 1915; "Senator E.L. Tustin delivering address Pennsylvania Day, September 4, 1915";, "Judge Win Bailey Lamar U.S. Repr. delivering address Pennsylvania Day"; "Vice Pres Ruben B. Hale of P.P.J.E. delivering address Pennsylvania Day"; "Senator Boies Penrose" at Liberty Bell; "Farwell to the Liberty Bell, November 10, 1915"; "Philadelphia Officers 'Guards to the Liberty Bell"; "Chief Little Bear" at Liberty Bell; "Arrival of the Liberty Bell at the Pennsylvania Bldg"; and "Arrival of the Liberty Bell at the Pennsylvania Bldg.", Photograph titled, "The Chinese Commission to the Exposition," depicts nine Chinese men and one white man posed in front of the Liberty Bell behind a metal barrier. The men are attired in suits, some holding bowler hats in their hands, except one older Chinese man who wears a white mustache and is attired in a changshan and a round hat. The Liberty Bell is decorated with flowers and sits on a platform draped in an American flag. Four flags, including two American flags, are on flagpoles flanking the bell. Partial view of men and women spectators in the background. Photograph titled, "A group of Chinese girls," depicts six Chinese women posed in front of the Liberty Bell. In the center, the Liberty Bell is displayed on a platform that is draped with an American flag. Two women sit on the platform, and four women stand. Five of the women are attired in white tunics with Mandarin collars, dark-colored skirts, and lace-up, heeled boots, and several of the women wear necklaces and brooches. The woman in the right is attired in a long-sleeved white shirt, a quilted, dark-colored tunic with a Mandarin collar and matching quilted pants, a bracelet, and lace-up, heeled boots., Title and date from manuscript note on first page of album., See related: Rau Collection [P.9520.1] and photo - unid. -events [P.9520.2-8].
Date: [1915]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department albums [P.2022.2]

Title: [Ralston family cased photograph collection]
Description: Collection of daguerreotype and ambrotype portraits, several by Norristown daguerreotypist William Stroud, portraying clergyman and founder of Oakland Female Institute James Grier Ralston, his wife Mary Anderson Larimore Ralston, their daughters, and his and his wife’s female siblings, and women teachers at the Institute. Contains bust-, half-, three-quarter, and full-length portraits of individual and pairs of sitters. Sitters are often seated, but a number of the portrait depicts sitters in a standing pose. The women’s and girl’s attire includes bonnets; off-the-shoulder bateau neckline dresses; high-neck, long-sleeved dresses with lace collars and cuffs; brooch and belt chatelaines; and earrings. Dresses worn by the female sitters are often a solid dark color, but occasionally are of a pattern design or light color. James Grier Ralston’s attire included broad bow ties, vests, jackets, and suits. Many of the images also contain props, including covered side tables, chairs, flowers, possibly an ambrotype, and a crumpled piece of cloth., Sitters in addition to James Grier Ralston and Mary Anderson Larimore Ralston include their daughters Anna Larimore Ralston, Ella Grier Ralston, Lilly Grier Ralston (who died at 11 months old), and Cora (Cara) Ralston; Institute music teacher Mrs. John Hunsicker, i.e., Fannie Henry Hunsicker (married by James G. Ralston); Mary’s sister and Institute graduate, Hetty Clark Larimore; and Institute teacher and sister of James, Agnes Caldwell Ralston; Institute graduate Martha (Mattie) Divine (Mrs. Fleming); and an unidentified woman., Posed portrait pairs include images of Mary Anderson Larimore Ralston and daughter Anna Larimore Ralston (P.2012.5.6) in which Anna sits in Mary’s lap with her mother’s hand on her head; and Anna Larimore Ralston and Ella Grier Ralston (P.2012.5.8) which Anna stands next to Ella who sits on a chair, while she rests her arm on a covered side table adorned with a basket of flowers; Anna Larimore Ralston and Fanny Hunsicker (P.2012.5.16) in which Fanny, seated, has her one hand at her hip and her other hand and arm around the waist of Anna who stands; and Hetty Clark Larimore and Mary Larimore Ralston (p.2012.5.17) in which the women are seated, side by side, and Hetty holds a bound object, possibly an ambrotype and Mary holds a crumpled white cloth., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from photographic medium and age and attire of sitters., Photographers include William Stroud (Norristown, Pa.) and Theodore L. Chase (Philadelphia, Pa.)., Various-shaped mats, including oval, elliptical, double elliptical, and non pareil., Various colored pads, including blue, red, and maroon velvet or silk, several with embossing. Embossings include photographer’s imprints and/or imagery. Imagery includes floral and geometric designs, scroll work, and eagles., Primarily leather cases, and one thermoplastic case. Case designs vary, but are predominantly rose and mixed flower designs, in addition to geometric, scroll, and quatrefoil designs. Designs also include Pressed Flower, plate 154; The Delicate Roses, variant, plate 123; A Spray of Roses, plate 131; Mixed Garden Flowers, plate 133; Two Lilies, variant, see plate 112 and 113 in American miniature case art by Floyd and Marion Rinhart (Cranbury, New Jersey: A.S. Barnes and Co., Inc., 1969)., Majority of sitters identified by accompanying slips of paper with manuscript notes., Several of the images contain pink tinting on the cheeks of the sitters., P.2012.5.4, P.2012.5.8, P.2012.5.11-15, P.2012.5.21 contains daguerrean's imprint on pad or inside rim of case. Various imprints include: William Stroud, Norristown; William Stroud's Skylight Gallery, Norristown, Pa.; Stroud’s Ambrotypes Norristown, Pa., P.2012.5.6 contains dagurrean's imprint on pad: Theodore L. Chase, N.E. cor. Chestnut & Fifth Sts., Fannie Henry Hunsicker was a woman of Chinese descent. Official records are conflicting as to whether she was born in China, at sea, or in Connecticut., Several of the images contain weeping glass deterioration, tarnished plates, or other damage., Inventory of collection available at repository., See Sarah Weatherwax, "Revealing the Ralston Family," The Daguerreian Society Quarterly (July-September 2021), p. 3-6., Clergyman James Grier Ralston (1815-1880) founded Oakland Female Institute in 1845 in Norristown, Pa. Ralston studied at the Theological Seminary at Princeton and headed the Female Seminary at Oxford, Chester Country, PA before establishing Oakland. He married Mary A. Larimore (1822-1891) in 1842 and they had four children Anna L. (1848-1902), Ella M.(1847-1924), Lillie G. (1852-1853) and Cara G. (1856-1928), with Lillie dying in infancy. Ralston’s children were educated and/or taught at Oakland, as did his sister Agnes C. Ralston. The Institute operated until 1880 and the death of Ralston
Date: [ca. 1845-ca. 1855]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department cased photos - Ralston Family [P.2012.5.1-22]

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