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- Title
- James K. Polk
- Description
- Bust-length portrait within an ornate border of the U.S. president responsible for the statehood of Texas. Polk, attired in a white collared shirt, a black cravat, waistcoat, and jacket, faces to the right and tucks his left hand into his waistcoat. Border includes the figure of the American eagle, and a vignette titled "Annexation of Texas" depicting a trio of military officers reading the declaration of annexation to a crowd of civilians, including a cheering African American man. Border also includes angelic male torsos, flourishes, scrolls, and ornaments., Title from printed signature of sitter below image., Date inferred from content., Gift of Dr. Milton and Mrs. Joan Wohl, 1991., 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., Edwards, an English engraver, worked with New York publishing firms in the mid-19th century.
- Creator
- Edwards, W. Joseph, active 1843-1867, engraver
- Date
- [ca. 1856]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department portrait prints - Polk [P.9363.81]
- Title
- James K. Polk
- Description
- Bust-length portrait within an ornate border of the U.S. president responsible for the statehood of Texas. Polk, attired in a white collared shirt, a black cravat, waistcoat, and jacket, faces to the right and tucks his left hand into his waistcoat. Border includes the figure of Liberty, depicted as a white woman, and a vignette titled "Annexation of Texas" depicting a trio of military officers reading the declaration of annexation to a crowd of civilians, including a cheering African American man. Border also includes angelic male torsos, flourishes, scrolls, and ornaments., Title from printed signature of sitter below image., Date inferred from content., Accessioned 1982., 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., Andrews and Babson, Boston engravers, collaborated in the 1850s.
- Creator
- J. Andrews & R.E. Babson, engraver
- Date
- [ca. 1855]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department portrait prints - Polk [P.8911.790]
- Title
- Marriage certificate. This certifies that [blank] of [blank] and [blank] of [blank] united in holy matrimony according to the ordinance of God and the laws of [blank] at [blank] on the [blank] day of [blank] A.D. [blank]. Witnesses [blank] [blank]
- Description
- Marriage certificate containing a scene with an African American bride, groom, and reverend, pictorial details, and an ornamented border. Scene depicts the bride, in the left, in right profile, standing, and attired in a long-sleeved white wedding dress and bridal cap with floor length veil draped down her back. She holds a large bouquet from which ribbons stream and she bows her head slightly forward. In the right, the groom, in left profile, stands, attired in a dark suit with morning jacket and a boutonniere adorning the lapel. His head is slightly bowed. Between them, facing the viewer, stands an older reverend, attired in a clerical waistcoat and pants. He is balding with tufts of grey hair by his ears. He holds a Bible at his midriff. Ferns adorn the background. Pictorial details, surround the scene and text of the certificate, and include two Black putti; a vignette depicting the clasped hands of a Black bride and groom; and tropical greenery. The ornamented border is composed of ribbons and a chain link., Title from item., Name of publisher inferred and date from copyright statement: copyrighted 1910 P.P. and F. Co. Chi., Description of print (No. 1900) included in 1911 trade catalog for the Consolidated Portrait and Frame Co., p. 135a. Description reads: Good Luck Marriage Certificate. This certificate was printed and designed especially for the negro race. There is no other certificate so far as we know, exclusively for them., RVCDC, Purchased with partial funds from the Davida Tenenbaum Deutsch Women's History Fund.
- Date
- 1910
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *GC - Certificates - Marriage [P.2023.7]
- Title
- Marriage certificate. We are one forever. This certifies that [Green Allen] and [Mary E. Foster] were united in holy matrimony by me according to the ordinance of God, laws of the state of [Mich] at [Decatur] on the [30] day of October. In the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and [79] [Isaac Moss Minister of the Gospel. Witnesses [Sarah A. Foster] [David Moss]
- Description
- Marriage certificate containing the bust-length, carte-de-visite studio portrait photographs of Green T. Allen, Jr. and Mary E. Foster surrounded by text, pictorial details, and a geometrically-shaped border. Allen and Foster identified as multiracial in census records. Allen's portrait depicts the young man, looking to the right, and attired in a jacket with a notch lapel, a multi-colored tie, and white shirt with lapel collar. He also has a mustache and wears his hair short and greased flat. Foster's portrait (hand-colored) depicts the young woman, looking to the right, and attired in a garment with ruffle details at the shoulder and a neckerchief with fringe. She wears her long, wavy hair pulled back in the front and loose in the back. She also wears earrings. Between and around the portraits are pictorial details depicting flowers, grapes, vinery, doves (in nests), and scrollwork. Allen, son of Cass County, Michigan farmer Green Allen, Sr. was also a farmer, and a Justice of Township later in life. Allen, Jr. and Mary E. (Foster) Allen, daughter of a Decatur, Michigan farmer, had two children, son Charles F. Allen (1880-1971) and daughter Ethel May Allen Goens (1886-1942). Green T. Allen Jr.'s father was a founder of the prominent Black community of Southwest Michigan that settled in the area via the Underground Railroad., Title from item., Date of printing inferred from manuscript date., Completed in manuscript to Green Allen and Mary E. Foster on October 30, 1879. Signed Isaac Moss, Sarah A. Foster, and David Moss. Sarah A. Foster, later Cannon, was the sister of Mary E. Foster. Isaac Moss was a farmer and reverend. David Moss, son of Isaac Moss, was a farmer., Contains newspaper clipping from a ca. 1918 March edition of "The Cassopolis (Mich.) Vigilant" on verso. Clipping is backing for portrait photographs., RVCDC, W.P. Cooper was a teacher by the 1870s and had previously attended law school.
- Creator
- Cooper, W.P, 1822-1888, designer
- Date
- [completed 1879, printed ca. 1872]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *GC - Certificates - Marriage [P.2024.46.1]

