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- 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
- [Folk art portraits of two African American women and two African American men]
- Description
- Folk art bust-length portraits of two African American men and two African American women, portrayed in racist caricature, shown in a row, alternating woman, then man. In the left, the woman, wearing her hair in two braids tied with blue bows on either side of her head that stick out, with red lips, and attired in an off-the-shoulder blue dress with ruffles, faces forward with her eyes looking left. Beside her the man, with red lips and attired in a white collared shirt, a pink tie, and a black jacket, slightly faces left and his eyes look at the woman. The woman, wearing her hair tied in multiple braids, with pink lips, and attired in a pink, ruffled dress, looks to the left. In the right, the man, with pink lips and attired in a blue bowtie, a white shirt with blue stripes, and a black jacket, faces left and looks at the woman., Title supplied by cataloger., Gift of Mrs. S. Marguerite Brenner, 1984., RVCDC, Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022., 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 Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
- Date
- [1909]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Drawings & Watercolors - Unidentified - Faces [P.9057.28]
- Title
- 1888-1889 third supplement to catalogue of electrotypes from A. Blanc, Horticultural Engraver, No. 314 N. Eleventh St. Philada., Pa., U.S.A Registered Cable Address, "Blanc, Philadelphia."
- Description
- Catalog, including section “New Electros of Vegetables for 1889,” of electrotype specimens for the premier Philadelphia horticultural engraver and lithographer containing images of flowers, plants, fruits, and vegetables. Varieties of flowers, plants, fruits, and vegetables represented include begonias, carnations, chrysanthemums, ferns, pansies, poppies, roses, verbena, corn, melons, lettuces, onions, peppers, pumpkins, squashes, and tomatoes. Illustrations include specimen numbers and prices (ranging from $.50-$10), and most include titles. Images predominantly depict sentimental and genre views of women, children, and animals containing or bordered by flowers; baskets of fruit or flowers; wilderness scenes; insects; single letters and words embellished with floral details; potted plants and flowers; flower bushes; residential views containing flowers; flower and vegetable vignettes; bean pods; single, fields, patches, and bushels of fruits and vegetables; and gardening tools and agricultural implements and equipment., Other specimens depict reproductions of lithographs; female representations of months of the year; “Bulbs grown in Bamboo rod”; a montage, including a crate with packages of bulbs; "Craig’s New Chrysanthemum, Mrs. A. Blanc"; "The Philadelphia Prize Chrysanthemum of 1888"; "Cornfield"; "Insect Destroyers" (i.e., insect destroying insects); and "Odds and Ends" showing bottles of herbs. Also includes a photomechanical studio portrait of an African American boy and girl attired in winter coats and hats, a racist metamorphic montage showing a melon morph into a caricaturized African American figure; and an illustrated advertisement with testimonials promoting W. M. Giradeau’s Seminole Watermelon. Contents also include statements describing the flowers depicted; promoting made to order cuts and the possibility for the addition of text (mortised); noting possible alterations, including “each cut separate” and reductions in price; and indicating "3/4 natural size.", Cover annotated in pencil with date: 1890., Some leaves contain page numbers: 58-134., Cover contains photomechanical illustrations of a studio portrait showing a seated, barefoot girl in simple attire, holding a basket of roses under her arm, and holding a flower to her nose with the other. Attire includes a wide-brimmed hat adorned with several flowers. Grass and flowers rest at her feet. Portrait bordered by a large pictorial detail depicting two stemmed roses. Portrait is specimen 4817 in catalog., Contains promotional text to "Dear Sir" and dated Philadelphia, September 1, 1888 on inside front cover. Text advertises "list of new electrotypes, issued since last year’s supplement … that will enable you to give your catalogue an entirely different appearance" and references how it’s "an important item to the Horticultural trade" and Blanc’s stocks of electros are a “trifling expense” compared to original cuts. Text also explains the deferment of the reprinting of an entirely new catalog due to his addition of a large number of new electros, as well as ordering information including the necessity of a signed order sheet in which purchaser agrees not to sell or loan the electros; ability to make to order any cut for exclusive use; no discounts excepting for orders amounting to over $100; terms strictly cash with order; and cuts ordered to be mailed require a 10% additional fee for postage. Text also advertises "List of My Catalogues," including "Catalogue of Fruit and Tree Cuts"; "Cuts for Catalogue Covers'; "Lawn Views"; and "Sheets of Potato Cuts, Oats, Wheat, Grasses, etc."; their prices of 15 to 20 cents each or $1 for set, which is deductible from orders amounting to $5; and note about "Correspondence en Francais.", Several specimens include Blanc's copyright statement or name., Includes order sheet inscribed with addition equations., Back cover and end pages missing, RVCDC, Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022., Purchased with funds for the Visual Culture Program., See the Albert Blanc entry in the Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers., See the Edward Stern & Co. entry in the Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers., William M. Giradeau (b. 1852), owner of Girardeau Seed Company in Monticello, Fla., developed the first commercial machine for separating seeds from watermelons, making Jefferson county, the top watermelon seed supplier in the world by 1884.
- Creator
- Blanc, Albert, 1850-
- Date
- [1888]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department albums - Blanc [P.2013.69.2]
- Title
- In commemoration of the hundredth anniversary of American independence
- Description
- Elaborate Centennial Exhibition commemorative print depicting an arched monument containing a central full-length portrait of George Washington surrounded by vignettes; allegorical figures; and religious quotes by the first president. Washington is depicted mounted on his horse. Arch is adorned with the names of the 38 states and is flanked by columns containing views representing the industries of the North, East, South, and West. Views show a white man laborer of the North chopping a tree at a waterfront, white women loom workers of the East, an overseer on horseback watching an enslaved African American man picking cotton in the South, and a white man farmer reaping his harvest with a horse-drawn plow in the West. Columns also contain allegorical figures to represent the years 1776 and 1876. Justice and Independence (depicted as white women and holding the Declaration), and a prostrate British soldier represent the year 1776 and Peace and Liberty (depicted as white woman and holding a "Ballot"), and a seated enslaved African American man free from his shackles represent the year 1876. Monument also contains views of Independence Hall and Memorial Hall (Centennial Exhibition), the scene showing the signing of the Declaration of Independence, and allegorical figures and emblems symbolizing the classical and industrial arts. Other pictorial elements depict the all-seeing eye; American eagle, shield, and flag; vignettes showing Washington praying, and accepting the sword of surrender from Lord Cornwallis during the American Revolution; and vignette views with dimensions of Centennial Exhibition buildings. Buildings include the Art Gallery, Main Building, Agricultural Hall, Machinery Hall, and Horticultural Hall. The centennial of the United States was celebrated through an international exhibition of industry, agriculture, and art in West Fairmount Park, Philadelphia., Not in Wainwright., Improvement copyrighted 1877 The Presbyterian Philadelphia, Pa., Philadelphia on Stone, POS 370, Gift of David Doret, 2007., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
- Date
- 1876, 1877
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department **BW - Centennial [P.2007.28.7]