The Library Company of Philadelphia

In 1817, shareholder Anne Biddle Tatum (b. 1780) purchased her Library Company share from Jacob Parke (1754-1817), who had furnished “ironmongery” for the Library Company’s new building near 5th and Chestnut Streets. She maintained the share for the next five years, but sold it two months after marrying John Tatum of Deptford, NJ. Check out our blog (link in bio!) for more about Tatum’s and Parke’s connections to the Library Company. https://librarycompany.org/2024/07/12/shareholder-spotlight-anne-biddle-tatum/

This book definitely ‘rose’ to the occasion and has us blooming with joy!


'The moss-rose: for a friend.'
1847

Join us tomorrow for the opening reception of Black Historians’ Department: The Past Belongs to You, curated by Tafari Robertson. Food provided by Joann’s Catering Services, Sponsored by Hunting Park Community Revitalization Corporation. Opening begins at 6pm with remarks from the curator at 6:30. Come by and check it out. We’ll be there until 8 pm.

We've definitely been wishing for a few more of these ... .

'The Rainy Day'
Written for the American Sunday-School Union, and revised by the Committee of Publication. Philadelphia, 1842

It's a good time of year to be at the swimming pool and today is officially . Looks like these folks are having a splashing good time!!!

Crowd on porch watching swimmers in pool, Sea Girt, NJ

Film negative showing a group of people gathered around a swimming pool at Sea Girt. Some stand on the ground next to the pool while others watch from a balcony above. At least two swimmers dive underwater in the pool below.

Black Historians’ Department The Past Belongs to You, curated by Speculative Historian Tafari Robertson, opens at Library Company of Philadelphia on Wednesday July 17 at 6:00 pm. Free registration for the exhibition and reception can be found at a link in our bio.

Supported by the Pew Center for Arts & Heritage, Beyond Glass Cases represents the Library Company’s ongoing commitment to boldly, honestly, and thoughtfully interpret challenging, and at times harmful, collection items. Throughout 2024 and early 2025, Beyond Glass Cases will showcase the work of our project partners: speculative historian Tafari Robertson; musician Zachariah Julian with anthropologist and historian Paul Wolff Mitchell; and visual artist Mark Thomas Gibson as they curate exhibitions, compose music and create art works in dialogue with Library Company material. More information in our bio.

July 2024 is the 400th birthday of George Fox, the founder of Quakerism. We have many Quaker items in our collection - here A Short account of George Fox, (prepared for young children).

A Short account of George Fox. : Prepared for young children
Publisher Uriah Hunt
Philadelphia, 1842

Take a peek at this object. It's a small leather box, containing 54 tickets (each with text and verses). It's currently in our conservation department for special housing.

Der Frommen Lotterie, oder Geistliches Schatzkaestlein
Text and verses, (possibly by Gerhard Tersteegan)
Printed by Christopher Saur, 1744

Tomorrow the Library Company will be closed for the July 4th holiday.

This image shows three men sitting in chairs in the grass in front of the gazebo pavilion on Dr. Edward Enoch's estate in Frankford, where Thomas Jefferson purportedly recited and celebrated the first draft of the Declaration of Independence. Also known as the Womrath estate.

Photographer's Imprint
R. Newell & Son, photographer
1876

Black Historians’ Department: The Past Belongs to You curated by Speculative Historian opens July 17th. Reception at 6:00. Please join us!

We all love animals here at the Library Company. This American -Union Sunday School book contains many beautiful color plates of our furry friends.

A Book About Animals
Color plates
Binding printed on green cloth
Philadelphia, 1848

It's difficult to thumb through this miniature 'History of the Bible' so instead we can admire the delicate leather binding with gold title and tooling, perfect for .

History of the Bible
Published by S. Shaw, 1825
Bound in leather, and title in gilt on the spine

This two volume set is in full bloom with these beautiful flower wrappers block printed on wallpaper.

Guy Mannering; or The Astologer...
Walter Scott, 1839
Vol 1 & 2, bound in block printed wallpaper wrappers.

In honor of Juneteenth, the Library Company will be closed on June 19th.



Frederick Douglass
Print, engraving
1882

Shareholder Eli Kirk Price (1797-1884) had a big impact on Philadelphia: he is credited with winning approval of the state law that consolidated the city and county of Philadelphia. His share later passed to his grandson, Eli Kirk Price II (1860-1933), who played a major role in the planning of the Benjamin Franklin Parkway and Philadelphia Museum of Art. Check out our blog below for more about the Kirk family’s connections to the Library Company.


https://librarycompany.org/2024/06/12/shareholder-spotlight-eli-kirk-price/

This past week some of us from conservation and digitization took a field trip to the Charles Library exhibition space at Temple University. The exhibit 'The Art of the Book' is a collaboration between graduate students at Tyler School of Art and Design and Architecture, and Temple Libraries’ Special Collections Research Center. 'The Art of the Book' poses the question, 'What is a book?' and presents the viewer with 40 objects - some of which challenge the preconceived definitions of a book. Not only was this a fascinating exhibition, but we were also encouraged to make our own zines in response to the books on display.

While at Temple we also took the opportunity to visit The Blockson Collection . Founded by Charles Blockson, the Charles L. Blockson Afro-American Collection at Temple is one of the most prestigious collections of African American artifacts in the U.S. The collection houses over 500,000 items relating to the global Black experience.


Image 1 - Conservation and digitization visiting the Charles Library exhibition space.
Imahe 2 - 'The Art of the Book' text panel
Image 3 - Artists books by Alice Austin and an Ethiopian codex
Image 4 - 'Book of Hours'
Image 5 - 'Cosmographia' (or A view of Terrestrial and Celestial Globes) 1574. CE, Antwerp, Habsburg Netherlands, Ink on paper
Image 6 - Example of make and take zine
Image 7 - 'Men of Color, To Arms! To Arms!' 1863, broadside in Blockson collection.

Wakey wakey!!! Take a look at these printing types from a printing specimen book in our collection. Such a book consists of typefaces, printing graphics, and design layout examples that are created by type foundries, graphic designers, and printing companies to showcase their printing capabilities.


Specimen of Printing Types
Johnson & Smith
Philadelphia, 1834

Speculative Historian and Designer Barb Barnett met yesterday to discuss the graphics for the Black Historians’ Department exhibition opening July 17th! Tafari Robertson is one of our project partners for supported by

For the month of June, the Library Company will have a small exhibition to honor LGBTQ+ Pride month. “Cross-dressing”: Trans expression vs. Transphobia features items from our Q***r History Collection focusing on the various ways people were portrayed transgressing gender binaries throughout history. From positive to negative portrayals, this exhibition highlights the historical figures that make up our trans past.

With the warmer weather upon us, there is no better way to celebrate than to take your trusty two wheels for a spin, (maybe not in a rainstorm though).

Harry Paiste on his bicycle in a rainstorm in the Juras.
July 7, 1891 (Glass negative)
Morris, Marriott Canby, 1863 -1948, photographer.

Planning any trips this summer? Need some travel inspo? are always a great place to start!

John Muir, The Yosemite (New York, 1912)

Please join us in welcoming our new conservation intern Mary Gilbert - Zyats to the Library Company. Mary will be working in the conservation department for 10 weeks this summer where she’ll be helping us to preserve our collections, and assisting with the conservation work we do. This is her third week and already she is a pro at making archival cardboard phase boxes. We’re delighted to have Mary working with us this summer!!!

Moon type is an embossed or raised letter system of writing for the blind. It was developed by William Moon in 1845, and based on simplified forms of Latin letters.

These pages are from a Book of Revelations, printed ca. 1855

The Library Company will be closed Monday, May 27 for Memorial Day. Enjoy the long weekend--summer is on the other side!

Images from the Marriott C. Morris Collection.

Introducing Beyond Glass Cases, an exciting three year project supported by The Pew Center for Art & Heritage.
.julian

This mixed media work illustrative of the visual culture of the 19th century language of flowers is deceptively quaint. Composed of a stem drawn in watercolor with five mechanical paper flowers, the hand-crafted piece represents an original work of art and a fortune telling game. And it's not all rosy--here's hoping your ruling passion doesn't turn out to be envy!

Prophetic Flower (United States, ca. 1840). Watercolor and mechanical paper works on board mount

We will never not be mildly obsessed with this book of paper crafts by Daisy Lowengrund. She filled portfolios with colored paper folded, cut, and woven into myriad shapes and patterns.

Daisy Lowengrund, Portfolio of Colored Paper Cut-outs (ca. 1885).

Shareholder Agnes Irwin (1841-1914) was an educator, administrator, and author. Her school was eventually renamed in her honor, and still operates today in Rosemont, PA. Check out our blog at the link below for more about Irwin’s connections to the Library Company.

https://librarycompany.org/2024/05/13/shareholder-spotlight-agnes-irwin/

Some Monday Map Monsters to get this week started off on the right foot. Or fin. Or whatever.

These creatures swim the seas in Theatrum Oribis Terrarum, the 1595 atlas compiled by Abraham Ortelius and printed in Antwerp.