[Frederick A. Rex & Co. trade cards]
Title
[Frederick A. Rex & Co. trade cards]
Description
Series of illustrated trade cards promoting coffee manufacturer Frederick A. Rex & Co. and depicting a fox leaping to grab grapes in its mouth from a vine running along the top of a tall stone wall. Racist trade card titled "An absorbing subject" and depicting a caricature an African American man lying on top of a barrel and drinking from it with a straw. Shows the barefooted man, portrayed with exaggerated features, and attired in a straw hat, a striped shirt with the sleeves rolled up to the elbows, and patched and torn pants. He lies straddling on top of a wooden barrel and rests his head in his hands. He closes his eyes as he drinks from a straw through a hole in the barrel. The barrel has a label pasted on it and is marked “XXX.” In the foreground, a painter’s palette leans against the front of the barrel. Frederick A. Rex (1850-1916) founded the Frederick A. Rex Company in the 1880s which manufactured coffee and tea. The firm had an office in Philadelphia and a mill in Camden, N.J., Title supplied by cataloger., One print [P.9651.20] copyrighted 1881 by Geo. M. Hayes., One print [P.9651.20] contains advertising text printed on verso promoting "Peerless Coffee," the finest coffee sold, roasted and packed by Fred'k A. Rex & Co., 39 North Front St., Philadelphia, with mills in Camden, New Jersey., Purchase 1999, 2001., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Digitized.
Date
[ca. 1881]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department trade card - Rex [P.9651.20 & P.9984.2]
Look back gentlemen, into the future / W. [graphic].
Title
Look back gentlemen, into the future
Description
Racist trade card promoting Frederick A. Rex & Company's Peerless Coffee and depicting a caricature of an African American man peddler standing on a stage. The man, attired in a blue plaid suit with gold buttons, a white shirt with an enormous collar around the neck, and black shoes, is portrayed with an oversized head and exaggerated features. He stands behind a small table on a stage, places his left hand on the table, raises his right hand in the air, and winks his left eye. In the right on the stage is top hat turned upside down with an orange cloth coming of out it. In the left leaning against the table is a green umbrella with a black handle. Frederick A. Rex (1850-1916) founded the Frederick A. Rex Company in the 1880s which manufactured coffee and tea. The firm had an office in Philadelphia and a mill in Camden, N.J., Title from item., Place of publication from place of operation of advertised business., Date deduced from history of advertised business., Advertising text printed on verso: The Peerless Coffee, finest coffee sold. Always ask your Grocer for this Popular Brand, and you will be sure to have the best. Roasted and packed by Fred'k A. Rex & Co. 39 North Front St. Philadelphia. Mills, Camden, N.J. Illustration of a square package labeled, "The Peerless Coffee.", Gift of David Doret., Library copy has manuscript inscription on the verso: Emma J. Hottle.
Date
[1890]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Goldman Trade Card Collection - Fredrick [P.2017.95.65]