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Title: The cook
Description: As the title suggests, the engraving is a portrait of a Virginia cook, whom Crayon described as "not merely a black woman, . . . but one bearing a patent stamp by the broad seal of Nature; the type of a class whose skill is not of books or training, but a gift both rich and rare -- who flourishes her spit as Amphitrite does her trident (or her husband's, which is all the same), whose ladle is as a royal sceptre in her hands, who has grown sleek and fat on the steam of her own genius, whose children have the first dip in all gravies, the exclusive right to all livers and gizzards, not to mention breasts of fried chickens -- who brazens her mistress, boxes her scullions, and scalds the dogs . . . ." (p. 176) Shown in her kitchen, the stout cook wears an apron and a kerchief, and is surrounded by bowls, buckets, a grill, and cooking utensils., Illustration in Harper's New Monthly Magazine, vol. 12, no. 68 (January 1856), p. 177., Engraving accompanies Porte Crayon's [i.e., David Hunter Srother's] "Virginia Illustrated. Adventures of Porte Crayon and his Cousins," which was published in book form in 1857. See David Hunter Strother, Virginia Illustrated (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1857)., Fels Afro-Americana Image Project, Work Scenes.
Date: [January 1856]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Books & Other Texts | Rare Per H 9 62992.O v 12 n 68 January 1856 p 177, https://digital.librarycompany.org/islandora/object/Islandora%3A2870

Title: "Maid of Grease" how fat you look.
Description: A woman cook stands in front of a stove and holds the lid of a pot. A policeman, or "Bobby," stands behind her and says, "Pretty cookery.", Text: "Maid of Grease" how fat you, / The plainest surely of plain Cook; / To try your charms on me's no use / For you shall never cook any Goose. / Doubtless you may think it nobby / To win the notice of some 'Bobby;' / But value not his Cupboard love, / Who from cook to cook doth rove; / Lose your place and money, you / Will find you've lost your Bobby too., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
Date: [between 1840 and 1880?]

Title: Liberty Stove Works, Philadelphia. Iron King Cook improved
Description: Trade card for the Philadelphia stove manufacturer showing an African American house cook showing off the households's new "Iron King" stove to a baker delivering pies. The woman in kerchief, shawl, checkered dress and apron points to the stove and states "No more of your pies. The Missus has one of dem Iron King Stove -Shure Baker" to the baker in a baker's hat, smock, apron, and holding a square basket of pies. A kettle, frying pan, pot, and dutch oven rest on the burners of the stove that is marked "Chas. Noble & Co., Philada." Scene also shows a partial view of the baker's delivery wagon (advertising pastry and bread) outside of the open kitchen door. Founded as Abbott & Lawrence in 1851, later renamed Abbott & Noble in 1858, the stove manufactory was reestablished as Charles Noble & Co. in 1870., Advertising text of distributor on verso: Giersh, Senseman & Co., Manufacturers of Tinware, and Dealers in Stoves, Tinware, &c. An Examination of Our Stock Solicited. Sign: Big Coffee Pot. Agents for sale of the Improved Iron King Cool Salem, N.C., Printed on recto: Centennial Award 1876 Philada., Purchased with funds from the Walter J. Miller Trust for the Visual Culture Program.
Date: [ca. 1876]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department trade card - Noble [P.2014.16.1]

Title: Julia Anderson Grannie's cook at 6610 Germantown Avenue
Description: Three-quarter length, forward facing portrait of Julia Anderson, an African American woman cook, seated in a large, wooden chair. Anderson, wearing her hair tied back and attired in hoop earrings and a long-sleeved, dark-colored, satin dress, sits with her right arm on the chair’s armrest and her left hand resting on her lap., Title from manuscript note on verso., Date inferred from dates of operation of the photographer and attire of the sitter., Photographer's blindstamp on recto., Mount contains embossed border., Gift of Mrs. E. Perot Walker, 1980., Description revised 2022., Access points revised 2022., 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: New Richmond Studio, photographer
Date: [ca. 1900]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department misc. portrait photographs - identified - Anderson [P.8514.87]

Title: Hungry Continentals paid busy lass a visit. Helping himself to fruit, cried one, "What is it?" This machine which does suck work! Would I were the owner!" "Sir," she said, " It is the Enterprise cherry stoner."
Description: Trade card issued during the Columbian Exposition of 1893 advertising Enterprise Mf'g Co. of Pa. "Enterprise Cherry Stoners." Contains an anachronistic scene including a caricaturized depiction of Continental Army officers. Depicts the officers eating pitted cherries from a pan under the Enterprise cherry stoner. A female cook carrying a basket of cherries addresses them. Another basket of cherries lay on the floor. Also contains a view of the Mines Building designed by S. S. Beman. The exposition held in Chicago May 1-October 30, 1898 celebrated the 400th anniversary of Christopher Columbus's arrival in the New World in 1492. Enterprise Manufacturing Co. of Pa. was established in 1866., Advertising text printed on verso: Enterprise Cherry Stoners, Japanned or Tinned. Our Cherry Stoners, Nos.1 and 2, work rapidly and efficiently. they may be easily adjusted by thumb-screws to adapt them to the different sizes of cherry stones; are well-made and equal to the best in the market. No. 12 Cherry Stoner will stone cherries with the least possible cutting or disfiguring of fruit. Every good housewife will appreciate this for preserving purposes. Prices: No. 1, Jappanned, $7.50 per doz. No. 2, Tinned, $9.00 " ". No. 12 [2 crossed out] " 12.00 " "., Printed on verso: For Sale by the Hardware Trade. Send for Catalogue. The Enterprise M'f'g Co. of Pa., Third & Dauphin Sts., Philadelphia, U.S.A., Typeface on verso varies between prints., Vignette illustration on verso. Depicts an "Enterprise" Cherry Stoner. Cherries fill the basin of the machine and a pan underneath it. Pits fall from the stoner into a cup., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Gift of Michael Zinman.
Date: c1893
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Michael Zinman World's Fairs Collection - Trade cards [P.2008.36.64 & 75]

Title: Concentrated leaven or bread powders
Description: Advertisement for baking powder depicting an African American woman cook, portrayed as a racist caricature, displaying her oversized bread to a white woman. In the right, the African American woman, attired in a yellow kerchief, hoop earrings, a red dress with the sleeves rolled up, a white apron, white stockings with red stripes, and yellow shoes, holds a shovel in her left hand and points to the bread with her right hand. The gargantuan bread in the pan rests on a table covered in a white tablecloth alongside other pans of baked goods. Behind the table, the brown-haired, white woman, attired in a white dress with blue stripes with lace at the neck and sleeves, holds her hands up in shock over the over-proved bread. Underneath the table, the cook’s young daughter, attired in a short-sleeved yellow dress, sits on a rug and makes bubbles with a bowl and stick to play with a cat. Image also includes an oven and a metal basin., Not in Wainwright, Title from item., Date from content., Philadelphia on Stone, POSP 40, Originally part of a McAllister scrapbook of engravings relating to Philadelphia. McAllister Collection, gift, 1886., RVCDC, Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Date: [ca. 1860]
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department BW - Advertisements [(7)1322.F.441b]

Title: John Weik's (Philadelphia) kochbuecher (cookbooks)
Description: Whimsical publisher's advertisement containing four vignettes in a fanciful border of food imagery surrounding a list of cookbook titles in German and English authored by Marianne Struf and the steward of the Union League, William Vollmer. Vignettes depict three quirky scenes representing agricultural work, hunting, fishing, and fine dining. Also contains a scene depicting four women peeling apples, mincing meat, and baking in a kitchen. Vignettes include an African American man waiter and an African American woman cook. Fanciful border contains stone pedestals adorned with seals comprised of cooking implements, as well as a basket of bread, bottles of wine, a crab holding oranges, a tureen of soup, dead game, ears of corn, plates, a pitcher, a coffee grinder, and mischievous monkeys., Title from item., Date from copyright statement: Entered according to act of Congress in the year 1856 by J. Weik in the Eastern District Court of Pa., Printed above image: Life Preserver., Printed under title in German: All five books can be had here., Not in Wainwright., Philadelphia on Stone, POSP 126, LCP exhibition catalogue: The Larder invaded, aft. p. 9., LCP exhibition catalogue: Philadelphia revisions #32., Lib. Company. Annual report, 1973, p. 44., Top corner and center edge mended., Purchase 1973., Description revised 2021., Access points revised 2021.
Creator: Nissle, J., artist
Date: 1856
Location: Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department **BW - Advertisements [8074.F.1]

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