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Title: [Automatic Electric Shoe Shining Company of Philadelphia]
Description: Shows men getting their shoes shined at the Automatic Electric Shoe Shining Company of Philadelphia at the 1300 block of Market Street, Philadelphia. The shoe shining booths line the perimeter. Men, attired in boater hats and suits, stand with one foot on the ground and one foot in the electric shoe shiner. In the right, a man, attired in a suit and tie, sits at the ticket booth under a sign, “Get your tickets here. 8 shines for 25c. One ticket good for both shoes.” Standing in the center is African American man, attired in a uniform and cap, holding a rag., Title supplied by cataloger., Gift of Matthew Schultz, 1998., Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022., One of the images [P.9645.203] reproduced in The Print and Photograph Department of the Library Company of Philadelphia's Center City Philadelphia in the 19th century (Portsmouth, N.H.: Arcadia Publishing, 2006), p. 59., Arcadia caption text: At the turn of the century the Automatic Electric Shoe Shining Company of Philadelphia opened its first parlor on the north side of the 1300 block of Market Street. For a nickel, customers could enjoy the latest technological wonder, a machine designed to shine either black or tan shoes. The African American attendant standing in the center of this c. 1900 photograph holding a rag probably buffed the customers’ shoes. According to the large advertisement above the door, the company planned to open 15 parlors in Philadelphia., 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: Levis, Seth Pancoast, photographer
Date: 1900
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department glass negatives - Levis [P.9645.203 & 584]

Title: Mason's challenge blacking Philadelphia
Description: Photographic reproduction of a racist and whimsically absurd advertisement, including an African American shoe shiner, to promote the premier manufactory of blacking established in 1832 by James S. Mason. Depicts the shoe-shiner "blacking" a boot near a white shoe-shine boy with a puppet and a dog. The shoe-shiner, portrayed with grotesque features, holds a brush overhead in his right hand and a boot over the hand of his other arm. He wears a button-down shirt with an open collar, suspenders, and breeches. To his right, is an oversize boot on which the boy has a propped a puppet. The puppet is an African American dandy-like character. The puppet attired in a jacket and high collar shirt holds an umbrella above his head. A dog, as he looks behind, flees from the puppet. The dog's face is reflected in the foot of the boot. The young shoe-shiner, attired in a cap, jacket, and breeches, smiles and points toward the dog. Scene also includes an oversize opened tin of blacking in the foreground. Following the death of Mason in 1888, his son Richard assumed the business which was in operation into the 20th century., Date inferred from address of engraving firm., Advertising text printed on verso: July 15th, Reduced prices Mason's Challenge Blacking. Net prices, ornamental cases, adapted for display in retail stores, or shipping, without re-packing, holding three dozen each. No. 1, or Small Size, per doz. 25 cts. " 2, or N. Medium Size, " 30 ." " 4, or Large Size, "50." To obtain this Blacking in the original Show Cases, not less than three dozen of a kind should be ordered. The American News Company, New York.
Date: [ca. 1877]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department cdv - unid. photo. - Advertisements - M [P.2016.65]

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