Depicts City Hall with "Philadelphia Public Buildings 1876" underneath. On the back is stamped, "F.R. Pratt and Co., Fenton, Staffordshire" and a retailer's stamp, "R. J. Allen, Son & Co., 309/311 Market St. Philadelphia.", Gift of Walter Brenner, 1984.
Small medal from the 1876 Centennial Exhibition. Obverse inscribed, "Memorial medal, 1776" with image of Independence Hall; reverse inscribed, "Struck Within the International Exhibition 1876.", Gift of Raymond Holstein, 2011.
Gift of Tim Long, 2016., Seal for the Woodlands Cemetery. Reads: Woodlands Cemetery Company of Philaa. Depicted is a cemetery urn with a lyre and a large tree on the right. A garden folly is in the far left background with the sun’s rays filling the sky. The Woodlands, the former country seat of William Hamilton (1745-1813), was established as the Woodlands Cemetery Company of Philadelphia in 1840. Located in West Philadelphia on the banks of the Schuylkill River, it has over 54 acres of land with over 30,000 people buried wherein.
Printed in sepia with dark blue border/background. Reads, "Centennial International" at the top and "Exhibition, Fairmount Park, Philadelphia, 1776-1876" at the bottom. Depicts scenes of the exhibition buildings with "Memorial Hall, Art Gallery" in the center, "Main Exhibition Building" and "the Machinery Hall" at the top, and "The Agricultural Hall" and "The Horticultural Hall" at the bottom. At the top center there is an eagle with a shield and an "E-Pluribus Unum" banner., Gift of Michael Zinman, 2008. (Part of the Michael Zinman World's Fair Collection.)
Inscription reads, “In Commemoration of the Hundredth Anniversary of American Independence Act of Congress 1874.”, The obverse depicts the "Genius of American Independence" with a sword in her right hand while her left hand is raised to thirteen stars representing the orginal thirteen colonies. On the reverse is the "Genius of Liberty" bestowing laurel wreaths to the “arts” and “sciences.”, Gift of F. Lynwood Garrison, Esq.
“A Present from the International Exhibition, Philadelphia, 1877.” Decorated with blue, yellow, green, and red with flowers and a blue tassel at the bottom. Ribbon mounted on a paper backing which reads: at the top corners, “Highest Premium Awarded” “Centennial Exposition 1876.” “B.B. Tilt & Son. 477 Broom St. N.Y. Works. Phoenix Man’F’G Co. Paterson, N.J.” Decorated with an eagle and inscribed “Trade mark.”, Purchase of the Library Company of Philadelphia, 2013.
Gift of David Doret and Linda G. Mitchell, 2018., Textile shot bag. On the front of the bag in red letters: “Standard Drop Shot, T.W. Sparks, Philadelphia. 7.” An eagle in red is in the center. Inside the bag is a newspaper clipping, “A Brief History, Sparks Shot Tower.”, Opened in 1808 by Thomas Sparks and John Bishop, the 142 foot tall brick tower revolutionized the manufacture of ammunition. Gun shot was made by pouring lead from the top of the tower. The lead developed a round shape through falling and solidified in cold water at the bottom. Four generations of Sparks operated the tower until 1903 when it was sold to the United Lead Company. The City of Philadelphia bought the site in 1913.
Medal of William Penn with "1683-1908, Founders Week." Attached to a blue and yellow ribbon which reads, "City Council." Engraved, George Morris Abbott on the reverse.
Made to promote the National Export Exposition, which took place in Philadelphia from Sept. 14- Dec. 2, 1899 and attracted over a million visitors., Reads, "National Export Exposition, 1899, Philadelphia." At the bottom, "Made by Sauquoit Silk Mfg. Co.," "Bethlehem, Philadelphia, Scranton," and "J.J. Jordan, designer.", Depicts William Penn, Benjamin Franklin, and William McKinley framing a bird's eye view of the Commerical Museum., Gift of Helen Beitler, 2002.
Residence of Rev. William Marshall, no. 322 Spruce Street, Philadelphia. Shows a partial view of Scots Presbyterian Church, where Marshall was the First Pastor. After a photograph by Frederick DeBourg Richards, March 1859. Marked on the back with a stamp, (illegible) N.J.W.?mmer, 5 Pear St., Phila., Engraving from a booklet entitled: 322 Spruce Street. Philadelphia: s.n., 1859 [54113.O.11 ; 2569.Q.22].
Lock of white hair on a black background. Oval glass covered opening. The hair was taken by Martin Pierie, Washington's barber, in 1781., Note pasted to back reads: "Description of frame: 1. Oval from Washington's mansion - Mt. Vernon; 2. Part of a chestnut tree planted by Washington which is the molding; 3. Beed around frame from Independence Hall, Philadelphia; 4. The ring from Carpenter's Hall; 5. Upper right star Tree Lafayette planted; 6. Upper left star, Gen'l Anthony Wayne house; 7. Lower right star, Frigate Constitution; 8. Lower left star, Frigate Alliance; 9. Back from pew Washington worshipped in at Christ Church. I believe the above to be correct and true. Roxborough Feb. 18th, 1860 Joseph Crout.", Library Company Minutes vol. 5, Aug. 6, 1829, p. 265: "A lock of General Washington's hair taken by Martin Pierie in 1781, was presented by John Pierie. The Secretary was directed to return the thanks of the board to the donor, & the Librarian requested to have it framed under glass and placed in the cabinet.", Gift of John Pierie, August 6, 1829.
A framed cotton Centennial handkerchief or bandanna printed with views of buildings from Philadelphia’s International Exhibition, including the Main Building, the Art Gallery, and the Horticultural Building, portraits of George Washington and Ulysses Grant, and patriotic seals. Printed with black on a white ground with a geometric border. Label of the framer, Ursula Hobson, on the back., Gift of James T. Carson, 2008.
Calligraphed Declaration of Independence displayed during the 1876 Centennial Exhibition. The artist recorded the entire text of the Declaration, the coats of arms of the thirteen original states, the names of the Signers on the border columns, a portrait of George Washington, and various vignettes., The artist's name is listed as W.V. Peacon in the Centennial catalog., Gift of Michael Zinman, 1991.
Medal commemorating Walt Whitman's centenary year made by the Franklin Inn Club., Portrait of Whitman with the inscription, "Walt Whitman 1819-1919, The Franklin Inn Club.”, Gift of Dr. Horace Howard Furness, 1919.
Pin for the Poor Richard Club, which was a private club in Philadelphia founded in 1906, whose members were mostly in the advertising industry. Reads on the front, “Poor Richard Club, Philadelphia,” with a left facing profile of Benjamin Franklin. Name in ink filled in on the front “E.H. Peterson.” Marked on the Back “W&H Co.” and “The Whitehead & Hoag Co. Newark, NJ”, Gift of Chris Neopolitan, 2017.
Souvenir fan commemorating the Centennial Exhibition held in Philadelphia in 1876. Folding fan with thirty blades including guards. Shows the Main Building at Fairmount Park, designed by Henry Pettit and Joseph M. Wilson. Numerous men and women visitors walk the grounds in front of the building. A Japanese woman, wearing her hair up with Kanzashi hair decorations, and attired in a pink, blue, and red kimono, stands holding a fan. Red roses grow at her feet. In the right, a Japanese woman, wearing her hair up and attired in a blue, red, and pink kimono, holds a red fan in her left hand, and in her right hand she holds the hand of a young Japanese boy, attired in a yellow and red kimono. The verso depicts a bird perched on a branch with pink and red flowers, and the silhouette of two birds against a blue background. Text printed across the top lists the names and addresses of Philadelphia hotels: “Irving House. 817 Walnut St.; Guy’s. Cor. 7th St. and Chestnut; Colonnade. Cor. 15th St. and Chestnut; St. Cloud. 709 Arch St.; La Pierre. Broad St. Below Chestnut; Girard. Corner Ninth and Chestnut; Continental. Corner Ninth & Chestnut; Bingham. Corner 11th St. and Market St.; American. 517 Chestnut St.; Merchant’s. 42 North 4th St.; Washington. 711 Chestnut St.; Markoe. 919 Chestnut St.” Additional text includes, “Main Building, International Exhibition. Fairmount Park, Philadelphia. 1876. Length 1880 feet. Width 464.”, Gift of Linda Kimiko August, 2023.
David Doret and Linda G. Mitchell Collection, 2018., Label on the front reads: Old Tun Tavern, Philadelphia, Where the First Grand □ of F. & A.M. was Held in America. Tun Tavern stood at the intersection of King (later Water) Street and Wilcox (later Tun) Alley. It was the location of the first lodge of Free and Accepted Masons in the colonies as early as 1732. The June 26, 1732 Pennsylvania Gazette contains an announcement of William Allen being chosen Grand Master. The Tavern is also regarded as the location where the United States Marines held their first recruitment drive in 1775. In 1781, Tun Tavern burned down. A reproduction was built on the grounds of the 1926 Sesquicentennial and demolished after the exposition ended.
Blue transferware plate titled “Souvenir of Philadelphia.” The center shows City Hall and along the border are illustrated New United States Mint; Library Ridgeway (sic) Branch; River Drive Fairmount Park; Post Office; Girard College; University of Pennsylvania. The back is stamped: R&M Co., The Rowland & Marsellus Co., Staffordshire, England. R&M Co. operated between c. 1893-1938., Gift of George E. Thomas, 2019.
