Library Company of Philadelphia scrapbook
Title
Library Company of Philadelphia scrapbook
Description
Scrapbook containing newspaper clippings, photographs, ephemera and prints predominantly issued between the 1930s and 1970s documenting exhibitions, loans, collections, events and the history of the Library Company. Clippings include newspaper articles about a loan of American political cartoons to the Toledo Museum (1936); exhibitions commemorating the centenary of librettist W.S. Gilbert (1936); the tercentenary of Swedish Settlement (1938); and the library's African American history collection (1971). Columns also describe the presentation of the Christopher Sower library (1909); the return in 1876 of a book 99 years overdue since the American Revolution (1938); the demolition of the Library's Juniper and Locust streets building for a parking lot (1939); and the vandalism of the former Ridgway Building at 901-933 Broad Street (1969). Photographs predominantly depict the exteriors and reading rooms of the library buildings at Fifth and Library Streets, Juniper and Locust Streets, and Broad Street (Ridgway Building). Other photographs include a series of views from the 1939 unveiling ceremony of the James Logan memorial (to be erected in Fairmount Park) on the steps of the Ridgway Branch. Ephemera includes invitations (several from The Women's Committee), brochures, catalogs, announcements and placards related to library events; bulletins and pamphlets describing collections; dues notices and book plates; the variant 1884 and 1906 "Rules of the Library Company"; an off-print of the 1882 Louise Stockton entry in "A Sylvan City..." about "The Old Philadelphia Library"; and a 1961 citation from the city recognizing the library as a "Philadelphia first.", Title supplied by cataloger., Cut outs of the seal and motto of Library Company from bookplate pasted on title page., Some contents annotated with dates and typewritten descriptions., Several loose photographs removed and rehoused as "Library Company of Philadelphia Scrapbook Photographs Collection" [P.2010.17]. Contains a ca. 1865 portrait of library donor John A. McAllister misidentified as librarian Lloyd P. Smith, a ca. 1935 portrait of librarian George Abbot, and interior and exterior views of the library buildings, including artifacts, at Fifth and Library Streets, Juniper and Locust Streets, and Broad Street (Ridgway Building)., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022., Typewritten index inserted in volume., The Library Company of Philadelphia, America’s first successful lending library and oldest cultural institution, was founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin as a subscription library supported by its shareholders. Until the 1850s it was the largest public library in America. It was transformed into a research library in the 1950s.
Creator
Library Company of Philadelphia
Date
[ca. 1865-ca. 1971, bulk ca. 1936-ca. 1945]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *albums (flat) [P.2010.17], Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Library Company of Philadelphia Scrapbook Photographs Collection [P.2010.17]
Philadelphia [viewbook]
Title
Philadelphia [viewbook]
Description
Souvenir viewbook, probably issued during the Centennial Exhibition of 1876, containing fifteen captioned views of prominent sites and landmarks in the city. Contains views of "Independence Hall" (520 Chestnut Street); "Independence Chamber," i.e., the Assembly Room used as an exhibit gallery; the "Public Buildings," (i.e., City Hall, built 1873-1901); "New Post Office" (South Ninth and Chestnut streets, built 1873-1884); the "Masonic Temple" (1-33 North Broad Street, built 1868-1873); "United States Mint" (1331-1337 Chestnut Street); the 400 block of "Chestnut Street" including the Custom House, the United States Post Office and Courthouse (completed 1863) misidentified as the Public Ledger Building, and Bankers Row; "New Academy of Natural Sciences" (built 1868, 1900 block Race Street); "Academy of Fine Arts" (118-26 North Eighteenth Street, completed 1876); "Horticultural Hall" (built 1867, razed 1881) and "Academy of Music" on the 200 block of South Broad Street; University of Pennsylvania in West Philadelphia; the main hall and statuary at "Girard College"; Fairmount Water Works; and Girard Avenue Bridge. Also contains a panoramic, bird's eye view "Philadelphia, Seen from West-Philadelphia" captioned with the names of major streets and the Centennial Exhibition buildings, Art Gallery and Main Hall. Views also show the New York Connecting Railroad Bridge; street and pedestrian traffic, including horse-drawn vehicles; signage; adjacent buildings and businesses; and flags., Publication information from variant copy., Title from embossed blue morocco binding, front cover stamped: Philadelphia., Prints connected by accordion folds. Verso of folds stamped with the name of the distributor, Hall & Garrison, Philada. & New York, and variant promotional text, including Compliments of; Fine Cabinet Work; Mill Work; Mirrors; Picture Frames; Ornamental Mouldings; Fine Furniture; and Interior Decorations., Hall & Garrison was a looking glass, picture frames, interior decoration, and cabinetry manufactory in operation in Philadelphia by 1867. The business relocated from the 900 block of North Third Street to 1128 Washington Avenue about 1873. By the 1880s, the firm shipped its materials internationally, including Russia., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., George C. Reukauff owned Hall & Garrison Looking Glass & Picture Frame Manufactory., Housed in phase box., Gift of Helen Beitler.
Date
[1876]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department albums - Views [P.2002.67.66]
Photographic views of New City Building
Title
Photographic views of New City Building
Description
Albums of progress photographs of the early construction of City Hall built 1871-1901 on Penn Square after the designs of John McArthur, Jr. Photographs show different stages of the construction of the foundation and lower floor of the building between 1873 and 1875. Includes images of the dirt sub basement; construction materials, equipment, and workers; aerial views of the built foundation; partially completed walls and abutments; and studio views of columns and architectural ornaments. Several of the views include scaffolding; horse-drawn carts; pulleys; piles of construction debris; Pennsylvania Railroad cars on Market Street; and workers and well-dressed men, probably the commissioners, reviewing and posed on or near constructed parts of the building and construction materials. Views also show surrounding cityscape, including the Masonic Temple (Broad and Filbert); United States Mint (1331-1337 Chestnut Street); the Seventh Presbyterian Church (Broad Street above Chestnut Street); Pennsylvania Railroad Freight Depot (13th and Market); La Salle College High School (Filbert and Juniper); Sharpless & Watts, flooring tile (1325 Market Street); the spires of Arch Street Methodist Episcopal Church (s.w. cor. Broad & Arch) and First Baptist Church (n.w. cor. Broad and Arch); and other surrounding businesses (beer hall, wall paper, and furniture) and residences., Volume 1 (Oct. 1873-Aug. 1874) contains two tipped in letters, dated December 26, 1873 and June 27, 1874, from President of the Commissioners for the Erection of the Public Buildings Samuel C. Perkins. Correspondence presents the stereographs, "authorized to be taken by the commissioners," as a means for the library to "have for preservation in [the] archives a complete photographic record of the progress of a work which under any aspect must be considered as of marked importance in our local history.", Stereographs numbered, dated, and printed with the series title "Views of Construction in Sub-Basement" or "Views of Construction" and the names of the architect, chief assistant, and board of commissioners on the verso., Calf bindings, polished and mottled., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Volume 1 image reproduced in The Print and Photograph Department of the Library Company of Philadelphia's Center City Philadelphia in the 19th century (Portsmouth, N.H.: Arcadia Publishing, 2006), p. 116., Samuel C. Perkins, a Philadelphia lawyer, served as president of the Commissioners for the Erection of the Public Buidlings 1872-1891., Housed in phase boxes.
Creator
Cremer, James, 1821-1893
Date
1873-1875
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department albums - Cremer [(1) 23455.D & (2) 23455.D]