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- Title
- [Life in Philadelphia scraps]
- Description
- Series of trimmed, captioned scraps containing racist African American imagery based on the “Life in Philadelphia” series after the designs of Edward W. Clay first published 1828-1830. The series of primarily racist social caricatures lampooned the etiquette and conventions of early 19th-century, middle-class Philadelphians, particularly the growing community of free African American persons. Caricatures depict scenes of courtship, society balls, fashion, freemasonry, and the election of Andrew Jackson, as well as sexism, sexual harassment, and sexual innuendo. The figures are portrayed with oversized and exaggerated features and often in the fashion of dandies and belles. Scenes include an African American man leaving his card for “Clotilda” at her basement apartment door within the dishcloth of her African American woman house servant before him (P.2021.28.1a); an African American man-woman couple stopped during their walk in a park to watch a man watching them (P.2021.28.1b); an African American ball at which an African American man attendee asks an African American woman attendee for a dance in front of other African American attendees in the background (P.2021.28.2a); an African American man sexually harassing an African American woman on a city street (P.2021.28.2b); an African American woman and man in conversation on a Sunday (“day of our lord”)(P.2021.28.3a);, African American couple “Mr. Lorenzo” and “Miss Chloe,” seated on a couch, by a window, in a parlor in conversation (P.2021.28.3b); an African American ball at which an African American woman attendee asks an African American man attendee if he likes the waltz in front of other African American attendees in the background (P.2021.28.4a); an African American woman in a dry goods store asking a white man sales clerk, who speaks with a French dialect, about stockings (P.2021.28.4b); an African American military volunteer chastising an African American boy drummer at a military encampment (P.2021.28.5a); an African American man-woman musical couple where she plays the guitar and he sings “Coal Black Rose”(P.2021.28.5b); two African American masons in conversation about “Gen’l Jackson” in front of an altar at a masonic hall (P.2021.28.6a); an African American woman, “Dinah,” being asked by an African American man, “Mr. Durang,” about his new checkered “fashion trousers” (P.2021.28.6b). Women figures are attired in wide-brimmed, and/or ornately adorned, wide-brimmed hats or headpieces, puff-sleeved dresses or a hooded cape in ornate patterns, as well as gloves, slipper shoes, jewelry, and monocles. Men figures are attired in top or wide-brimmed hats, waistcoats, vests, large bowties, trousers or pantaloons, military uniform, masonic regalia, gloves, and slipper shoes or boots. Accessories held by the figures include purses, umbrellas, fans, walking sticks., Scenes also include detailed backgrounds and interior and exterior settings including residential facades; dogs; a white man seated on a bench in a park; ballrooms with attendees and a band playing in a balcony; a section of a city street with a guardhouse; parlors; a counter at a dry goods store; a volunteer military encampment; a masonic hall; as well as pieces of furniture, such as chairs, mantles, and side tables., Title supplied by cataloguer., Date inferred from content., P.2021.28.1a contains three lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Is Miss Clotilda at home? No sir she’s particularly ingaged in washing de dishes – Ah! give her my card!, P.2021.28.1b contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Vol is you looking at my dear? Vy I’m looking at dat imperent fellow vat’s laughing at us?, P.2021.28.2a contains three lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Will you hona me wid your hand for de next codrille Miss Manda? Tank you sa’ but I’m ingaged for de nest ten set!, P.2021.28.2b contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: What do you take me for? you black nigger? Why I take you for myself to be sure., P.2021.28.3a contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Bery hot dis day of our lord Mr. Cesa! Berry hot indeed Miss Juliet – de terometa is 96 degree above joho., P.2021.28.3b contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Mr. Lorenzo dat’s a nice dog you’ve got” Lord! Miss Chloe., P.2021.28.4a contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: do you walse Mr. Wellington? No, my dear creta_ It’s to common. I go nothin but de Manourkey!, P.2021.28.4b contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and French dialect below the image: Have you any flesh coloured silk stockings, Sir? Oui Mamselle here is von pair of de last Parisian touch-, P.2021.28.5a contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: You say I belong to de milishy you black varmont. I’ll let you know I’m a wolunteer., P.2021.28.5b contains two lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: How will your voice harmonize wid de sentiment. Mr. Cato you quite equal to Horn!, P.2021.28.6a contains three lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: Well brudder Jones what you tink of Genl Jackson now? Day say he’s gwang to be Anti Masonic! I don’t know, I tink dat depend on de new cabinet., P.2021.28.6b contains three lines of dialogue in the vernacular and dialect below the image: How you like de new fashion trousers Dinah. Oh quite lubly! You look like Mr. Durang when he play harlequin in de masqarade., Printed in upper left corner of P.2021.28.1a: [E?]dition., Printed in upper right corner of P.2021.28.2a and trimmed: 2nd E?[dition?], RVCDC
- Date
- [ca. 1838-ca. 1855]
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Print Department Life in Philadelphia (Miscellaneous) [P.2021.28.1a-6b]
- Title
- Illustrations of Philadelphia, from fugitive sources only
- Description
- Scrapbook containing clippings, prints, and ephemera dated between 1778 and 1864 pertaining to the built environment, and social and cultural climate of Philadelphia. Illustrated newspaper and periodical clippings (several from The Casket) describing prominent city landmarks during the 1820s to 1840s forms the majority of the content. Subjects include St. Stephens Church (Poulson's annotation states image includes the rear of President’s House on Ninth Street in background); Pagoda near Philadelphia; Gray's Ferry; the Philadelphia Library (i.e., Library Company of Philadelphia); "Statue of Wm. Penn, at the South Front of the Pennsylvania Hospital"; "New Street Cleaning Machine"; and "Rail Shooting on the Delaware.", Scrapbook also contains newspaper articles, advertisements, and prices lists. Subjects include historical anecdotes about Market Street in 1729, the Library Company of Philadelphia, Walnut Street Theatre, Letitia Court, Dock Street, Superstitions of ‘Ye Olden Times,’ and American “firsts”; improvements and alterations to city architecture, including Walnut Street Theatre and the State House; Infant Schools; the April 25, 1846 Eclipse of the Sun; an 1828 transparency illustrated with a caricature of Andrew Jackson; the dissolution of the circulation of “small notes” (1828); the Labyrinth Garden of Thomas Smith at Arch above Broad; Pennsylvania Museum and Menagerie (Market Street); commemoration of the Landing of William Penn; steamboat and stage coach schedules (1828); shift in social classes in Philadelphia society (1842); the 1837 court case against Commodore Perry sloop Capt. Blankman; and the Mauch Chunk Railway. Ephemera includes a facsimile of the original circular "Proposal for the Printing of a large Bible, by William Bradford" held by Nathan Kite. Many of the articles are accompanied by commentaries or are partially transcribed by Poulson. Scrapbook also includes detailed manuscript notes about Hamilton Mansion and the Old Court House., Graphic materials, predominately advertisements and views of prominent landmarks, include wood engravings, engravings, lithographs, and an albumen print. Views include images of "T.W. Dyott’s Apoth’y and Patent Medicine Store N.E. cor. Vine and Second Street"; "Gray’s Ferry on the Schuylkill (a Relic of the Olden Time)"; "Green Hill, The Seat of Samuel Meredith Esq. near Philadelphia"; Birmingham Meeting House "from a Daguerreotype by Mess. Langenheim"; and Cornelius & Baker manufactories on Cherry Street and Columbia Avenue. Advertisements depict N. Lloyd & Son (Seventh and Cherry) elegant coal grates; John Duross Black Horse Alley Old and Extensive Printing Establishment (showing a printing press); M.B. Dyott, manufacturer of Gas Fixtures and Lamps; Bennett’s Tower Hall Clothing Bazaar; Moore, Henzey & Co., hardware; and Wright, Smith & Co., china, glass, queensware. Graphics also include an 1828 vignette showing a carriage and captioned "High Fashion"; "The Stage Coach in 1816"; an 1857 caricature of a Quaker couple; and material added in the 20th century, including a 1905 photo-engraving of the "House and Counting House of Stephen Girard.", Majority of contents annotated with a date and explicative manuscript notes by Poulson., Title page illustrated with a ca. 1856 lithographer's advertisement issued for Wagner & McGuigan. Depicts an allegorical, patriotic scene with the figure of Columbia, attired in a toga, American flag, and laurel wreath, and with a broken shackle under her foot as she stands on a pedestal., Verso of front free end paper contains Poulson inscription: “The Dates of the articles herein, are those of the newspapers &c from which they were cut. Cut out designed with floral details frames the inscription., "Index to set in back part of vol. XI.", Artists, engravers, and printers include John Boyd; William Breton; Jacob Hoffman; George Gilbert; John Hill; Kennedy & Lucas; E. Rogers; Frederick Pilliner, Samuel Sartain; M. Schmitz; James W. Steel; and George Worley., Cataloging funded by a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (PW-506-19-10), 2010-2012., Several pages have been removed., Small number of original photographs by McClees removed to the Print Department.
- Creator
- Poulson, Charles A. (Charles Augustus), 1789-1866, compiler
- Date
- 1798-1864, bulk 1829-1845
- Location
- Library Company of Philadelphia | Books & Other Texts | Rare Poulson scrapbooks - vol. 11 [(11)2526.F]