Trade card promoting Edelman's store and depicting a satiric, racist caricature of an older African American man misunderstanding an operator to whom he speaks on a wall-mounted telephone. He faces the viewer, leans against the wall, and remarks in vernacular speech "dis chile's rich...dis man... gib me de city hall." The man is balding and has tufts of hair on the sides of his head. He has a white beard and is attired in a beige coat, an undersized, green vest with buttons, and blue plaid pants rolled up at the bottom exposing his socks and black shoes. On the ground beside his feet is a banjo and brimmed hat. M.A. Edelman had a shoe store on 146 Northampton Street, Easton, PA circa 1871. Circa 1880s, he opened a store selling women's accessories on 335 Northampton Street., Title from item., Publication information from copyright statement: Copyright 1883 by J H. Bufford's Sons., Text printed on recto: Golly! I guess dis chile's rich- dis man him say wait a minute and him gib me de city hall., Gift of David Doret.
Date
1883
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Goldman Trade Card Collection - Edelman [P.2017.95.54]
