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Title: Life in Philadelphia. "Dat is bery fine, Mr. Mortimer..."
Description: Racist caricature of an African American couple singing and playing guitar in a parlor. In the right, "Mr Mortimer," stands with his right hand over his heart and with his other holding a sheet of music. He wears mutton chops and is attired in a brown coat with tails, a white bow tie, black pants, black stockings, black slipper shoes, and white gloves. His eyes look up and his mouth is open. He sings a love song while the woman seated in the left plays a guitar decorated with blue ribbons. Her head is turned toward the man and she sits on a bench with a blue cushion. She wears a large white bonnet adorned with red and blue bows and with ribbons tied into a bow under her chin. She is also attired in a maroon dress with long puff sleeves, black trim, and a laced bodice, black ankle-tied slipper shoes, as well as rings on her fingers. She comments that he sings "con a moor as de Italians say!!" The figures are portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features. Their skin tone is depicted with brown hand coloring. Setting also includes a carpet with a decorative pattern., Title from item., Date supplied by article about print in Daily Chronicle, December 10, 1829, p. 2., Contains eight lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect above the image: Dat is bery fine, Mr. Mortimer, _ you sing quite con a moor, as de Italians say!! “Take away, take away dos rosy lips, “Rich, rich in balmy treasure!_”Turn away, turn away dose eyes o blub, “Less I die wid pleasure!!!”, Inscribed: Plate 12., Inscribed: Copy right secured., S. Hart & Son was a partnership between Sarah and Abraham Hart, Jewish owners of a Philadelphia stationery store who assumed the publishing of the "Life in Philadelphia" series in 1829. She reprinted the entire series of 14 prints in 1830., Described in Daily Chronicle, December 10, 1829, p. 2., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Creator: Clay, Edward Williams, 1799-1857, etcher
Date: 1829
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Life in Philadelphia (Philadelphia Set) [P.9694]

Title: Arnold mansion postcards
Description: Depicts the front facade from the garden and a detailed view of the pediment over the front doorway. Includes interior views of the right and left sides of the entrance hall, the great chamber, the parlor, and a bedroom., Contains 1 postcard printed in color and 9 printed in black and white., Mount Pleasant Mansion was built 1761-1765 for Captain John Macpherson after the designs of Thomas Nevil in Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, Pa. Macpherson, a privateer during the Seven Years’ War, purchased the estate with profits from these operations. Free white and Black laborers, indentured servants, and at least four enslaved people of African descent, whose names are unknown, worked on the plantation. In 1779, General Benedict Arnold purchased Mount Pleasant for his wife Peggy Shippen, but they never occupied the house. In 1792, General Jonathan Williams purchased the mansion. The City of Philadelphia purchased the property from the Williams family in 1869. On behalf of the city, the Philadelphia Museum of Art restored the house in 1926., Purchase 1984. Accessioned 2005., Accession numbers: P.2005.3.26 - 32, P.9048.5, P.9048.217 and P.9048.303., Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022.
Date: 1905-1926
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department LCP postcards - Residences A - M - [various]

Title: Old '76 and young '48 From the original picture in the possession of the American Art-Union
Description: Mexican War-era genre print evoking the memory of the American Revolution depicting a young, white man Mexican War soldier returned home to his family, including his grandfather, a Revolutionary War veteran. In a parlor, the young man, attired in his uniform, sits, turned away from his meal, surrounded by his mother, father, sister, grandfather, and family dog. He raises his hand in the air as he regales his family about his experiences. They all look at him intently, except the grandfather, seated in an arm chair, and leaning on a cane, who stares a little off to the side. In the background, three servants (two African American men and an African American woman) listen from the doorway. A portrait painting of the grandfather as a young man in his military uniform hangs on the wall. In the left, a fireplace with mantle is visible. Above the mantle, a framed print reproduced after Trumbull's painting "Declaration of Independence" is displayed near lamps, a clock, and a bust of Washington on a bookcase. Also shows the soldier's cap and sword lying on the floor in the foreground., Title from item., After an 1849 painting by Robert Caton Woodville in the collections of the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore., One of six prints issued in 1851 for the members of the American Art-Union in New York., Gift of David Doret, 2006., Description revised., Access points revised., Described in the Bulletin of the American Art-Union, June 1850, p. 46., 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.
Creator: Pease, Joseph Ives, 1809-1883, engraver
Date: 1851
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *GC - Mexican War [P.2006.28.23]

Title: Life in Philadelphia. "Dat is bery fine, Mr. Mortimer..."
Description: Racist caricature of an African American couple singing and playing guitar in a parlor. In the right, "Mr Mortimer," stands with his right hand over his heart and with his other holding a sheet of music. He wears mutton chops and is attired in a green coat with tails, red collar, blue bow tie, yellow pants, stockings, black slipper shoes, and yellow gloves. His eyes look up and his mouth is open. He sings a love song while the woman seated in the left plays a guitar decorated with pink ribbons. Her head is turned toward the man and she sits on a bench with a pink cushion. She wears a large yellow bonnet adorned with bows and with ribbons tied into a bow under her chin. She is also attired in a blue dress with long puff sleeves, trim, and a laced bodice, ankle-tied slipper shoes, as well as rings on her fingers. She comments that he sings "con a moor as de Italians say!!" The figures are portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features. Their skin tone is depicted with black hand coloring. Setting also includes a carpet with a decorative pattern., Title from item., Date inferred from content and name of publisher., Contains eight lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect above the image: Dat is bery fine, Mr. Mortimer, _ you sing quite con a moor, as de Italians say!! “Take away, take away dos rosy lips, “Rich, rich in balmy treasure!_”Turn away, turn away dose eyes o blub, “Less I die wid pleasure!!!”, Inscribed: Plate 12., Inscribed: Copy right secured., Sarah Hart was a Jewish Philadelphia stationer who with her son, Abraham Hart, a future eminent Philadelphia publisher, assumed the publishing of the "Life in Philadelphia" series in 1829. She, alone, reprinted the entire series of 14 prints in 1830., First edition of print described in Daily Chronicle, December 10, 1829, p. 2., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Creator: Clay, Edward Williams, 1799-1857, etcher
Date: [1830]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Life in Philadelphia (Philadelphia Set) [P.9701.4]

Title: Life in Philadelphia. "Dat is bery fine, Mr. Mortimer..."
Description: Racist caricature of an African American couple singing and playing guitar in a parlor. In the right, "Mr Mortimer," stands with his right hand over his heart and with his other holding a sheet of music. He wears mutton chops and is attired in a brown coat with tails, white bow tie, black pants, black stockings, black slipper shoes, and yellow gloves. His eyes look up and his mouth is open. He sings a love song while the woman seated in the left plays a guitar decorated with red ribbons. Her head is turned toward the man and she sits on a bench with a pink cushion. She wears a large white bonnet adorned with red and green bows and with ribbons tied into a bow under her chin. She is also attired in a blue dress with long puff sleeves, trim, and a laced bodice, red ankle-tied slipper shoes, as well as rings on her fingers. She comments that he sings "con a moor as de Italians say!!" The figures are portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features. Their skin tone is depicted with black hand coloring. Setting of scene also includes a carpet with a decorative pattern and framed portraits of an African American man and woman hanging on the wall behind the couple., Title from item., Date inferred from content and name of publisher., After the work of Edward W. Clay., Attributed to William Summers., Plate 12 of the original series published in Philadelphia., Contains eight lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Dat is bery fine, Mr. Mortimer, _ you sing quite con a moor, as de Italians say!! “Take away, take away dos rosy lips, “Rich, rich in balmy treasure!_”Turn away, turn away dose eyes o blub, “Less I die wid pleasure!!!”, Inscribed: No. 19., Charles Hunt was a respected London engraver who is most well known for his aquatints of sporting subjects., Copy published in Philadelphia described in Daily Chronicle, December 10, 1829, p. 2., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Creator: Summers, William, artist
Date: [1833]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Life in Philadelphia (London Set) [P.9710.15]

Title: Life in Philadelphia. "Dat is bery fine, Mr. Mortimer..."
Description: Racist caricature of an African American couple singing and playing guitar in a parlor. In the right, "Mr Mortimer," stands with his right hand over his heart and with his other holding a sheet of music. He wears mutton chops and is attired in a blue coat with tails, white bow tie, black pants, black stockings, black slipper shoes, and white gloves. His eyes look up and his mouth is open. He sings a love song while the woman seated in the left plays a guitar decorated with pink ribbons. Her head is turned toward the man and she sits on a bench with a pink cushion. She wears a large white bonnet adorned with pink bows and with ribbons tied into a bow under her chin. She is also attired in a yellow dress with long puff sleeves, blue trim, and a laced bodice, blue ankle-tied slipper shoes, as well as rings on her fingers. She comments that he sings "con a moor as de Italians say!!" The figures are portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features. Their skin tone is depicted with black hand coloring. Setting of scene also includes a carpet with a decorative pattern and framed portraits of an African American man and woman hanging on the wall behind the couple., Title from item., Date inferred from content and name of publisher., After the work of Edward W. Clay., Attributed to William Summers., Plate 12 of the original series published in Philadelphia., Contains eight lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Dat is bery fine, Mr. Mortimer, _ you sing quite con a moor, as de Italians say!! “Take away, take away dos rosy lips, “Rich, rich in balmy treasure!_”Turn away, turn away dose eyes o blub, “Less I die wid pleasure!!!”, Inscribed: Plate 2., Charles Hunt was a respected 19th-century London engraver and etcher known mostly for his prints of sporting subjects., Copy published in Philadelphia described in Daily Chronicle, December 10, 1829, p. 2., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Creator: Summers, William, artist
Date: [ca. 1831]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Life in Philadelphia (London Set) [P.9705.1]

Title: [Life in Philadelphia scraps]
Description: Series of trimmed, captioned scraps containing racist African American imagery based on the “Life in Philadelphia” series after the designs of Edward W. Clay first published 1828-1830. The series of primarily racist social caricatures lampooned the etiquette and conventions of early 19th-century, middle-class Philadelphians, particularly the growing community of free African American persons. Caricatures depict scenes of courtship, society balls, fashion, freemasonry, and the election of Andrew Jackson, as well as sexism, sexual harassment, and sexual innuendo. The figures are portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features and often in the fashion of dandies and belles. Scenes include an African American man leaving his card for “Clotilda” at her basement apartment door within the dishcloth of her African American woman house servant before him (P.2021.28.1a); an African American man-woman couple stopped during their walk in a park to watch a man watching them (P.2021.28.1b); an African American ball at which an African American man attendee asks an African American woman attendee for a dance in front of other African American attendees in the background (P.2021.28.2a); an African American man sexually harassing an African American woman on a city street (P.2021.28.2b); an African American woman and man in conversation on a Sunday (“day of our lord”)(P.2021.28.3a);, African American couple “Mr. Lorenzo” and “Miss Chloe,” seated on a couch, by a window, in a parlor in conversation (P.2021.28.3b); an African American ball at which an African American woman attendee asks an African American man attendee if he likes the waltz in front of other African American attendees in the background (P.2021.28.4a); an African American woman in a dry goods store asking a white man sales clerk, who speaks with a French dialect, about stockings (P.2021.28.4b); an African American military volunteer chastising an African American boy drummer at a military encampment (P.2021.28.5a); an African American man-woman musical couple where she plays the guitar and he sings “Coal Black Rose”(P.2021.28.5b); two African American masons in conversation about “Gen’l Jackson” in front of an altar at a masonic hall (P.2021.28.6a); an African American woman, “Dinah,” being asked by an African American man, “Mr. Durang,” about his new checkered “fashion trousers” (P.2021.28.6b). Women figures are attired in wide-brimmed, and/or ornately adorned, wide-brimmed hats or headpieces, puff-sleeved dresses or a hooded cape in ornate patterns, as well as gloves, slipper shoes, jewelry, and monocles. Men figures are attired in top or wide-brimmed hats, waistcoats, vests, large bowties, trousers or pantaloons, military uniform, masonic regalia, gloves, and slipper shoes or boots. Accessories held by the figures include purses, umbrellas, fans, walking sticks., Scenes also include detailed backgrounds and interior and exterior settings including residential facades; dogs; a white man seated on a bench in a park; ballrooms with attendees and a band playing in a balcony; a section of a city street with a guardhouse; parlors; a counter at a dry goods store; a volunteer military encampment; a masonic hall; as well as pieces of furniture, such as chairs, mantles, and side tables., Title supplied by cataloguer., Date inferred from content., P.2021.28.1a contains three lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Is Miss Clotilda at home? No sir she’s particularly ingaged in washing de dishes – Ah! give her my card!, P.2021.28.1b contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Vol is you looking at my dear? Vy I’m looking at dat imperent fellow vat’s laughing at us?, P.2021.28.2a contains three lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Will you hona me wid your hand for de next codrille Miss Manda? Tank you sa’ but I’m ingaged for de nest ten set!, P.2021.28.2b contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: What do you take me for? you black nigger? Why I take you for myself to be sure., P.2021.28.3a contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Bery hot dis day of our lord Mr. Cesa! Berry hot indeed Miss Juliet – de terometa is 96 degree above joho., P.2021.28.3b contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Mr. Lorenzo dat’s a nice dog you’ve got” Lord! Miss Chloe., P.2021.28.4a contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: do you walse Mr. Wellington? No, my dear creta_ It’s to common. I go nothin but de Manourkey!, P.2021.28.4b contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and French dialect below the image: Have you any flesh coloured silk stockings, Sir? Oui Mamselle here is von pair of de last Parisian touch-, P.2021.28.5a contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: You say I belong to de milishy you black varmont. I’ll let you know I’m a wolunteer., P.2021.28.5b contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: How will your voice harmonize wid de sentiment. Mr. Cato you quite equal to Horn!, P.2021.28.6a contains three lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Well brudder Jones what you tink of Genl Jackson now? Day say he’s gwang to be Anti Masonic! I don’t know, I tink dat depend on de new cabinet., P.2021.28.6b contains three lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: How you like de new fashion trousers Dinah. Oh quite lubly! You look like Mr. Durang when he play harlequin in de masqarade., Printed in upper left corner of P.2021.28.1a: [E?]dition., Printed in upper right corner of P.2021.28.2a and trimmed: 2nd E?[dition?], RVCDC
Date: [ca. 1838-ca. 1855]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Life in Philadelphia (Miscellaneous) [P.2021.28.1a-6b]

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