[Chestnut Street Theatre]. North East corner of Sixth and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia. [graphic] / Drawn and engraved on wood, by D.C. Baxter, (successor to Wm. B. Gihon,)
Title
[Chestnut Street Theatre]. North East corner of Sixth and Chestnut Streets, Philadelphia
Description
View of the second building of the theater, built 1820-1822 after the designs of William Strickland, Pedestrians walk on the sidewalk and read playbills on display. Also shows partial views of neighboring buildings, including Hart’s Building owned by prominent Jewish publisher and philanthropist, Abraham Hart, erected 1848 (537-539 Chestnut). A gas light with a shade illustrated with a dancer adorns the Melodeon (611-613 Chestnut) and signage advertising D. C. Baxter, engraver on wood, is partially visible on Hart’s Building. Theater razed 1856., Forms part of Poulson scrapbooks, Illustrations of Philadelphia, volume 4., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012.
Creator
Baxter, De Witt Clinton, ca. 1829-1881, engraver
Date
[ca. 1855]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Books & Other Texts | Rare Poulson scrapbooks - vol. 4 [(4)2526.F.73a]
Illustrations of Philadelphia [graphic] / Vincit qui se vincit. Collected by Chas. A. Poulson.
Title
Illustrations of Philadelphia
Description
Scrapbook containing newspaper clippings, prints, and manuscript notes, predominantly dated between 1856 and 1860, pertaining to the built environment, and social, cultural, economic, and political climate of Philadelphia. Subject matter includes the Sunday Dispatch newspaper column series “Indian Names”; reports on municipal services, including the fire department; population, trade, and crime statistics; mortality rates; real estate sales; descriptions of new building construction, including the Continental Hotel, Jayne Building (1856), new Bank of Pennsylvania (1856), churches, and storefronts on Arch, Market and Chestnut streets and in various wards, including the Twenty-Fourth and Fifteen, and near Rittenhouse Square; commentaries about city businesses and industries, including Harvey & Ford, turners in ivory and bone, Lacey & Phillips, saddler, markets, flour mills, sawing machines, omnibuses, joiner, and envelope and paper bag machinery, and the publishing trade. Other articles discuss fashion trends; the Schuylkill Rangers gang; “Street Nomenclature”; the early histories of Philadelphia, Germantown, Roxborough and Manayunk; benevolent and educational institutions and societies, including the Alms House, Philadelphia Orphan Society and the City Institute; food ways and manufacturing; the growth of Philadelphia; and a “Fistic”, i.e., fighting exhibition at Franklin Hall (1860). Also contains classifieds dated 1786; vignette wood engravings showing top hats, a stove, a plane, and a city fire plug; and satirical articles and illustrations, including African American characters, about the “Fine Arts”, i.e., street trades, fashion, the 1857 mayoral election, and improper use of a heating stove titled "A Picture of the Season.” Majority of graphics are wood and intaglio engravings, predominately advertisements showing storefronts., Graphics depict the Custom House; the Northern Home for Friendless Children; Mills B. Espy, pickels and fruits (109 S. Third.); the exteriors and interiors of Samuel Simes, store and family medicine laboratory (S.W. cor. Chestnut and Twelfth) and Wm. D. Rogers, coach manufactory (Sixth & Master); Loxley House (307 S. Second St.); Church of the Epiphany and Residence of Mr. Godey; Henry A. Bower (“N.E. cor. 6th and Green Sts.”); United States Hotel; Farmer’s and Mechanic’s Bank; Franklin Swimming Bath (68 N. Twelfth); Charles Ellis & Co., wholesale druggists (65 Chestnut.); Jones & Co., clothing store (200 Market); Baker & Williams, ranges & warm air furnaces (406 Market); "Schuylkill River, below Norristown, Pennsylvania"; Philadelphia Steam Marble Works (1700 block Chestnut); Continental Hotel; Consolidation Bank (331 N. Third St.); Union Saw & Tool Manufactory. Johnson & Conway, Office and Wareroom (Fourth & Cherry); and the Bulletin Building., Majority of contents annotated with a date by Poulson., Title page illustrated with a ca. 1856 lithographer's advertisement issued by Wagner & McGuigan. Depicts an allegorical, patriotic scene with the figure of Columbia, attired in a toga, American flag, and laurel wreath, and with a broken shackle under her foot as she stands on a pedestal., Verso of title page contains Poulson inscription: "The dates of the articles herein, are those of the Newspapers &c from they are cut." Inscription framed with cut out designed with ornamental pictorial details., Artists, engravers, printers, and publishers include D. C. Baxter, George T. Devereux, David Scattergood, and Joseph M. Wilson., "Index to set in back part of vol. XI.", Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Loxley House engraving (p. 14) accompanied by extensive manuscript note by Poulson.
Creator
Poulson, Charles A. (Charles Augustus), 1789-1866, compiler
Date
1786-1860, bulk 1856-1860
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Books & Other Texts | Rare Poulson scrapbooks - vol. 8 [(8)2526.F]