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- Title
- Frank Miller's blacking
- Description
- Racist trade card illustration depicting an African American man walking down a street past two white male onlookers and with a small white man behind him. The African American man stands tall with his right hand tucked into the breast of his coat and his legs crossed. He carries a cane in his left hand and smokes a cigar. He is attired in a top hat, a collared shirt, a bowtie, a coat, striped slim-fitting pants, and heeled shoes. The two white men stand with their hands in their pockets and are attired in top hats, coats, pants, and dark-colored shoes. The small white man stands in an identical pose to the African American man and carries a box in his left hand. He is attired in a coat, a vest, pants with a patch, and shoes. The African American man is depicted with exaggerated features. Frank Miller & Co. was a New York manufacturer of shoe polish based in Manhattan. The company was founded in the 1860s and continued operating throughout the late 19th century., Title from item., Date inferred from content and genre of print., Text printed on recto: Over., Advertising text printed on verso: Frank Miller's peerless black[in]g. This article will fully meet the requirements [of the] dealer and consumer, as to quality and appearance, [for] the general consumption of the country. It gives a quick [radiant], jet black gloss, without injury to the [?]. Frank Miller's improved French blacking gives a quick, brilliant and durable polish with positive nourishment to the leather. It is different in composition from common blackings, being based upon the French pro-cess, with every vluable feature of the French style retained, while such improvements have been made as to insure a dryer and more durable gloss, with increaed pliability of the leather., Gift of David Doret.
- Date
- [ca. 1870]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Goldman Trade Card Collection - Miller [P.2017.95.129]
- Title
- People's boot and shoe store, 104 Clark Street, corner Washington Street The return from Europe
- Description
- Racist trade card illustration depicting a group of well-dressed African American men and women strutting past other African American men, women, and children. The two well-dressed men are attired in striped pants, suit jackets, collared shirts, bow ties, and top hats. They both carry canes. The two well-dressed women are attired in frilled patterned long sleeved dresses and caps. One woman carries a parasol in her gloved hand. The other carries a handkerchief. The onlookers are dressed in plain clothing. A dog, a tree, a small wooden house, and a fence are visible in the image. The figures are depicted with exaggerated features. The illustration is based on one of a series of racist cartoons drawn by Sol Eytinge and printed in Harper's Weekly in 1878 which depicts the courtship and marriage of families by "The Twins." C.E. Wiswall & Co. was a boot and shoe company based in Chicago. The company's original building burned down durin gthe Chicago Fire of 1871., Title from item., Advertsising text printed on verso: Try us for your next pair of boots and shoes. We will give you a good article at a low price. C.E. Wiswall & Co., Proprietors., Based on "No. 8 Return from the honeymoon tour," photo - 5 x 7 - Unid. - Events [P.2017.26.7], Gift of David Doret.
- Date
- [ca. 1880]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Goldman Trade Card Collection - People [P.2017.95.144]