Search results

Title: The Rivals embrace
Description: Racist, satiric trade card promoting varnish manufacturer Clarence Brooks and Co. Depicts a genre scene with two African American men suitors courting an African American woman while trying to ice skate on a frozen river. The figures are caricaturized and portrayed with exaggerated features. Two men, their mouths open clutch onto one another, their legs twisted, as they try not to fall on the ice. The man to the left is attired in ice skates; blue pants; a red jacket; white collared shirt; and a top hat that has fallen off. The man to the right is attired in ice skates; yellow suit with red checks; and a top hat. The woman they court watches the scene from the shore. Her mouth is open and her hands are apart in alarm. She is attired in white shoes; red stockings; a blue dress; purple coat; and straw bonnet adorned with a pink feather. In the background are two more ice skaters and a building. Clarence Brooks established his varnish business in 1859 as Brooks and Fitzgerald, later Clarence Brooks & Co. In 1881, the firm issued a calendar illustrated with African American caricatures in genre scenes., Title from item., Place of publication deduced from place of operation of advertised business., Date deduced from history of the advertised business and visual content., Gift of David Doret.
Date: [ca. 1880]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Goldman Trade Card Collection - Clarence [P.2017.95.26]

Title: Granite floor paint. Manf'd only by Acme white lead & color works, Detroit, Mich
Description: Trade card containing two panels and depicting a contrived, racist scene of two African American women domestics talking to each other from the kitchens of the respective, separate homes in which they work. The women are portrayed with caricaturized features and speak in the vernacular. They are attired in head coverings, sheath dresses with rolled-up sleeves, aprons, stockings, and slipper shoes. The depicted kitchens contain a sink, pans stored on hooks or a shelf, and a stove. In the left panel, the woman frowns and holds a kettle in one hand and the side of her skirt in the other. She stands "like a monument" on a floor "painted tree days now" and marked with her footprints. In the background, a white man, his mouth open in a shocked expression, and attired in a suit opens the door to the kitchen. In the right panel, the woman dances with one leg raised and her hands on her hips on a floor with "hard 'nuf" Granite Paint. In the background, a smiling white man attired in a suit looks on behind an open door to the kitchen. Separating the panels is a column of red cans labeled "Granite Floor Paint." Acme White Lead and Color Works was incorporated in Detroit in December 1884, by H. Kirke White, A.E.F. White, and W.L. Davies. In March 1920, Sherwin-Williams of Cleveland purchased the company and renamed the brand Acme Quality Paints. The firm continued under that name into the 21st century., Title from item., Text printed on recto: G'way chile! Dis floor been painted tree days an now I'se stuck fas' like a monument, why dont you use de Granite Paint? Law sakes only painted las' night and dat Granite Paint am hard 'nuf dis mawnin fur a breakdown., Advertising text printed on verso: Granite Floor Paint. You have undoubtedly in your experience, had an occasion to paint a floor, steps or a piazza. If such is the case, the chances are that you realize that the same paint used for painting the exterior of houses will not answer to paint floors, yet up to the time we invented the Granite Floor Paint that was what must be used. There are three great faults with the paints heretofore used, namely: First, they require a long time to dry, which causes great inconvenience; second, they never dry perfectly hard, and consequently will not wear; third, cold water will stain, hot water blister, and soap will to a certain extent remove them. After many long and costly experiments we succeeded in perfecting the Granite Floor Paint, and present it to the public with the assurance that it has none of the above faults. It is sure to become as great a favorite as our other popular specialty, "Neal's Carriage Paint," which is prepared ready for use in eight beautiful colors, and renders the re-painting of a buggy possible at a cost of not to exceed one dollar. Acme White Lead and Color Works, Sole Manufacturers, Detroit, Michigan., Distributor’s name on verso: For sale by Thorne & Rogers, Troy, N.Y., Gift of David Doret.
Date: [ca. 1890]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Goldman Trade Card Collection - Acme [P.2017.95.1]

Title: The Universal clothes wringer
Description: Metamorphic trade card promoting the American Wringer Company's Universal Wringer. Depicts a racist "before and after" scene with and without the product. The before scene shows an African American laundress "Dinah" wringing clothes by hand over a tub. She states in vernacular speech that "de wringing am awful." A white woman chastises her to "look at these torn clothes." She holds up a square shaped cloth with tears. A clock is visible in the background. The women are shown as bust-length. Dinah wears a kerchief, an open collared shirt, and her sleeves are rolled up. The after scene shows a smiling "Dinah," wringing laundry with a "Universal" clothes wringer under the happy gaze of her employer. The women reach a hand out to one another. Dinah wears a high ruffled collar shirtwaist with a bow at her neck, long sleeves, an apron, and kerchief. A clock rests on a sideboard in the background. The American Wringer Company was established about 1861 and operated until at least the early 20th century. The company often provided a clock as a premium to purchase their laundry equipment., Title from item., Date inferred from attire of figures depicted., Text printed on recto: Oh mistis de wringing am awful, always tear de clothes 'spect dat I neber get through. What Dinah, six o'clock and not done yet! And look at these torn clothes. "What Dinah! Finished washing so soon! Why it's only three o'clock." "Hi golly! Mistis, been done dese two hours dis chile hab no more trouble, since you done got dis wringer. Neber tear de clothes neder., Advertising text printed on verso: The Universal Wringer has the following points of superiority. 1. Rolls of solid white rubber. 2. Rowell's double cog-wheels. 3. Two independent pressure screws. 4. Double cogs at both ends of each roll. 5. Folding apron or clothes guide. 6. Rocking springs of wood and rubber., Distributor's name on verso: J. Russell & Co., Dealers in hardware, carpenters' and machinists' tools, 23 Dwight and 23 Race Streets, Holyoke, Mass., Gift of David Doret., Library Company holds a duplicate copy with a variant distributor [113420.D].
Date: [ca. 1885]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Goldman Trade Card Collection -American [P.2017.95.6]

Title: " Ariosa" Coffee. One gleam of consolation. From "Judge" by permission
Description: Trade card promoting Arbuckle's Ariosa Coffee. Depicts a racist caricature originally published in the satirical periodical “Judge” of an older African American woman and older, African American Deacon in conversation. The figures are portrayed with exaggerated facial features and speaking in the vernacular. They stand across from each other in a home setting. "Mrs. Johnson" is attired in a attired in a yellow apron over a black dress, a red vest, and an orange, head kerchief. She has a pipe in her mouth. "Deacon Smith" is attired in a top hat, blue coat over a white collared shirt with red bow tie, brown pants, black shoes, spectacles, and leans on a cane. Depicts Deacon Smith providing comforting words to Mrs. Johnson after she "loose de bigges' chile." The Deacon consoles "Providence am allus mercies in disguise" to which Mrs. Johnston agrees the child was "allus a mon-st'ous eatah." In the background is a steaming kettle on a small stove with a chimney pipe. On the verso is an illustration showing the exterior of the Arbuckle Ariosa Coffee's Brooklyn factory near a dock. View includes men loading train cars, horse-drawn wagons, and ships with cargo. Brothers John and Charlie Arbuckle, Arbuckle Bros., established their factory and warehouse in Brooklyn in 1881 after they invented a machine that roasted, ground, and packaged coffee into bags. Their first national brand was patented under the name Arbuckle’s Ariosa. The company succeeded into the 20th century. Following John’s death in 1912 the company declined and was broken up by the Arbuckle family in the late 1930s., Title from item., Place of publication deduced from place of operation of advertised business., Text printed on recto: Mrs. Johnson (mournfully)--"Ah deacon! It am very hard to loose de bigges' chile I's got." Deacon Smith (consolingly)-- "Dat am true, Mrs. Johnsing; but dese cha'tisements of Providence am allus mercies in disguise." Mrs. Johnson (meditatively)-- "Y-e-e-s; Jeems was allus a mon-st'ous eatah.", Advertising text printed on verso: "Ariosa" Coffee. No. 96. 839,972 pounds roasted daily. The enormous consumption of the popular brand gives proof that for strength, purity and deliciousness it has no equal., Gift of David Doret.
Date: [ca. 1880]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Goldman Trade Card Collection -Arbuckle [P.2017.95.7]

Title: The wedding party off for Europe. And they have all got on the neat $2.50, gaiters made to measure at the Co-operative Shoemakers, arnt they splendid. 220 & 222 S. Halsted St
Description: Racist trade card promoting the Working Shoe Makers Co-Operative Union and depicting a scene with African American caricatures originally created for Harper’s Weekly in 1878 by Sol Eytinge that satirized the courtship and marriage of and the start of families by "The Twins." Shows the twins, attired in yellow hats decorated with a red feather and long-sleeved yellow dresses with a white collar and a red belt, standing on the deck of the ship with their husbands. The husband in the left is attired in a white collared shirt, a blue jacket, red pants, and black shoes. The other twin’s husband in the right is attired in a blue hat, a white collared shirt, a green jacket, red and white striped pants, and black shoes. The couples, newly married, are “off for Europe” and look over the ship to say goodbye to the people on the dock. In the foreground, a number of African American men, attired in hats and suits, and women, attired in hats and dresses, talk amongst themselves and wave goodbye. In the left, a man stands up over the crowd, attired in a black hat, a red jacket, and yellow pants, and throws a bouquet of flowers at the couples onto the deck. The Working Shoe Makers Co-Operative Union was active in the 1880s in Chicago, Ill., Title from item., Place of publication deduced from place of operation of the advertised business., Date deduced from the history of the advertised business., Advertising text printed on verso: The Working Shoe Makers. Co-Operative Union 220 & 222 S. Halsted Street, The Cheapest Custom Made Shoe Store in the City. Button & Congress Gaiters, to measure. Ladies’ Button & Laced Gaiters, to measure. Half soleing & heeling 1.00 Ladies 75 cts, Craddock & Auston, Managers., Gift of David Doret.
Date: [ca. 1885]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Goldman Trade Card Collection - Working [P.2017.95.194]

Main menu