Trade card promoting Elkhart Starch Company and depicting a racist genre scene of an African American waiter serving a white couple in a restaurant. Shows in the center of the image the couple seated at a table. In the left, the brown-haired woman, attired in a gray hat decorated with flowers and a red dress with white ruffles at the neck, sleeves, and at the bottom rests her left elbow on the table and holds a white fan. In the right, a man with brown hair and a mustache and attired in a brown jacket; a white collared shirt with a black bowtie; a cream-colored waistcoat; white pants with blue stripes; and black shoes, holds a paper labeled "Bill of Fare" in his right hand. He points his index finger at the woman with his left hand. The African American waiter, attired in a black jacket; a white collared shirt with a white bowtie; and white pants with a gold pocket watch chain stands behind the table. He carries a silver tray with two dishes, each with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. In the left background is an entryway with a red curtain. To the right of the doorway is a sideboard and a framed painting hangs above it. Image also includes, in the right, a hurricane chandelier and checkered flooring. A.L. Muzzy built the Muzzy & Sage Mill in Elkhart, Indiana in 1870. Albert R. Beardsley (1847-1924) purchased the mill in 1878 and founded the Elkhart Starch Company. The Company was bought by the National Starch in 1893., Title from item., Date deduced from history of advertised business., Advertising text printed on verso: "Elkhart Starch Co. Elkhart, Ind. Manufacture Muzzy’s Sun Gloss refined & corn starch. Of superior quality, by a new process. A thorough test makes it a household necessity. Muzzys corn starch is the purest & best made. Capacity ten tons of starch per day." Includes an illustration depicting a train running past the Elkhart starch works manufactory., Gift of David Doret.
Date
[ca. 1890]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Goldman Trade Card Collection - Elkhart [P.2017.95.57]
