Racist trade card promoting Joshua Walker’s bone fertilizer and depicting a caricature of an African American boy in a tree trying to take bird eggs from a nest. The barefooted boy is attired in a straw hat that is torn at the top and on the brim and a white, long-sleeved shirt that covers to his thighs. The shirt has a large tear on the left shoulder exposing his chest and arm. With his mouth open, the boy stands on a branch in a tree full of pink flowers. He holds a branch with his right hand and reaches his left hand towards a bird’s nest with two eggs. A yellow and black birds flies away in the lower left. Joshua Walker was a fertilizer merchant who was active circa 1880s-1900 in Baltimore, Md., Title supplied by cataloger., Place of publication deduced from place of operation of the advertised business., Date inferred from the date supplied in the advertising text on the verso., Advertising text printed on verso: Sample No. 1747. Selected at McKnightsto[?]. Office Penn’a Board of Agriculture, Harrisburg, Pa., June 2, 1894. Analysis by Dr. Wm. Frear, Chemist, Pennsylvania State Board of Agr State College P.O., Centre Co., Penn’a. Manufactured by Jo[sh]ua Walker, Baltimore, Md. Name of Fertilizer, -Ec[onomical] [Amm]oniated Bone. Moisture….15.10 a/c 302 [?]g, Bagging, &c.,.. Souluble Phosphoric Acid, …6.68 a/c 134 lbs per ton,…Reverted “ 2.17 a/c 43 “” …Insoluble “” 1.28 a/c 26 “”… Potash…1/14 a/c 23 “” …Nitrogen…1.45 a/c 29 “”… Comparative Commercial value per ton, …, Gift of David Doret.
Date
[ca. 1894]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Goldman Trade Card Collection - Walker [P.2017.95.186]