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Title: Wrestling for a bride, Dahomey, Africa
Description: Stereoview depicting a tableau vivant with a racialized tone in a studio setting in which two Black men attired in sarongs, face each other, and are in lunged stances. Behind them, to the left, three Black men, attired in sarongs, stand in front of a hut and palm trees, and watch the "wrestling" men. The kingdom of Dahomey established about 1600 by the Fon people became the independent country Republic of Dahomey, and was renamed Benin in 1975., Title from item., Date inferred from series title printed below title., Distributor's imprint printed on mount: Sold by Underwood & Underwood. New York, Liverpool, Toronto-Canada, Ottowa, Kansas., Title printed on verso in six different languages., J.F. Jarvis was the largest manufacturer of stereoviews in Washington D.C. during the late 19th century. He published his own trade list and numerous views of government surveys., RVCDC, Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022.
Creator: Jarvis, J. F. (John Fillis), 1849-1931
Date: [1894]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department stereos - - misc. photo - Jarvis [P.2016.13.38]

Title: Happy contraband
Description: Photographic reproduction of a caricature depicting a half-length, cameo portrait of an African American man playing a fife. Shows the man, posed to the right, looking up with his eyes, and holding up with both his hands, a fife to his pursed lips. He leans slightly forward, is portrayed with a furrowed brow, and is attired in a wide-brimmed hat adorned with a ribbon, white shirt with long sleeves, and a dark-colored vest. While commander of Fort Monroe, Virginia, General Benjamin Butler declared freedom seekers as "contraband of war," providing the impetus for Congress to enact the Confiscation Act of 1861. During the war, several visual materials, often satires, depicting Black persons as "contraband" were published., Title from manuscript note on verso., Date inferred from active dates of publisher., RVCDC, Philadelphia Photographic Company operated from 730 Chestnut Street circa 1864-1865 before relocating to 24 N. 8th Street. Active until about circa 1869, the firm, per advertisements, issued a catalog, sold "specialties" for albums, including "from original drawings by artists of high quality," and published "[Thomas H.] Johnson's Photographic Views of the Whole Oil Regions," as well as sold election campaign cards and badges.
Creator: Philadelphia Photographic Company
Date: [ca. 1865]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department cdv - non-portrait -Philadelphia Photographic Company - Happy [P.2022.50]

Title: J. Smith, manufacturer of fine cigars, and dealer in tobacco, snuff, pipes, &c. 720 West Dauphin Street, near 4th and 8th Sts. depot, Philadelphia
Description: Illustrated trade card depicting embossed vignettes of crossed tobacco pipes, a bundle of cigars, the figure of an Indigenous woman, and a man smoking a cigar., Embossed., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Digitized.
Date: [ca. 1875]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department trade card - Smith [P.9349.403]

Title: Some of our brave colored boys who helped free Cuba
Description: Stereoview depicting a lineup of African American soldiers in an exterior beach setting during the Spanish American War, 1898. The men, attired in the uniform of campaign hat, button down jacket, trousers, bullet belts, and leggings, stand at attention, and with their rifles held to the sandy ground. Most of the men look straight ahead with a few looking toward the viewer. In the background, an American flag at the end of the line of men and a military encampment with tents and soldiers is visible. The Spanish American War was the conflict between Spain and the United State originating with the Cuban War of Independence. Cuba gained independence and the United States acquired the territories of Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippine Islands from Spain. The regular army's four Black troops (9th and10th Cavalry and 24th and 25th Infantry) and thousands of Black men volunteers served during the war. AFrican American troop's service during the war caused controversy within the African American community which still did not have equal civil rights as citizens of the United States., Title from item., Date from copyright statement: Copyright 1899 by J. F. Jarvis., Distributor's imprint printed on mount: Sold by Underwood & Underwood. New York, London, Toronto-Canada, Ottowa-Kansas., Semi-legible maunscript note on verso: Deliver to Mr. [Heyburn?] ... with ..., J.F. Jarvis was the largest manufacturer of stereoviews in Washington D.C. during the late 19th century. He published his own trade list and numerous views of government surveys., RVCDC
Creator: Jarvis, J. F. (John Fillis), 1849-1931
Date: [1899]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department stereos - misc. photo - Jarvis [P.2023.6]

Title: FacSimile of the revolutionary flag, A.D. 1774
Description: Depiction of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry’s flag from 1774. Shows the flag with fringed edges on a spiked flagpole adorned with two tassels and held open by a rope from its upper right corner tied to a tree in the right. In the top left of the flag are thirteen stripes representing the colonies. In the center, flanking a shield illustrated with thirteen ropes tied into a Gordian Knot are allegorical figures representing Liberty and Fame. Liberty, depicted as a barefooted Native American figure attired in a headdress, feather skirt, and with a quiver of arrows on their back, carries a bow and a liberty cap on a pole. Fame, depicted as a winged angel, blows a trumpet. Above the shield is a horse’s head wearing a bridle with the letters “LHC,” which stands for light horse cavalry. A banner below the shield reads, “For these we strive.”, Title from item., Date from copyright statement: Entered according to act of Congress in the Year 1839, by Wm. M. Huddy, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of Penna., Printed on recto: Plate No. 4., Gift of David Doret., RVCDC
Date: 1839
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Doret and Mitchell Collection – Prints [P.2019.64.33]

Title: FacSimile of the revolutionary flag, A.D. 1774
Description: Depiction of the First Troop Philadelphia City Cavalry’s flag from 1774. Shows the flag with fringed edges on a spiked flagpole adorned with two tassels and held open by a rope from its upper right corner tied to a tree in the right. In the top left of the flag are thirteen stripes representing the colonies. In the center, flanking a shield illustrated with thirteen ropes tied into a Gordian Knot are allegorical figures representing Liberty and Fame. Liberty, depicted as a barefooted Native American figure attired in a headdress, feather skirt, and with a quiver of arrows on their back, carries a bow and a liberty cap on a pole. Fame, depicted as a winged angel, blows a trumpet. Above the shield is a horse’s head wearing a bridle with the letters “LHC,” which stands for light horse cavalry. A banner below the shield reads, “For these we strive.”, Title from item., Date from copyright statement: Entered according to act of Congress in the Year 1839, by Wm. M. Huddy, in the Clerk’s Office of the District Court of the Eastern District of Penna., Printed on recto: Plate No. 4., Gift of David Doret., RVCDC
Date: 1839
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Doret and Mitchell Collection – Prints [P.2019.64.33]

Title: Tuesday, August 15, 1905. The Ladies clothing emporium. She and I[?] take an umbrella to [the?] and get our first look at the heathen Chinee
Description: Manuscript note with images from magazines of four women and a Chinese man pasted on the back of a Keystone Telephone Company order form. Handwritten note, presumably by a white woman, describes a trip to a women's clothing store and an encounter seeing a Chinese man. It reads, "Tuesday, August 15, 1905. The Ladies clothing emporium. She and I[?] take an umbrella to [the?] and get our first look at the heathen Chinee." Four fashion magazine prints depicting women attired in dresses have been cut out and pasted on each corner of the card. In the bottom center is a photomechanical print of a Chinese man, wearing a queue hairstyle and attired in a tunic, robe, a string of beads, and cloth slip-on shoes, standing with his hands at his waist and looking down. An arrow points from the word "Chinee" to the image. Robert H. Foerderer (1860-1903) founded the Keystone Telephone Company in 1900. Bell bought Keystone in 1944., Title and date from manuscript written on verso., Text printed on recto: Keystone Telephone Company, Equip. Dept., Detail Order Record. Detail order no.; File no.; Ordered; Supply order no.; Location and nature of work; [C]ompleted; Elapsed time; [?]st material; Cost labor; [T]otal cost; Acct. chgble; [?]reman; Men; Remarks., Library Company copy is torn on the left side., RVCDC
Date: [ca. 1905]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department ephemera - forms/documents [P.2025.42]

Title: [Morgan & Headly trade cards]
Description: Series of illustrated trade cards promoting jewelers Morgan & Headly in the Mutual Life Building at the northwest corner of Tenth and Chestnut Streets in Philadelphia. Trade card depicts a large diamond jewel [1975.F.579]. Illustrated trade card depicts a caricaturized Japanese woman and boy playing a horn. The woman, wearing her hair tied up and decorated with kanzashi (decorative hair ornaments) and attired in a floral patterned kimono, stands before a Japanese-style building. She leans her left arm over a wall and looks down at a boy, wearing a shaved head with a small ponytail and attired in a tunic, a belt, pants, and cloth, slip-on shoes, playing a horn next to a bird with its beak open [1975.F.592]. Trade card depicting a Japanese-stylized scene of a crane bending over and cleaning its feathers with its beak. Also includes flowering tree branches [1975.F.593]., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from content and history of the advertised business., One print [1975.F.579] contains vignette printed on verso depicting a hand-held fan superimposed onto a ribbon., RVCDC, 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 - Morgan [1975.F.579; 1975.F.592 & 593]

Title: Compliments of John Westney, agt. Manufacturer and dealer in baby carriages, velocipedes, bicycles &c, 226 Dock St Phila. Repairing promptly attended to
Description: Trade card promoting carriage manufacturer John Westney and showing a fairy depicted as a caricature of an Asian girl. The barefooted girl, with wings, is attired in a hat; a short-sleeved white dress with red trim, a black bow on the bodice, and blue and gold decoration on the skirt; and a multi-colored, patterned sash around the waist. She juts her left foot forward, holds a fan in her right hand, and grasps a flowering branch in her left hand., Title from item., Date inferred from dates of operation of business advertised., Text printed on verso illustrated with image of a boy, attired in a sailor suit and cap, driving a skulky with a toy horse: The Tally Ho Sulky. (Patented) The Tally Ho Sulky is suitable for either boy or girl. The small size from 4 to 10 years, and the large from 8 to 18 years of age. It is the most pleasing, healthful, and practical toy of the motor kind. It has the rowing motion, being driven by the arms and steered by the feet; moves easily and is capable of great speed. It can be used in the street or in an ordinary sized room. It is strongly made and durable. For sale by John Westney, agt. 226 Dock Street, Philadelphia., Purchased 2015.
Date: [ca. 1880]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Berman Trade Card Collection - Westney [P.2015.56.937]

Title: The Inasmuch Mission
Description: Reproduction of a drawing of a busy street scene with the four-story "Inasmuch Mission Men's Hotel and Restaurant" at 1019 Locust Street, Philadelphia. Completed in 1913, the mission house, the exterior resembling a warehouse, rehabilitated "fallen" men through religious and social services. Scene includes views of the nearby markets adorned with awnings under which men and women shoppers peruse displays, converse, and stand idle. The African American man, attired in a bowler hat, a shirt, a jacket, pants, and shoes, stands leaning against the awning pole with his hands in his pockets. In the right, the Chinese man, wearing a queue and attired in a tunic, pants, and slip-on, cloth shoes, stands against a wall and looks down the street away from the viewer. A horse-drawn wagon and pedestrians traverse the street. In the left, a man organ grinder with a monkey entertains children standing on the sidewalk., Copyrighted., Drawn by artist in 1914., See accompanying pamphlet containing the artist's descriptions of the views, "Ever-Changing Philadelphia" (Philadelphia: Frank H. Taylor), p. 6., Accessioned circa 1916., RVCDC, Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022.
Creator: Taylor, Frank H. (Frank Hamilton), 1846-1927, artist
Date: [drawn 1914, printed 1915]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Taylor - Case 11-6 [2717.F]

Title: The Inasmuch Mission
Description: Reproduction of a drawing of a busy street scene with the four-story "Inasmuch Mission Men's Hotel and Restaurant" at 1019 Locust Street, Philadelphia. Completed in 1913, the mission house, the exterior resembling a warehouse, rehabilitated "fallen" men through religious and social services. Scene includes views of the nearby markets adorned with awnings under which men and women shoppers peruse displays, converse, and stand idle. The African American man, attired in a bowler hat, a shirt, a jacket, pants, and shoes, stands leaning against the awning pole with his hands in his pockets. In the right, the Chinese man, wearing a queue and attired in a tunic, pants, and slip-on, cloth shoes, stands against a wall and looks down the street away from the viewer. A horse-drawn wagon and pedestrians traverse the street. In the left, a man organ grinder with a monkey entertains children standing on the sidewalk., Copyrighted., Drawn by artist in 1914., See accompanying pamphlet containing the artist's descriptions of the views, "Ever-Changing Philadelphia" (Philadelphia: Frank H. Taylor), p. 6., Accessioned circa 1916., RVCDC, Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022.
Creator: Taylor, Frank H. (Frank Hamilton), 1846-1927, artist
Date: [drawn 1914, printed 1915]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Taylor - Case 11-6 [2717.F]

Title: Compliments of John Wanamaker & Co. Clothiers, Chestnut below Ninth
Description: Trade card promoting dry goods merchant and clothier John Wanamaker & Co. and depicting a caricaturized Japanese boy playing a stringed instrument to a small dog. In the center, the boy, attired in a multi-colored, patterned kimono, geta shoes, and a straw conical hat, plays a stringed instument. In the left, a small black-and-white dog stands on his hind legs., Title from item., Date inferred from dates of operation of business advertised., Stamped on recto: Branch House, No. 10 Sixth Street, Pittsburgh., Purchased 2015., John Wanamaker and his brother-in-law Nathan Brown formed Wanamaker & Brown and opened the store Oak Hall at Sixth and Market Streets in 1861. Brown died in 1868. In 1869, the firm became John Wanamaker & Co., and he opened a store at Eighth and Chestnut Streets. John Wanamaker's Grand Depot at Thirteenth and Market Streets, opened in 1876 to cater to Centennial Exhibition crowds.
Date: [ca. 1870]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Berman Trade Card Collection - John Wanamaker & Co. [P.2015.56.463]

Title: McCless 1417 Chestnut St., (above Broad), fine arts! French plate mirrors
Description: Trade card promoting fine art dealer and mirror merchant J.E. McCless and depicting a caricaturized Japanese man pointing to a sign with the advertising text. In the center, the man, wearing a chonmage hairstyle and attired in a purple kimono with white and green trim, a black jacket with gold trim, and sandals stands and points to a wooden sign with advetising text., Title from item., Date inferred from dates of operation of business advertised., Purchased 2015.
Date: [ca. 1880]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Berman Trade Card Collection - McCless [P.2015.56.576]

Title: Superstitious Chinese children covering their faces to avoid being photographed
Description: Photograph depicting a Chinese man and four Chinese children on a platform at the entrance of the Chinese Pavilion at the Louisiana Purchase Exposition in St. Louis. Shows a boy standing with his back to the viewer, wearing a queue hairstyle and attired in a red cap, a blue shirt and pants, and blue cloth slip-on shoes. In the left, the boy, attired in a blue cap, a pink shirt and pants, and blue cloth slip-on shoes, sits on a chair and looks to the left. Beside him, a seated young girl, wearing a pink bow in her hair and attired in a pink shirt and pants, and blue cloth slip-on shoes, covers her face with both of her hands. In the right, a child, attired in a dark blue shirt, blue pants, and blue cloth slip-on shoes, sits and raises their arm and hands to cover their face. In the left behind the children, a Chinese man, attired in a conical hat, a dark blue shirt and pants, and cloth slip-on shoes, stands and holds possibly a torch. A white man, wearing a mustache and attired in a white collared shirt and a gray suit, stands and faces the viewer. A green dragon with its mouth open decorates the platform. A decorative wooden railing is visible along the background. The Louisiana Purchase Exposition, also known as the St. Louis World's Fair, was held from April 30 to December 1, 1904 in commemoration of the centennial of the Purchase. More than 60 countries and 43 of the American states displayed exhibits at the fair, which was attended by 19.7 million people. The Chinese Pavilion included a theater, a temple, a tea house, a bazaar, and a reproduction of the summer home of Prince Pu Lun, the Imperial Commissioner. In the Chinese Village were Chinese merchants, mechanics, painters, waiters, silk weavers, musicians, performers, and children. The children were set at the entrance of the concession to attract visitors., Green mount with rounded corners., Title printed on mount., Date inferred from content and date of event., Text printed on verso: In the Chinese Village there were nine little Chinese children who were shrewdly employed at the entrance to the concession as a drawing feature and who attracted great crowds of people. The youngest child was but three years old. Both parents lived in the village as merchants. The favorite with the visitors was Fanny Moy, the seven-year old daughter of the village druggist. She possessed a sweet voice and spoke English almost without any foreign accent. The largest boy, nine years old, was an accomplished musician and took also a prominent part in the theatrical performances. The children were under government inspection, and physicians detailed from the army service looked after their physical welfare, while a returned missionary instructed them in English. Each child was under a bond of $500 to secure their safe return to China after the exposition., Gift of Linda Kimiko August.
Creator: Ingersoll, T. W. (Truman Ward), 1862-1922
Date: 1904
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department stereos – misc. – Ingersoll [P.2023.43.6]

Title: A Chinese laundry in Philadelphia
Description: Interior view of a Chinese owned and operated laundry in Philadelphia. In the center, shows the owner of the business attired in a top hat, white collared shirt, bowtie, suit jacket, waistcoat, and pants. He sits in a wooden chair with his legs crossed and smoking a cigarette as he supervises the workers. The four Chinese men laundry workers wear queue hairstyles and are attired in tunics, pants, and slip-on, cloth shoes. In the left, two men stand behind the counter and iron, one of whom spits water from his mouth onto the laundry. In the right, the man stands facing the viewer with his hand on top of his head while a man irons from another countertop. Steam rises up from the irons. There is a storage closet with the door partially open revealing shelves with folded laundry. More stacks of folded laundry sit on the countertops. In the right foreground, there are five irons warming on a heater and two baskets of laundry. A clock hangs on the wall., Title from item., Date and publication information from original source., Published in the June 3, 1876 issue of the Graphic, a British weekly illustrated newspaper., Text description of the engraving from the Graphic, p. 542: A Chinese Laundry in Philadelphia. Though not nearly so numerous as in California, where their presence has recently excited extreme hostility among the white working classes, the Chinese are to be found, though few and far between, in the Eastern States. There are several Chinese laundries in Philadelphia, and as they have only been recently introduced from California, they are almost as much objects of interest to Philadelphians as to foreigners. Our artist came across the laundry shown in our engraving unexpectedly. As soon as the Chinamen perceived him sketching it through the window, they rushed out and shouted after him, whereupon he made off, thinking it prudent to avoid a scene. The Celestial in European dress is the "boss," or master, who owns several laundries, and who attends to the customers and business arrangements. The manner of damping the clothes preparatory to ironing is peculiar, the operator fills his mouth with water, and squirts it over the linen., Gift of Linda Kimiko August., RVCDC
Date: June 3, 1876
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Ph Pr - 8x10 - Businesses - Chinese Laundry [P.2023.27.1]

Title: W.T. Hanson & Co., prescription druggists, 195 State Street, Schenectady, N.Y
Description: Trade card promoting druggist W.T. Hanson & Co. and depicting a caricaturized Japanese boy playing with puppets. In the center, the boy, attired in a multi-colored, patterned kimono, geta shoes, and a cap with a red ribbon, holds a puppet in each hand. The puppet in the left is a Japanese woman, wearing her hair tied up and attired in a multi-colored, patterned kimono. The puppet in the right is a Japanese man attired in a conical hat and a multi-colored, patterned kimono. Willis Tracy Hanson, Sr. (1858-1933) founded W.T. Hanson & Co. in 1879., Title from item., Date inferred from active dates of the advertised business., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Gift of William Helfand., See related: Helfand Patent Medicine Trade Card Collection [P.9828.4586].
Date: [ca. 1880]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Helfand Patent Medicine Trade Card Collection - Pharmacists - H [P.9828.6079]

Title: Glimpses of the World's Fair a selection of gems of the White City seen through a camera
Description: Publication depicting the World's Columbian Exposition, also known as the Chicago World's Fair, held from May 1 to October 31, 1893, to celebrate the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival. Shows images of the exteriors and interiors of buildings, such as Machinery Hall, Administration Building, Horticultural Building, Electricity Building, and Woman's Building. Thirty-six U.S. states erected buildings, images of which are shown in alphabetical order, including California, Idaho, and Pennsylvania. Approximately fifty foreign nations exhibited at the fair and eighteen countries erected buildings, including Norway, France, Ceylon, Japan, Turkey, East India, Colombia, and Haiti. Images include: "Japanese Ho-O-Den - Wooded Island"; "Building of Ceylon"; "Venetian Gondola and Japanese Ho-O-Den"; "In the Samoan Village"; "Samoan Village"; "Johore Bungalow:" "Javanese Village"; "Soudanese Baby-Street in Cairo"; "Japanese Bazar"; "Panorama of Kilauea"; "Japanese Bazar"; and "Chinese Theatre." The Japanese Ho-O-Den (Phoenix Palace) was designed by architect Masamichi Kuru and was located at the north end of the Wooded Island. It was later destroyed by fire. The display window of the Japanese Bazaar shows two mannequins attired in kimonos and Japanese decorative arts including vases. The Chinese pavilion consisted of a bazaar, teahouse, and replica of a temple or Joss House. Images of people include a Sundanese (ethnic group of Java or Indonesia) toddler and Samoan men. Also shows sculptures and fountains, the Ferris Wheel, boats on the waterways, and spectators walking the grounds., Title and date from item.
Date: 1893
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department albums [P.2025.58]

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