Full-length portrait of Jim Steward, an African American man ventriloquist, seated on a wooden chair. Steward, attired in a disheveled sack coat, holds his cat puppet in his lap and looks at the viewer., Date from manuscript note., Fifteen cent Civil War revenue stamp lower right corner of mount with manuscript note: W.L. April 1st, 1865., Purchase 1993., 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., Langenheim was a premier early Philadelphia photographer who with his brother and partner Frederick (1809-1879) introduced lantern slides (glass transparencies) to the United States in 1849.
Creator
Langenheim, William, 1807-1874, photographer
Date
[ca. 1865]
Location
Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Lantern slides - Langenheim [P.9439]
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]
