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Title: Views of Philadelphia
Description: Collection of prints from the various editions and restrikes of Birch's "Views of Philadelphia," originally published in 1800 as The City of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania North America; as it appeared in the year 1800. Four editions of the views, purchased through subscription and totaling 44 unique plates including a map of the city and title page with vignette, were published by William Birch in Philadelphia from 1800 until 1828. First and largest edition contained 29 plates, the pictorial views drawn by Thomas Birch and engraved by Samuel Seymour between 1798 and 1800; with the map and title page executed by script engraver William Barker. Bookseller Robert Campbell is listed as a seller on many of these plates, but appears to have been disassociated with the project before publication of the bound volume. Second edition of 22 plates was published in 1804. Third edition of 14 plates was published in 1809. Fourth edition of 12 plates was published between 1827 and 1828. The first and second edition were printed by Philadelphia printer, Richard Folwell. The later editions, predominately completed by William Birch alone, contained reissues of selected plates from the first edition as well as new engravings of prominent city structures erected after 1800. In the 1840s restrikes of five plates were produced by bookseller Robert Desilver, and in the 1860s, twelve by the antiquarian John McAllister, Jr; many of the restrikes originally published in the fourth edition. Collection also contains the second edition copper plate of the Bank of Pennsylvania, and the fourth edition copper plate of The Late Theatre in Chestnut Street., Series of late 18th and early 19th-century views of principal sections of the city of Philadelphia including primary streets, government buildings, local landmarks, and financial, religious, educational, and benevolent institutions. The series, the first of its kind in the United States, was created to attract new citizens and to illustrate to an international audience the vitality of the nation's premiere city. The views focus on structures, but also contain lively depictions of daily street life in Philadelphia. Plates depict Philadelphia's Delaware River port with the Penn Treaty Tree; several street views including Arch Street, High (Market) Street, and Third Street; city markets; city banks, such as the Bank of the U.S.; the State House (Independence Hall); Congress Hall; prominent churches, such as Christ Church; Pennsylvania Hospital; Library and Surgeon's Hall; Chestnut Street Theatre; the Alms House; Walnut Street Jail; the Water-Works; and the Schuylkill Bridge., See S. Robert Teitelman's Birch's views of Philadelphia. (Philadelphia: The Free Library of Philadelphia, 1982, rev. 2000)., Snyder, "William Birch: His Philadelphia views," The Pennsylvania magazine of history and biography 73 (July, 1949), p. 271-315., Snyder, "Birch's Philadelphia views: New discoveries," The Pennsylvania magazine of history and biography 88 (April, 1964), p. 164-173., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., William Birch, trained in England, was a Philadelphia engraver, miniaturist, and enamel painter. He also engraved and published in 1804 "The Country Seats of the United States of North America."
Creator: Birch, William Russell, 1755-1834
Date: 1800-1860, bulk 1800
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Birch's views [Sn 1 - Sn 43]

Title: Girard's Bank, late the Bank of the United States, in Third Street Philadelphia
Description: Street scene with a view of the Bank of the United States on Third Street. Shows groups of men in conversation, couples strolling the sidewalk, and individuals walking up the bank's steps. View also includes, horse-drawn carts traveling in the street and, in the right, an African American man laborer working with wood scraps in front of a nearby building. Designed by Samuel Blodget, Jr., the building was completed in 1797 and housed the first Bank of the United States until the revocation of the bank's charter by Congress in 1811. Purchased by wealthy Philadelphian Stephen Girard, the building became "Girard's Bank" and operated there for the next twenty years., Title from item., Illustrated in S. Robert Teitelman's Birch's views of Philadelphia (Philadelphia: Free Library of Philadelphia, 1982, rev. 2000), pl. 17., Accessioned 1979., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., 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.
Creator: Birch, William Russell, 1755-1834, engraver
Date: [1828]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Birch's views [Sn 17c/P.2276.38]

Title: [Evans, card & fancy printer. Office, Fourth St. below Chestnut, Philadelphia]
Description: Business advertisement depicting the commercial building at 402 Library Street containing the establishments of Howell Evans; the Dime Savings Fund; ship and custom house brokers, E. Headley Bailey & M.S. Alexander; engravers on wood, James W. Louderbach & Gustavus A. Hoffman; lithographer, John Childs; and engravers, stationers and producers of embossed cards, envelopes, labels, etc., Jacob Maas, Henry Percival, and Jacob's son, Charles E. Maas. Several men and women pedestrians, including an African American man laborer carrying a bundle, walk the sidewalk. Patrons enter the building's open doorways. A coach travels speedily past the building. Evans, the self-promoted first "fast card press in the city" operated his firm at the address until 1880. In 1860, his press executed the advertisements for the Philadelphia City Directory. Louderbach & Hoffman, a partnership formed in 1853 resided at the site until dissolving in 1860., Title from duplicate print., Date from Poulson inscription on recto: Fourth Street; s.w. cor.; Library Street; Feby, 26, 1856., Accessioned 1979., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., 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.
Creator: Louderbach & Hoffman, engraver
Date: [February 16, 1856]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department PhPr - 11x14 - Business [P.2277.23]

Title: Evans, card & fancy printer. Office, Fourth St. below Chestnut, Philadelphia
Description: Business advertisement depicting the commercial building at 402 Library Street containing the establishments of Howell Evans; the Dime Savings Fund; ship and custom house brokers, E. Headley Bailey & M.S. Alexander; engravers on wood, James W. Louderbach & Gustavus A. Hoffman; blank book manufacturer, J.R. McMullin; and engravers, stationers, producers of embossed cards, envelopes, and labels, Jacob Maas, Henry Percival, and Jacob's son, Charles E. Maas. Several men and women pedestrians, including an African American man laborer carrying a bundle, walk the sidewalk. Patrons enter the building's open doorways. A coach travels speedily past the building. Evans, the self-promoted first "fast card press in the city" operated his firm at the site until 1880. In 1860, his press executed the advertisements for the Cohen Philadelphia City Directory. Louderbach & Hoffman, a partnership formed in 1853 remained at the site until dissolving in 1860., Title from item., Date inferred from content and history of the printer., Advertising text printed around border., Advertisements printed on verso: engraver, J.H. Byram - wholesale collar manufacturer, Robert C. Winters - and truss manufacturer and importer, C.W. Van Horn & Co., Originally part of a McAllister scrapbook of engravings related to Philadelphia. McAllister Collection, gift, 1886., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., 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.
Creator: Louderbach & Hoffman, engraver
Date: [ca. 1857]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department PhPr - 11x14 - Business [(7)1322.F.158.1a]

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