Search results

Title: The election day in Philadelphia
Description: Print from an unfinished plate by Philadelphia engraver Alexander Lawson, after the 1815 painting (owned by the engraver) titled "Election Scene. State House in Philadelphia" by his friend and genre painter, John Lewis Krimmel that was exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts Exhibition of 1816. Depicts the rowdy immoral atmosphere during the afternoon of a Philadelphia election at the State House on Chestnut Street between Fifth and Sixth Streets. Voters arrive, complete and switch votes, and block the polls as politicians and campaigners, including former mayor John Barker, lobby for votes and engage in debate. A band and patriotic float parade down the street; a tavern quarrel occurs; two young African Americans attempt to rob a distracted woman peddler; an oyster vendor does a brisk business; and mothers and couples stroll and children play. Flags are displayed on the buildings, including Peale's Museum., Title from duplicate print at Henry Francis Dupont Winterthur Museum., Plate deposited by artist's daughter at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1887 from which 42 prints were produced between 1888 and 1904., Anneliese Harding's John Lewis Krimmel. Genre artist of the early republic (Winterthur, Delaware: The Henry Francis Dupont Winterthur Museum, 1997), p. 83-90., Milo Naeve's John Lewis Krimmel: An artist in federal America (Newark: University of Delaware Press, 1987), p. 118-119., LCP exhibition catalogue: Made in America,, Accessioned 1992., 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 Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
Creator: Lawson, Alexander, 1773-1846, engraver
Date: [ca. 1894]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department ***PhPr-Gov't Buildings-Independence Hall [P.9380]

Title: Hagar & Campbell's Dime Museum, Ninth & Arch Sts. Opens Monday September 3d 1883
Description: Lively advertising print for the dime museum operated by W. D. Hagar and W. T. Campbell 1883-1885. Shows throngs of people entering the mansard-roofed building, heavily adorned in signage and over 40 pictures of the museum's performers, at the northwest corner of Ninth and Arch Streets. Signs read "Specially Adapted for Ladies & Children: Open Daily from 1 to 10 P.M."; "Curiosities Constantly Arriving From All Parts of the World"; and "Philadelphia's Pleasure Palace Containing Countless Curiosities / Peerless Parlor Peformances." Other signs announce the hours of operation, the museum's purpose for the "instruction and amusement" of ladies and children, and the admission price - 10 cents. Performer's pictures primarily depict human curiosities and include tattooed men and women, a bearded lady, clowns, a two-headed woman, little people, an armless man, a man eating a slate, exotic and native costumed figures, as well as a magician and a ventriloquist. Graphics also show exotic animals and birds. Building also adorned with flags promoting the museum and its attractions, including "birds, beasts, and mechanical marvels." In the street, three street cars (nos. 44, 33, and 26) and one wagon, advertising Hagar & Campbell's, travel and stop in front of the museum. Wagon is composed of billboards illustrated with an image of seven women with floor-length hair and captioned "Seven Wonders of the World.", Also shows adjacent buildings, a crowd of people at the side of the museum, and pedestrians and passersby in the street, on the sidewalk, and near and looking at the street vehicles. Print also contains portraits of owners W. D. Hagar and W. T. Campbell in the upper corners. By 1884, Campbell and Hagar were officers in the Barnum and London show managing "Privileges." Campbell stayed with Barnum until at least the early 1890s., Date inferred from title., Gift of Barbara Fahs Charles and Robert Staples., POSP 286
Date: [1883]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department ***BW - Advertisements - H [P.2013.82]

Title: [Aftermath of the Broad Street Station fire, Philadelphia, June 1923]
Description: Scene showing a large crowd of men and women commuters on a makeshift walkway stretching to the back of the interior of the train shed. Depicts the crowd, including African Americans, milling about on the landing overseen by a railroad conductor. Two laborers with a plank, one an African American, wait at the front of the crowd. Labor crews on either side of the commuters repair the destroyed platforms and tracks upon which burnt out train cars rest. Under a sign pointing left "To Filbert Street," a conductor and two men consult near a telephone box. The Broad Street Station fire started on a Monday and burned for three days. The fire was still burning when 2000 laborers began repairing the station to reopen that Friday., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from content., Purchase 1981., 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: [June 1923]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department photographs- unidentified - transportation [P.8683.19]

Title: The conflagration of the Masonic Hall Chesnut Street Philadelphia. Which occured on the night of the 9th of March 1819 This plate is respectfully dedicated to the active and much esteemed fire engine & hose companies, by their obed't serv'ts S. Kennedy and S.S. West
Description: Reissue of the print after a commemorative painting of the hall on fire by Samuel Jones at the request of the publishers with added figures by the prominent Philadelphia genre painter, John Lewis Krimmel. View depicts several volunteer firefighters hosing the flame-engulfed tower of the majestic hall, erected in 1811, purportedly after the design of William Strickland. A large frenzied crowd, including African Americans and well-dressed men and women couples, gather on the street. Spectators push, shove, are knocked down, and watch the fire in horror. Residents flee with their belongings as firefighters blow horns and transport a handpump. The fire started by a faulty flue destroyed the building, which after several successful masonic charity events was rebuilt, without a tower, in 1820 under the direction of Strickland., Title from item., Third state., Inscribed below image: Copy right secured., Samuel Kennedy and Samuel West were members and official print publishers for the Association of American Artists, later headed by Krimmel., Barber, a Philadelphia printer, artist, and engraver, was in business from 1867 until 1885., See Anneliese Harding's John Lewis Krimmel. Genre artist of the early Republic. (Winterthur, Delaware: The Henry Francis Dupont Winterthur Museum, 1997), p. 206-208., See Milo Naeve's John Lewis Krimmel: An artist in Federal America. (Newark: University of Delaware Press, 1987), p. 109., LCP exhibition catalogue: Made in America #30., 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 Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
Creator: Hill, John, 1770-1850, engraver
Date: [ca. 1876]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department **PhPr - Associations - Masonic Hall [P.9210.5]

Title: [Destruction of the hall]
Description: Depicts a street scene with the abolitionist meeting place, Pennsylvania Hall, engulfed in flames at Sixth and Haines Streets in Philadelphia. Crowds, including a group of drunken men and other revelers, look on as several fire companies using handpumps hose the adjoining spared building. The hall, erected in 1838 as an arena for "free discussion," was set on fire by a mob of hostile citizens who had witnessed 3 days of interracial dedication ceremonies and services. For disputed reasons, the fire companies did not attempt to extinguish the burning hall. The building was razed and never rebuilt., Title from: [Samuel Webb's], "History of Pennsylvania Hall," p. 136., Manuscript note on verso: Destroyed by a mob by fire on the night of 17th May 1838., Originally published in: Samuel Webb's History of Pennsylvania Hall. (Philadelphia: Printed by Merrihew and Gun, 1838). (Am 1838 Hist Pa Hall). Last page contains advertisement for a limited supply of larger frameable versions of the print to be sold at the Anti-Slavery Office, No. 29 N. 9th Street, in Philadelphia., LCP exhibition catalogue: Negro History #101., 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.LCP exhibit catalogue: Negro History #101., Sartain, a member of the Pennsylvania Anti-Slavery Society and a premier 19th century Philadelphia engraver, often instilled his work with his reformist beliefs.
Creator: Sartain, John, 1808-1897, engraver
Date: [1838]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department PhPr - 8x10 - Events - Fires [P.2283.2]

Title: Destruction by fire of Pennsylvania Hall. On the night of the 17th May, 1838
Description: Exterior view of Pennsylvania Hall engulfed in flames. A large crowd looks on. Fire fighters spray water on an adjoining building. Pennsylvania Hall was constructed 1837-1838 at Sixth and Haines Streets in Philadelphia as a meeting place for local abolitionist groups. Dedication ceremonies began on May 14, 1838 and continued over several days in a climate of growing hostility. On the night of May 17, 1838, a mob stormed the Hall and set it on fire. Fire companies refused to fight the blaze, and the building was completely destroyed. Bowen issued this print commemorating the event within a few days of the fire., Title from item., Artist and publication information supplied by Wainwright., Philadelphia on Stone, POS 179, Gift of Mrs. S. Marguerite Brenner, 1984., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Creator: Wild, J. C. (John Caspar), approximately 1804-1846, artist
Date: [1838]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *W94 [P.9057.27]

Title: Chestnut Street crowded
Description: View looking along Chestnut Street showing a crowd of spectators packing the street and sidewalks for an unidentified event. A large clock is visible across the street on the sidewalk., Title printed on mount below image., Decorative printed floral pattern flanks image., Buff curved mount with rounded corners., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Gift of Robert M. Vogel.
Date: [ca. 1900]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department stereo - unidentified - Streets [P.9047.125]

Title: State House
Description: Views showing a large gathering of people around a band in Independence Square at the rear of the State House. Also shows guards near the back entrance of the State House, barren trees, and an individual seated near a handcart in front of the rear gate of the square on Walnut Street., Title from photographer's label accompanying stereograph., Stereograph on yellow paper mount with square corners., Retrospective conversion record: original entry, edited., Originally part of a McAllister scrapbook of views of Philadelphia., Digitization funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012.
Creator: Moran, John, 1831-1903
Date: [ca. 1863]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department stereo - Moran - Government buildings [(8)1322.F.9a-2], Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department photo - Moran - I [(3)1322.F.9c], Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department cdv - Moran [(8)1322.F.9e]

Main menu