© Copyright 2025 - The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. TEL (215) 546-3181 FAX (215) 546-5167
For inquiries, please contact our IT Department
- Title
- East front of Main Building
- Description
- Oblique view of the east front of the Main Building on the grounds of the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 designed by Henry Pettit and Joseph M. Wilson. In the foreground, a white man rests his right foot on a box as he has his shoes polished by an African American man, who kneels on the ground. Two white men browse through a box of goods that an African American man peddler, attired in a white hat and apron, carries on a strap around his shoulders. Two other white men stand to the right and look at the viewer. The fair celebrated the centennial of the United States through an international exhibition of industry, agriculture, and art., Title and photographer's imprint on mount., Orange mount with rounded corners., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Gift of Robert M. Vogel, 1984., Part of digital collections catalog through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014., George Barker was a prolific New York stereographer in the 1860s whose gallery catered to the tourist trade in Niagara Falls.
- Creator
- Barker, George, 1844-1894
- Date
- [ca. 1876]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department stereo - Barker - Centennial [P.9047.69]
- Title
- East front of Main Building
- Description
- Oblique view of the east front of the Main Building on the grounds of the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 designed by Henry Pettit and Joseph M. Wilson. In the foreground, a white man rests his right foot on a box as he has his shoes polished by an African American man, who kneels on the ground. Two white men browse through a box of goods that an African American man peddler, attired in a white hat and apron, carries on a strap around his shoulders. Two other white men stand to the right and look at the viewer. The fair celebrated the centennial of the United States through an international exhibition of industry, agriculture, and art., Title and photographer's imprint on mount., Orange mount with rounded corners., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Gift of Robert M. Vogel, 1984., Part of digital collections catalog through a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services as administered by the Pennsylvania Department of Education through the Office of the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014., George Barker was a prolific New York stereographer in the 1860s whose gallery catered to the tourist trade in Niagara Falls.
- Creator
- Barker, George, 1844-1894
- Date
- [ca. 1876]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department stereo - Barker - Centennial [P.9047.69]
- Title
- [Laird, Schober & Mitchell trade cards]
- Description
- Series of trade cards and caricatures promoting Laird, Schober & Mitchell and depicting clowns or harlequins. "I see nothing will suit but Laird, Schober & Mitchell's" depicts a white boy harlequin trying to fit a shoe on a seated white woman fairy with wings and a wand. "Too fine to Blacken!" is a racist trade card depicting a white boy clown kicking an African American shoe shine boy from behind. In the right, the white boy, attired white clown costume with a white cap decorated with a blue ball, a white shirt with ruffles at the neck and waist, white pants with a ruffle at the cuffs, white stockings, and blue shoes, carries a jump rope in both hands. He smiles at the viewer and kicks his left foot propelling the shoe shiner into the air. The shoe shiner is attired in a blue jacket with tails, white pants, black stockings, and brown shoes. His top hat, shoe shining stool, and open can of shoe polish fly away from him. "Oh! my!!..just look at them!!!" shows a white man admiring the shoes of a young, white woman who carries a butter churn. In the background are farm animals including a cow. "How beautifully they fit" depicts a white woman descending the stairs while grasping the hand of a white man, attired in a military uniform who carries a bouquet of flowers. Also a card depicting a white woman in a parlor holding up her skirt to reveal her new shoes, with the shoe box labeled, "Laird, Shober & Mitchell, Philadelphia" on the table. Laird, Schober & Mitchell's Shoes began operating in 1870 and was a partnership formed by Samuel S. Laird, George P. Schober and George A. Mitchell., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from content., Four trade cards [1975.F.488-491] contain advertising text printed on versos: A request before purchasing shoes. Examine ours. Prices are now reduced and goods finest manufactured. Laird, Schober & Mitchell, 1133 Arch Street, Philad'a., Gift of Emily Phillips, 1883., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Digitized.
- Date
- [ca. 1880]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department trade card - Laird [1975.F.488-491; 1975.F.506]

