© Copyright 2025 - The Library Company of Philadelphia, 1314 Locust Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107. TEL (215) 546-3181 FAX (215) 546-5167
For inquiries, please contact our IT Department
- Title
- Philadelphia, Paris & New-York fashions, for spring & summer of 1864. Published and sold by F. Mahan, no. 911, Chestnut Street, Philadelphia
- Description
- Fashion print containing two rows of full-length models displaying men's and women's indoor and outdoor clothing. Top row features figures posed against a domestic interior featuring a large window overlooking a country landscape and patterned carpeting and drapes. Two female figures in the center of the row display dresses with large hoops. Bottom row features figures dressed in outdoor clothing including two Union generals, Brig. Gen. Henry Morris Naglee and Maj. Gen. Nathanial Prentiss Banks, in military uniforms and two sportsmen carrying hunting rifles posed in front of a military camp., Philadelphia on Stone, POSP 185, LCP AR [Annual Report] 1991, pgs. 48-49.
- Creator
- Haugg, Louis, 1827-1903, artist
- Date
- c1864
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department **BW - Fashion [P.9366.1]
- Title
- Baxter's panoramic business directory of Philadelphia Chestnut Street from Seventh to Eighth, (south side)
- Description
- View showing the south side of the 700 block of Chestnut Street (700-732). Addresses printed below the buildings. Businesses with signage include W. L. Germon's Photographic Rooms (700); Frederick, Penabert & Germon, photographers (702); Jules Hauel & Co., perfumer, and Meyer & Warne, silverplaters (704); Winchester & Co., gentleman's furnishing store (706); John W. Proctor & Co., cloaks and mantillas (708); Cornelius & Baker, manufacturer of gas light fixtures (710); Hancock & Co. (712); Charles Desilver, publisher and bookseller, and Samuel W. Pepper, jeweler, and Edward W. Carryl, home furnishings (714); T. H. Peters & Co., perfumers (716); Warner, Miskey & Co., manufacturer of gas light fixtures (718); Spieler's Photographic Rooms, and Mrs. E. W. Brown's Dressmaking establishment, and Sarmiento & M'Grath, tailor (720); Lee & Walker, piano store (722); Glenn & Co., perfumers, and Mooney Manley & Co., importers of millinery goods, and Stern & Freeman, manufacturer and importer of artificial flowers (726); McAllister & Brother, opticians (728); Grover & Baker, sewing machines (730); and Duff & Co.'s Commercial College and R.K. Stewart, trimmings (732). Includes pedestrian traffic., Printed on recto: Copyright Secured., Copyrighted by Baxter & Neff., Contains several lines of advertising text below the image promoting the value of a Business Directory that was to depict panoramas of "Chestnut, Market, Third, Second, and Front streets" and the "City Front." Also promotes the directory's detail to architectural characteristics of each building; its use as a future reference; its mutual benefits; and "Its Permanency." Text also solicits subscriptions from businesses in return for a "view of their buildings"; an "Advertising card"; and "one hundred plates of the entire square for their own distribution.", Also contains notice that King & Baird will print the plates on paper of the "best quality," "Terms of subscription," and advertisements for D. W. C. Baxter & Co., publishers, and Baxter & Harley, engravers, below the image., Originally part of a McAllister scrapbook of views of Philadelphia., Variant of 1322 1/2.F.18 and P.2006.1.15a&b.
- Creator
- Baxter, De Witt Clinton, ca. 1829-1881, engraver
- Date
- 1859, c1857
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Baxter - Chestnut Street - 1859 [1322 1/2.F.19]
- Title
- Centennial Circular 1876 C.H. Garden & Co. 606 & 608 Market St. Philada
- Description
- "Fortieth Illustrated" circular advertisement, probably distributed to retail dealers, for the hat manufacturer established in 1841. Contains captioned images of 66 types of men's and children's hats for the "Spring" season of 1876. Captions detail style, finish, and colors. In tribute to the upcoming Centennial Exhibition, vignettes at top depict Carpenters' Hall, Independence Hall, and a buffalo hunt. Building views inlcude pedestrian traffic. Also contains trademark for the firm with motto "Semper Paratus" (i.e., always prepared). Internal text promotes the quality and styles of hats offered, including fine soft hats, fur and wool hats, harvest hats, mackinaws, and trimmed and untrimmed hats. Text on verso encourages business people to visit Philadelphia prior to the opening of the Exhibition in order to become acquainted with the city and its accommodations, and to purchase spring fashions at the firm., Accompanied by advertising envelope for the firm illustrated with a transfer lithograph of the store at 606 & 608 Market Street. View includes crates being loaded on to a horse-drawn dray parked in front of the store. Addressee is Mr. Minot Riley of Springville, Susquehanna County, Pennsylvania, a merchant and store owner (POS 91)., Not in Wainwright, Philadelphia on Stone, POS 90, LCP AR [Annual Report] 1999 p. 43-45.
- Date
- [1876]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *BW - Advertisements [P.9695.1-2]
- Title
- Philadelphia fashions, 1837
- Description
- Racist cartoon depicting middle class African American Philadelphians used to arouse Northern anti-Black fears that well-to-do African Americans threatened the racial status quo. Depicts a physically attractive and elegantly dressed African American man and woman couple who have stopped during a stroll. The woman, attired in a large bonnet, elegant gown, and holding a parasol asks in the vernacular, "What you look at Mr. Frederick Augustus?" The man, attired in a suit, a top hat, and holding a walking cane in one hand and a monocle to his eye with the other answers, "I look at dat White loafer wot looks at me. I guess he from New York." The man and woman also each wear broaches depicting portraits. The couple are possibly prominent African American Philadelphians Frederick Augustus Hinton and Elizabeth Willson Hinton., Title from item., Date from copyright statement: Entered according to Act of Congress in the year 1837, by H.R. Robinson in the Clerk's Office of the Dist Court of the U.S. of the Southern District of N. York., Due to the similar content of this caricature to the prints from the series, "Life in Philadelphia," the lithograph has been catalogued as a part of the series., Purchase 1958., RVCDC, 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., E.W. Clay (1799-1857), born in Philadelphia, was a prominent caricaturist, engraver, and lithographer who created the "Life in Philadelphia" series which racially lampooned middle-class African American Philadelphians of the late 1820s and early 1830s.
- Creator
- Clay, Edward Williams, 1799-1857, artist
- Date
- 1837
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Political Cartoons - 1837 - Phi [6281.F]
- Title
- H.G. Clagston, 806 Chestnut Street, Philadelphia, manufacturer of military and naval goods Corps badges- - - Army of the Potomac
- Description
- Advertisement containing 18 red, white, and blue specimens of corps badges for the 1st, 2d, and 3d Divisions of the 1st, 2d, 3d, 5th, 6th, and 12th Corps. Also contains a decorative border and advertising text promoting new designs and bargain presentation swords., Originally part of a McAllister scrapbook of Civil War miscellanies.
- Date
- [ca. 1863]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Ph Pr - 11x14 - Advertisements - H [(2)5786.F.1a]
- Title
- [Stevens-Cogdell and Sanders-Venning family portrait collection]
- Description
- Primarily studio portraits and snapshots of members of the Venning line of the middle-class Philadelphia African American family descended from the 19th-century white South Carolinian Richard Walpole Cogdell (1787-1866), and Sarah Martha Sanders (1815-1850), a Black enslaved woman. Includes professionally photographed group portraits depicting the family's participation in the Philadelphia African American music community of the early 20th century, including: the Mendelssohn Singing Society; Sid Stratton's Orchestra; the Treble Clef Mandolin and Guitar Club; and the Soap Box Social, a minstrel club associated with the African American political club, Citizen's Republican Club. Other formal portraiture includes the graduation portrait for the South Philadelphia High School for Girls class of 1921, including Lillie Venning and contralto Marian Anderson, and a group portrait of the Citizens Republican Club (ca. 1910). Collection also contains studio portraits and snaphots photographed during family summer excursions to Pleasantville and Atlantic City, New Jersey; portraits of family friends and family members through marriage; silhouettes of members of the Cogdell family cut by Master Hankes, i.e., Jarvis F. Hanks (ca. 1828); and an album (ca. 1860-ca. 1913) containing portraits of members of the Venning family and of unidentified sitters., Sitters include members from the Cogdell family, the Venning family, the Capps family, and the Saunders family. Cogdell family members include: Cecilia Cogdell, wife of Richard Walpole Cogdell, and three of their sons - James Gordon Cogdell, George Burgess Cogdell, and John Walpole Cogdell. Venning family members include: Richard Cogdell and Sarah Sanders' daughter, Julia Sanders Venning, her husband Edward Y. Venning (a contractor), and his brother, Richard DeReef Venning (a government clerk). Julia Sanders Venning and Edward Y. Venning's children - Louise Sanders Venning, Miranda Cogdell Venning (a school principal), Oliver Casey Venning (family historian), George Edward Venning (postal worker), Sarah (Sallie) Venning (Holden) (substitute teacher), and her husband William B. Holden (caterer). George Edward Venning and Julia Capps Venning's children - Mary Venning, Martha Venning (Bowie), and her husband Charles Bowie. Capps family members include: Julia Capps Venning's father Augustus Capps (butler), and her siblings, Lillie Capps Adams (educator/musician), Oscar Capps (post office clerk), Adolphus Capps (an undertaker), Berkley Capps (bellman), and Meta Capps (Thomas). Other sitters include family members George Saunders; Agnes Saunders; Georgine Rex Saunders (Chew); Mary Saunders (Patterson) (soprano and music instructor of Marian Anderson); Susan Saunders (Williams); Richard Sanders Chew; and Charles Sanders Chew; and acquaintances African American bibliophile and Tribune columnist William C. Bolivar, African American undertaker Joseph Seth, African American banker Andrew Stevens, Jr. (P.9367.28 &29), and Mrs. and Dr. Perry., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from content., Date of silhouettes inferred from active dates in Charleston, S.C. of silhouettist Jarvis F. Hanks. See Charleston Courier, March 13, 1828, 2 and "For A Few Days," Charleston Courier, March 31, 1928, 3., Various photographers, including the following Philadelphia photographers: Bell Studio; Frederick Gutekunst; H.D. Garns & Co.; Moses S. Hagaman; Charles Hagemann & Co.; Frank W. Harris, Jr.; Miles & Foster; Parlor Gallery; Charles M. Sullivan; and Daniel Slutzky Studio., Sitters identified by descendants, from manuscript notes on versos, and/or accompanying photographic prints., P.9367.32, ca. 1900 pastel portrait of possibly Clara, nurse to children and grandchildren of Sarah Sanders and R. W. Cogdell, after ca. 1875 tintype photographed by J. Fenton (729 South St., Phila.), P.2012.37.1.23b, Richard DeReef Venning Album, Stevens-Cogdell/Sanders-Venning Collection., P.9367.29, Treble Clef Orchestra sitters include Robert Coleman/William Cole?; Louise Venning; Joseph Seth; Susan Saunders Williams; Howard Carter; Andrew Williams; Mrs. William Morris; William Morris; Walter Williamson; Helen Stevens Bayton; Joseph Abele; William Patterson; Harry Warwick; John William; Beulah Myers; Dr. Agnes Berry Montier; and Andrew Stevens Jr., Lib. Company. Annual Report, 1991, p. 26-31., Gift of descendants Cordelia H. Brown, Lillie V. Dickerson, Mary Hinkson Jackson, and Georgine E. Willis in honor of Phil Lapsansky., LCP exhibit catalogue: African American Miscellany p. 45., Genealogical chart available at repository., RVCDC, 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 the Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014., Middle-class African American family active in the Philadelphia African American political, social, educational, and cultural community from the 1850s to the 20th century. The family was involved in several prominent local African American institutions, including the St. Thomas P.E. Church, Church of the Crucifixion, Central Presbyterian Church, the Colored Institute of Youth, and the Citizens Republican Club.
- Date
- [ca. 1830 - ca. 1940, bulk 1910-1925]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | PRINT. Stevens-Cogdell/Sanders-Venning Collection [P.9367.1-51]
- Title
- [William Y. McAllister trade cards]
- Description
- Series of illustrated trade cards for optician William Y. McAllister's shop at 728 Chestnut Street in Philadelphia. Illustrations depict idyllic landscape views of a forest, a stream, a cottage and ruins by a lake and anthropomorphic frogs, a stork, and an owl looking through telescopes and binoculars, reading and fishing., Title supplied by cataloger., Calendar for 1881 printed on verso of one print [1975.F.614]., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Digitized.
- Date
- [ca. 1880]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department trade card - McAllister [1975.F.610-614]
- Title
- Celluloid waterproof collars, cuffs & shirt bosoms
- Description
- Trade card advertising J.H. Richelderfer’s celluloid collars and cuffs and depicting a racist caricature of a Chinese boy smoking a pipe and carrying a cane. Shows the boy, wearing a queue hairstyle with a pink bow tied at the end of his braid and attired in a colorfully patterned Chinese robe with oversized celluloid cuffs, collar, and hat, and red, slip-on, cloth shoes. He holds the smoking pipe to his lips with his left hand and carries a walking cane in his right hand., Title from item., Date inferred from content., Stamped on recto: J.H. Richelderfer, Gent’s furnishing and over-gaiters, 1032 Chestnut St., S.E. Cor. of 11th., Text printed on verso: Celluloid (Waterproof linen.) Collars, cuffs and shirt bosoms. The following will commend the use of these goods to all who study convenience, neatness and economy. The interior is fine linen. The exterior is Celluloid – the union of which combines the strength of Linen with the Waterproof qualities of Celluloid. The Trouble and expense of washing is saved. When soiled simply rub with soap and water (hot or cold) used freely with a stiff brush. They are perspiration proof and are invaluable to travelers, saving all care of laundrying. Advice. In wearing the turn-down Collar, always slip the Necktie under the roll. Do not attempt to straighten the fold. The goods will give better satisfaction if the Separable Sleeve Button and Collar Button is used. Twist a small rubber elastic or chamois washer around the post of Sleeve Button to prevent possible rattling of Button. To remove Yellow Stains, which may come from long wearing, use Sapolio, Soap or Saleratus water or Celluline, which latter is a new preparation for cleansing Celluloid. Goods for sale by all dealers., RVCDC
- Date
- [ca. 1880]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department trade card - Richelderfer [1975.F.741]
- Title
- [A.C. Yates & Co. clothing trade cards]
- Description
- Series of illustrated trade cards for A.C. Yates & Co. clothing store, which began operations on the ground floor of the Public Ledger Building at Sixth and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia in 1876. Illustrations depict a bust portrait of William Penn and Penn's treaty with the Indians to commemorate the Penn Bicentennial (1682-1882); children walking in the snow and carrying sprigs of holly; a boy sitting on a bare tree limb under a smiling moon serenading cats from sheet music labeled "Au Clair de la lune"; couples on the beach painting, reading by moonlight, and embracing behind the privacy of a large umbrella; swans swimming with flower garlands in their beaks; a traveling hunting party, including two men mounted on horses with a large group of hounds; three bystanders watching a man paint a large sign for A.C. Yates & Co. onto a brick wall; birds; sprays of flowers; two women and a man ice skating together; children blowing bubbles; children tumbling to the ground after hoisting one another to grab canisters from the top of a pantry; putti holding grotesque masks; and a view of Fairmount Park from Belmont, showing well-dressed couples sitting and walking in the park, a horse-drawn carriage and a man riding horseback on a dirt path in the foreground, and bridges spanning the Schuylkill River in the background., Title supplied by cataloger., Printers and engravers include Hatch Lith. Co. (New York); Chas. Shields' Sons (New York); and E. Ketterlinus & Co. (Philadelphia)., Eighteen prints contain advertising text printed on versos., Two prints contains calendars for 1881 printed on versos., One print [P.9057.52] contains a manuscript note on verso: A.N. Fisher, card with which she read the three volumes of "The Dutch Republic" winter of '77 & '78. The ending of the books were nicer than the rest. Suge? of Leipsig--very good--& you couldn't help being interested in persons, places & performaces. Wm. of Orange's nearly only despicable characteristic was having spies and thru them interrupted [?]., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Digitized.
- Date
- [ca. 1876-ca. 1882]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department trade card - Yates [1975.F.679; 1975.F.907; 1975.F.1013 & 1014; 1975.F.1016; 1975.F.1018-1032; P.8666.3i-3l; P.8666.3p; P.8666.3z; P.9057.52; P.9642.7; P.9802.12]
- Title
- [Stevens-Cogdell/Sanders-Venning family photographs]
- Description
- Collection of portrait photographs of members of the African American family, possibly compiled by Mary “Mose” Venning. Includes snapshots, studio portraits, and tintypes of men, women, and children, depicted individually and as groups. Settings include residential interiors and exteriors, including stoops and back porches; the beachfront; a school yard; and military grounds. Other photographs depict Lillie Gertrude Capps Adams in a formal white dress (dated 1903), a young man in a ship’s captain’s uniform, a series of different poses with two women and a man attired for tennis in front of a summer house; and an exterior view of the dental office of “Dr. A. T. Capps.” Several images also include studio backdrops and props; animals, including a bird, dogs, and horses; and automobiles., Sitters include Lillie “Buzz” Venning Dickerson; Martha “Mattie” Venning Bowie; Mary ‘Mose” Venning; Richard DeReef Venning; and Julia Capps Venning., Title supplied by cataloger., Accompanied by black leather binder., Few of the photographs contain manuscript notes on verso., Manuscript note on verso of P.2012.37.3.19: Dear Sister - busy with exams and haven’t time to answer your letter. Time is growing very short and the men are being sent home in large numbers. All are well and hope the same of you. Percy? Regards to you and kids. This is the target range., Various photographers, including Philadelphia photographers Bell's Studio, Mitchell Studio, The Bailey Studios, and Henrici & Withers., See LCP AR [Annual Report] 1991 p. 26-31., Gift of descendants Cordelia H. Brown, Lillie V. Dickerson, Mary Hinkson Jackson, and Georgine E. Willis in honor of Phil Lapsansky., See LCP exhibit catalogue: African American Miscellany p. 45., Genealogical charts available at repository., 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
- [ca. 1895 - ca. 1955]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Stevens-Cogdell/Sanders-Venning Collection [P.2012.37.3]

