Membership certificate for the relief society, later the Friendly Sons of St. Patrick, organized in Philadelphia in 1771. A large central oval contains an allegorical scene showing the classical figures of Hope, Columbia, and Concordia near a column marked "Hibernian Society." The women welcome immigrants disembarking from a sailing ship on long boats. Hope leans on an anchor; bare-breasted Columbia (i.e., United States) holds a shield; and Concordia, a bag of money in her hand and an Irish harp resting behind her, reaches out to an allegorical female arrival. An American eagle with a shield, and tools and symbols of agriculture and industry border the oval., Illustrated seal of the society blindstamped on recto., Title supplied by cataloger., Date inferred from active dates of the artist and engraver., Signed by Hugh Holmes, president., Holmes, a founder of the society, served as its president 1800-1817., Gift of David Doret., Houston worked as a engraver in Philadelphia in the late 1790s.
Creator
Houston, H. H., engraver
Date
[ca. 1797]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *Philadelphia certificates - Organizations [P.2006.28.12]
Scrapbook containing tickets, invitations, textile and perfume labels, tokens, and trade cards, primarily issued in Philadelphia. Contents include images of buildings, genre scenes, and allegorical figures. Many of the items also include ornate borders. Materials document University of Pennsylvania medical department courses; a picnic at Mr. John F. Parke’s Grove (1853); Pennsylvania Horticultural Society events, including admittance for a "Lady to the Stated Meetings", bazaars, and Christmas Eve party; the Baltimore Assemblies; admittance to the Great Central Fair (1864) and Hillebrand & Lewis Gymnastic Institute; Mr. & Mrs. John A. McAllister Wooden Wedding (1861-1866); and a shooting match at glass balls at Union Hotel (1881). Scrapbook also contains advertising souvenirs from the Centennial Exhibition (1876); trade cards for Pennsylvania and Atlantic coast businesses; a calling card for Joseph E. Francis annotated with ink sketched figures; landscape views with a fishing scene, and a locomotive; receipts issued for pew rent to St. Paul’s Church, membership to the Athenaeum, and fines owed to the Library Company (1848); and an illustrated check for the Hibernian Society, billhead for T. Sharpless & Sons, and advertisement for [Edwin S.] Johnston’s New Self Locking Clock Spring Shade Roller., Other Philadelphia businesses represented include S.A. Hagner, saddle harness and trunk manufactory; John Dorff, silver plater and gilder; Sheble, Smith & Co., successors to R.L. Barnes, map publishers and mounters; Godey’s Lady’s Book Publishing Company; Geo. J. Burns, printer; Smith & Co. Globe Bazaar auction house; Johnson & Smith, type founders (formerly Binney & Ronaldson); and John H. Brown & Co., dry goods. Non-Philadelphia businesses include Cataract House (Niagara Falls); Globe Hotel (New York); Wilmington Boarding School for Girls (Samuel Hilles); Ash’s Patent Five Slit United States Government Pen; E. Kenny, architect (Brooklyn); Works of P. & F. Corbin (New Britain, Ct.); T. H. Pollock, organ builder and David B. Prosser, saddles and harness (Richmond); M'Neal & Siegert, jeweler; and Gray & Bail, furniture., Red cloth binding, stamped in gilt on cover: Photographs., Some tickets signed by Joseph Leidy, University of Pennsylvania., Some contents inscribed with name of recipient or holder. Recipients and holders include W. J. (John) Holmes; James J. Magee, possibly James Magee, President of Westmoreland Coal Co. who previously worked at Binney & Ronaldson; John Matthews; T. J. Nichols & lady; [H.?]J. Sharpless; and J. C. Stewart., Engravers and printers include Brown (Ledger Building), J. H. Camp, Illman & Sons, Geddes, M. & V. Harrison, J. Lea, W. Eaves, Major & Knapp, and Van Slyck & Co., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Housed in phase box.
Date
[ca. 1821-ca. 1894]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department albums - Scrapbook [8608.F]