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Title: Twelve good reasons why the Woman's Suffrage Stove Polish is preferred to all others
Description: Illustrated trade card depicting a seated portrait of a girl with her arms propped on and crossed on the back of the chair., Title supplied by cataloger from advertising text printed on verso., Manuscript note on verso: Edith from Abbie., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Digitized.
Date: [ca. 1880]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department trade card - Woman's [P.9990]

Title: [Lewis Fatman & Co., steam paste blacking, steam friction matches, 41 N. Front Street, Philadelphia] [graphic].
Description: Location: 41 North Front Street (pre-consolidation)., LCP copy lacking title and imprint., Wainwright retrospective conversion project., Select link below to view a digital image.
Date: [Dec. 1847]
Location: http://www.lcpgraphics.org/wainwright/W217.htm, Library Company of Philadelphia Print Dept. W217 [P.2110]

Title: [Lewis Fatman & Co., blacking manufactory, steam friction matches manufactory, back of No. 412 Coates Street, Philadelphia] [graphic].
Description: Location: 412 Coates Street, later Fairmount Avenue., Wainwright retrospective conversion project., Select link below to view a digital image.
Date: [ca. 1847]
Location: http://www.lcpgraphics.org/wainwright/W218.htm, Library Company of Philadelphia Print Dept. *W218 [P.2109]

Title: [Lewis Fatman & Co., steam paste blacking, steam friction matches, 41 N. Front Street, Philadelphia]
Description: Advertisement showing the three-story building covered in signage for the polish and match business located between Market and Arch streets on Front Street. A clerk, crates, cans piled on a table, and a rope hoist are visible through the first floor window and entrances. Another worker is visible in a third-floor window. A conestoga wagon passes in the street with the driver astride one of the four horses in the team. Fatman operated a second factory at 412 Coates Street, i.e., Fairmount Avenue., Date from Poulson inscription on recto: N. Front streets. Dec. 1847., Philadelphia on Stone, POS 437, LCP copy trimmed and lacking title and imprint., Wainwright retrospective conversion project, edited.
Date: [December 1847]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department W217 [P.2110]

Title: [Lewis Fatman & Co., blacking manufactory, steam friction matches manufactory, back of No. 412 Coates Street, Philadelphia]
Description: Advertisement showing the adjoined three-and two-story manufactory buildings covered in signage for the polish and match business located on the 1000 block of Coates Street, i.e. Fairmount Avenue. Laborers, including one carrying a stack on his shoulder, are visible at a few windows and at an entrance. In the foreground, a gentleman walks, and a boy plays with a hoop near some crates and barrels, on the sidewalk. In the street, a drayman transports planks of wood, a "Fatman and Co.'s Matches & Blacking" wagon is parked, and a laborer loads crates on to a dray. Fatman operated a factory from this location circa 1844-1848 in addition to a second factory on North Front Street., Date from Poulson inscription on recto: Dec. 1847. Back of No. 412 Coates Street., Title supplied by cataloguer., Philadelphia on Stone, POS 436, Wainwright retrospective conversion project, edited., Trimmed and lacking title.
Date: [ca. 1847]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *W218 [P.2109]

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]

Title: Leadbeater's renowned stove polish
Description: Racist advertisement for Leadbeater & Co.’s stove polish depicting a white woman and an African American woman polishing stoves. In the left, the brown-haired white woman, attired in a blue ruffled dress, white gloves, a necklace, and bracelets, stands holding a bottle of Leadbeater’s stove polish in her left hand, which she brushes onto a heating stove. In the right, an African American woman domestic, attired in a yellow head kerchief, gold hoop earrings, a red collared shirt with the sleeves rolled to her elbows, and a green skirt with black stripes, kneels as she brushes polish on the cooking stove. She turns her head to see her reflection on the stove in the left. Also visible in the image are a framed portrait, landscape, and still life, and a green sideboard with white plates and a cup. Leadbeater & Company, was a one year partnership between Philadelphia stove polish merchants, F.C. Leadbeater and D.L. Wells, at 920 Market Street., Title and date from manuscript note written on recto: Leadbeater's Renowned Stove Polish; Feb. 1861., Not in Wainwright, Philadelphia on Stone, POSP 134, Originally part of a McAllister scrapbook of engravings relating to Philadelphia. McAllister Collection, gift, 1886., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date: [February 1861]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department BW - Advertisements [(7)1322.F.441a]

Title: Wootten's excelsior stove lustre or pure black lead Prepared by John Wootten, Jr. No. 94 Spruce St. Wholesale Depot, no. 13 North Third Street Phila
Description: Racist advertisement promoting Wootten’s Excelsior Stove Lustre and depicting an African American man, portrayed in caricature, polishing a stove. Shows the African American man servant, barefoot and attired in a plaid, collared shirt and pants, kneeling before a stove with a brush in his left hand. On the floor in front of him is a glass of water, an open can of polish, and a box labeled, Wootten’s Excelsior Stove Lustre or Pure Black Lead. In the right, a white woman stands wearing her brown hair in a bun and attired in an off-the-shoulder dress with a bow at the chest and lace sleeves. She looks toward the man and asks, “Uncle Tom whose blacking is that you are useing [sic].” He replies in the vernacular, “La Missey don’t you know dat -- dat is Wooten's Lustre." To the left of the woman, a black cat stands on a wooden chair with its back raised and looks at the man. Also visible in the image are plates, bowls, and cups on shelves, another wooden chair, and an open window that has a potted plant on the ledge. John Wootten Jr. (1820-1872) is listed in the 1861 Philadelphia city directory as a blacking maker., Title from item., Date from Poulson inscription on recto: Mar. 28 -59; S. 4 (old no.) Spruce Street., Not in Wainwright., Text printed on recto: For polishing and beautifying stoves, this Lustre stands unrivalled. It may with perfect justice be called The Housekeeper’s Choice; it gives a more brilliant appearance, retains it gloss longer, and requires Fifty per cent less labor than any other preparation in existence, when moistened with a little water, and applied vigorously to iron work of any kind, the effect is truly magical; housekeepers and others are well aware what great labor is requisite, and time expended in the attempt to give a fine polish with many of the lustres sold at the present day – here however both these evils are remedied; a beautiful gloss is obtained in a few minutes, and without scarcely any exertion whatever. Another advantage which this article possesses over all others, is, that it tends to preserve the iron from the deleterious effects of damp and rust, which so often render a stove entirely useless in the course of a few seasons. This Lustre is prepared with great care from the very best lead that can be found in the market, and is entirely free from all those foreign substances which so greatly destroy the efficacy of other articles.", Philadelphia on Stone, POSP 279, Accessioned 1982., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Creator: Sinclair, Thomas S., approximately 1805-1881, lithographer
Date: [March 28, 1859]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department *BW - Advertisements [P.8729.21]

Title: Mason's challenge blacking. James S. Mason & Co., nos. 138 & 140 North Front Street, Philadelphia
Description: Advertisement depicting a "shoe blacking" competition between two African American shoe shiners to promote the manufactory of blacking established in 1832 by James S. Mason. Shows two African American men, portrayed in racist caricature, holding a brush, a canister of "Mason's" blacking, and a boot, while they dance on a table. An African American man fiddler sits on a stool and plays. In the foreground, a white man holds an oversized boot. A white shoe shine boy, his pack on his back, stands behind an older man holding his arm as he points at his reflection in the boot. In the left background, a troop of white Union soldiers marches in behind a parade marshal adorned in "M" insignias. The men carry a banner reading "Mason's (Original) Challenge Blacking (Philadelphia)," as well as boots, and signs spelling "M-A-S-O-N." In the right background, a crowd of spectators, including figures likely representing Germany, the Ottoman Empire, Britain, and possibly France, stand and watch the competition attentively. Scene also includes boxes of Mason's Challenge Blacking. Following the death of Mason in 1888, his son Richard assumed the business which was in operation into the 20th century., Title from item., Date inferred from directory listings for the artist and engravers., Attributed by cataloger to Francis H. Schell, but possibly by Frederick B. Schell., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021., 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 Commonwealth Libraries, and the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Tom Corbett, Governor, 2013-2014.
Creator: Schell, Francis H., 1834-1909, artist
Date: [ca. 1863]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Ph Pr - 11x14 - Advertisements - M [P.2013.51]

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