Clothing & Accessories

Women's Gown (cheong sam) ca. 1930

Work, play, fashion, economic class, religious faith, even politics—all these aspects of American life and more are woven into clothing. The Museum cares for one of the nation's foremost collections of men's, women's, and children's garments and accessories—from wedding gowns and military uniforms to Halloween costumes and bathing suits.

The collections include work uniforms, academic gowns, clothing of presidents and first ladies, T-shirts bearing protest slogans, and a clean-room "bunny suit" from a manufacturer of computer microchips. Beyond garments, the collections encompass jewelry, handbags, hair dryers, dress forms, hatboxes, suitcases, salesmen's samples, and thousands of fashion prints, photographs, and original illustrations. The more than 30,000 artifacts here represent the changing appearance of Americans from the 1700s to the present day.

Place: Philadelphia

Whalebone

Black and white print of a trotting horse (Whalebone) pulling a sulky and driver.
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of a trotting horse (Whalebone) pulling a sulky and driver. Inscription beneath image gives details of the horse's breeding and record.
Description
A black and white print of a light horse with dark mane pulling a road sulky and jockey on flat stretch of ground in the open country. The jockey wears a heavily padded suit and a cap tied under his chin. The horse’s equipment includes blinders, a bit, and a harness with attachments for draft poles of sulky.
Whalebone was foaled in New York in 1821, bred by General Coles of Long Island through Bishops Hambletonian and a descendant of Coffins Messenger. He stood out from the other trotters of his day because he focused on stamina instead of speed. In 1827, Whalebone was able to trot 15 miles in 58 minutes and, in 1831, trotted 32 miles in an hour and 58 minutes. He and Top Gallant were hailed as the greatest trotters and rivals of their day. In addition, Whalebone had only one eye.
Kennedy and Lucas was a lithography firm based in Philadelphia from 1829-1835. This firm illustrated work for the “Floral Magazine and Botanical Repository” as well as other contemporary works. David Kennedy and William Lucas were the firm’s partners though the firm itself was listed as a looking glass store, where they retailed prints, mirrors, and frames. Kennedy and Lucas was possibly the first commercial lithographic establishment in the city of Philadelphia.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
n.d.
maker
Kennedy & Lucas
artist
Hillman, Richard S.
ID Number
DL.60.3564
catalog number
60.3564

Red Lion Camp Meeting by Alfred Thompson Scott (artist) and P.S. Duval and Company (lithographers)

This colored print depicts a large camp meeting in a clearing in the forest. Camp meetings were a popular form of Protestant worship throughout the 19th century. Lasting several days, these open-air events often involved ecstatic communal prayer.
Description
This colored print depicts a large camp meeting in a clearing in the forest. Camp meetings were a popular form of Protestant worship throughout the 19th century. Lasting several days, these open-air events often involved ecstatic communal prayer. Hundreds and even thousands came from miles around for preaching and worship, and to enjoy the festival-like atmosphere. A circle of many tents surrounds a vast congregation with a pulpit in the center next to the preacher's tent. On the outskirts are many carriages and people.
The Red Lion camp meeting was held August 6-14, 1853, near Red Lion, New Castle County, Delaware. This religious revival was organized by the Methodist Episcopal Church and was presided over by several of their circuit preachers from the Philadelphia Conference. These included Reverend A. Atwood, P.F. Rev. Thomas Sumption, and Reverend R. Owen and Bishop Levy Scott. Given that the artist was the son of one of the sponsors of the event, this image can serve as a documented eyewitness account. The list of ministers is listed in the caption below the image.
Alfred Thompson Scott (1831-1914), son of Levi Scott, Methodist Episcopal Bishop of Delaware, was the original artist. This appears to be his earliest work. Scott partnered with daguerreotypist Nelson Carlisle, became a drawing and painting instructor for Wilmington’s Wesleyan Female College, and became a minister.
This print was produced by P.S. Duval and Company, A.T. Scott and Cyrus Stern. Peter S. Duval (ca. 1804/05-1886) was a French lithographer who immigrated to Philadelphia in 1831 to work for the lithographic firm of Childs & Inman. In 1837, he established his own lithographic firm in Philadelphia. During the 1840s, the firm's products included advertisements, book and periodical illustrations, sheet music covers, maps and portraits. By the end of that decade, Duval was winning awards for his work in chromolithography. He was also among the first to introduce steam power to the process of lithography. His son Stephen Orr Duval joined the company in 1858. The company headquarters suffered a disastrous fire in 1856 and Duval declared financial insolvency in 1859. However, he was able to reestablish his business, and he continued working till his retirement in 1869.
Cyrus Stern (1818-1891) was this print’s publisher/copyriter as well as an author and composer of other works. He was headquartered on Market Street in Wilmington, Delaware.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1853
lithographer
P. S. Duval and Company
artist
Scott, Alfred T.
publisher
Stern, Cyrus
ID Number
DL.60.2966
catalog number
60.2966
accession number
228146

Hope Hose Company Fire Hat

Beginning in the late 18th century, some volunteer fire fighters began to wear hats painted with their company’s name to identify themselves at chaotic fire scenes.
Description
Beginning in the late 18th century, some volunteer fire fighters began to wear hats painted with their company’s name to identify themselves at chaotic fire scenes. During the 19th century, these fire hats became more ornate, as portraits of historical figures, patriotic scenes, allegorical images, or company icons were painted alongside the company’s name, motto, or founding date. Made of pressed felt, these “stove-pipe” hats were primarily used in Philadelphia, but other nearby cities such as Baltimore and Washington adopted them as well. Fire hats were personal items with the owner’s initials often painted on the top of the hat. While these hats were worn at fires, they are more colloquially known as “parade hats.” Fire companies commonly marched in the many parades of the period and these ornate hats contributed to the visual culture of their day. These distinguishing features in a company’s regalia often proclaimed the members’ cultural and political identity as well as their position on contested topics such as work, religion and immigration.
This fire hat was used in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in the first half of the 19th century. The hat is painted black overall, with a painting at its center featuring a female figure clothed in a white robe with an anchor at her side and stormy sea behind her. The painting is flanked by red banners with gold trim that read “HOPE / HOSE COMPY” in gold lettering. The back of the hat features the word “HOPE” in large golden letters, with two golden lines above and below. The female figure with anchor is a classical allegorical representation of Hope. Hope Hose Company No. 7 was founded in 1805 in Philadelphia. It was the second Philadelphia fire company to acquire a steam fire engine in 1858, and it changed its name to the Hope Steam Fire Engine Company No. 2.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1810-1860
associated
Hope Hose Company
maker
unknown
ID Number
2005.0233.0057
catalog number
2005.0233.0057
accession number
2005.0233

The Bottle: VII. Madness...by lithographer George Gebbie

This black and white tinted print depicts the seventh of eight scenes based on George Cruikshank's The Bottle. The series shows the progressive degeneration of a family due to the evils of drinking.
Description
This black and white tinted print depicts the seventh of eight scenes based on George Cruikshank's The Bottle. The series shows the progressive degeneration of a family due to the evils of drinking. This print depicts an interior scene of a crowd gathered around the body of a dead woman. The weapon, a broken bottle, lies on the floor at her feet. The husband stands next the fireplace and is being seized by a policeman. Another policeman consoles the crying daughter. The son, also crying, stands next to the fireplace.
This series of prints is by the English artist George Cruikshank (1792-1878). Cruikshank’s father, Isaac Cruikshank, was an artist who specialized in song sheets and caricatures and trained George and his brother Robert Cruikshank in these arts. George started as a caricaturist for magazines and children’s books. His most famous works included The Bottle and The Drunkard’s Children, designed and etched by Cruikshank to show the wickedness of alcohol. Cruikshank's father and brother were both alcoholics and he himself drank heavily until he took a vow of abstinence in 1847. These prints were originally published by David Bogue, who published most of Cruikshank’s other works in the 1850s. David Bogue, (1807–1856) was born in Scotland and moved to London in 1836. Bogue began working in Charles Tilt's bookshop as a publisher and bookseller in 1836 and became Tilt's partner in 1840. Bogue bought the shop in 1843. He was the principle publisher of Cruikshank’s short-lived periodicals, brief illustrated stories, and the Comic Almanack 1835-53. David Bogue published The Bottle series in 1847. Bogue suffered from heart disease and died in 1856 at the age of 48.
This print was produced by the lithographer George Gebbie. Gebbie immigrated to the United States from Scotland in 1862. He settled in Philadelphia and became a fine art printer and publisher. He died in 1892.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1871
maker
Gebbie, George
original artist
Cruikshank, George
ID Number
DL.60.2908
catalog number
60.2908
accession number
228146

Washington 1796 Fire Hat

Beginning in the late 18th century, some volunteer fire fighters began to wear hats painted with their company’s name to identify themselves at chaotic fire scenes.
Description
Beginning in the late 18th century, some volunteer fire fighters began to wear hats painted with their company’s name to identify themselves at chaotic fire scenes. During the 19th century, these fire hats became more ornate, as portraits of historical figures, patriotic scenes, allegorical images, or company icons were painted alongside the company’s name, motto, or founding date. Made of pressed felt, these “stove-pipe” hats were primarily used in Philadelphia, but other nearby cities such as Baltimore and Washington adopted them as well. Fire hats were personal items with the owner’s initials often painted on the top of the hat. While these hats were worn at fires, they are more colloquially known as “parade hats.” Fire companies commonly marched in the many parades of the period and these ornate hats contributed to the visual culture of their day. These distinguishing features in a company’s regalia often proclaimed the members’ cultural and political identity as well as their position on contested topics such as work, religion and immigration.
This fire hat dates to the first half of the 19th century. The hat is painted brown overall with the text “WASHINGTON / 1796” painted in gold on the front of the hat. The back of the hat has the number “14” painted in gold with stylized lines above and below the number. The owner’s initials “S.J.” are painted on the crown of the hat in gold. A note inside the hat indicates these initials may stand for a volunteer named S.C. Johnson. The Washington Fire Company No. 14 was founded on January 3, 1796 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on the west side of Eleventh Street. It operated as a hand engine fire company and acquired a steam fire engine in 1865. It served as a steam fire engine company until 1871 when Philadelphia’s paid firefighting department was established.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1810-1860
associated date
1796
maker
unknown
ID Number
2005.0233.0093
catalog number
2005.0233.0093
accession number
2005.0233

The Bottle: I. A Happy Home in Danger From the Bottle...by lithographer George Gebbie

I. A Happy Home in Danger From the Bottle. This black and white tinted print depicts the first of eight scenes based on George Cruikshank's The Bottle. The series shows the progressive degeneration of a family due to the evils of drinking.
Description
I. A Happy Home in Danger From the Bottle. This black and white tinted print depicts the first of eight scenes based on George Cruikshank's The Bottle. The series shows the progressive degeneration of a family due to the evils of drinking. This print depicts an interior scene of a man, a woman, and three children. The man and woman are seated at a table, where he is pouring a drink for her. They are surrounded by comfortable, middle-class furnishings that include a fireplace with a stove insert, pictures on the wall, and a tall case clock. A cat and a kitten play by the fire near the two younger children.
This series of prints is by the English artist George Cruikshank (1792-1878). Cruikshank’s father, Isaac Cruikshank, was an artist who specialized in song sheets and caricatures and trained George and his brother Robert Cruikshank in these arts. George started as a caricaturist for magazines and children’s books. His most famous works included The Bottle and The Drunkard’s Children, designed and etched by Cruikshank to show the wickedness of alcohol. Cruikshank's father and brother were both alcoholics and he himself drank heavily until he took a vow of abstinence in 1847. These prints were originally published by David Bogue, who published most of Cruikshank’s other works in the 1850s. David Bogue, (1807–1856) was born in Scotland and moved to London in 1836. Bogue began working in Charles Tilt's bookshop as a publisher and bookseller in 1836 and became Tilt's partner in 1840. Bogue bought the shop in 1843. He was the principle publisher of Cruikshank’s short-lived periodicals, brief illustrated stories, and the Comic Almanack 1835-53. David Bogue published The Bottle series in 1847. Bogue suffered from heart disease and died in 1856 at the age of 48.
This print was produced by the lithographer George Gebbie. Gebbie immigrated to the United States from Scotland in 1862. He settled in Philadelphia and became a fine art printer and publisher. He died in 1892.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1871
maker
Gebbie, George
original artist
Cruikshank, George
ID Number
DL.60.2902
catalog number
60.2902
accession number
228146

A View of Fairmount and the Water-Works

Color print of men and women on a veranda in the foreground viewing a covered bridge over a river (Schuylkill) and the buildings of a waterworks. The grounds of a park are in the background.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Color print of men and women on a veranda in the foreground viewing a covered bridge over a river (Schuylkill) and the buildings of a waterworks. The grounds of a park are in the background.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
n.d.
maker
Bowen, John T.
ID Number
DL.60.3775
catalog number
60.3775

Miss F.A. Kemble

Black and white print; half portrait of Miss Frances Anne Kemble, otherwise known as Fanny. She wears a dress with large puffy sleeves and her hair is upswept.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print; half portrait of Miss Frances Anne Kemble, otherwise known as Fanny. She wears a dress with large puffy sleeves and her hair is upswept.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1832
publisher
Stewart, S. M.
depicted
Kemble, Frances Anne
lithographer
Childs & Inman
artist
Newsam, Albert
Lawrence, Sir Thomas
ID Number
DL.60.2530
catalog number
60.2530
accession number
228146

Black Beaver Top Hat

Of mid-1800s construction this top hat is made from the fur of a black beaver. Made by a Philadelphia hatter to resemble “the style of Ben Franklin” the hat boasts a wide brim and is slightly worn at the crown.
Description
Of mid-1800s construction this top hat is made from the fur of a black beaver. Made by a Philadelphia hatter to resemble “the style of Ben Franklin” the hat boasts a wide brim and is slightly worn at the crown.
date made
1800-1899
maker
Hilborn
ID Number
CS.015677
catalog number
015677
accession number
58845

Environmental Button

Several types of renewable energy sources are available as alternatives to non-renewable, carbon-based fuels. This button advocates the use of solar energy to generate electricity.
Description (Brief)
Several types of renewable energy sources are available as alternatives to non-renewable, carbon-based fuels. This button advocates the use of solar energy to generate electricity. It was distributed in 1978 by Solar Action, the Washington, D.C.-based organization that helped to organize Sun Day (3 May 1978.) For many people, the 1970s energy crisis was a call to action to change how electricity was generated and used. Making the choice to “go solar”—and encouraging others to do the same—reflected growing optimism about the potential of clean, accessible solar energy.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1978
maker
Edward Horn Co.
ID Number
2003.0014.0400
accession number
2003.0014
catalog number
2003.0014.0400

The Bottle: III. Result of Laziness and Indulgence in Drinking...by lithographer George Gebbie

This black and white tinted print depicts the third of eight scenes based on George Cruikshank's The Bottle. The series shows the progressive degeneration of a family due to the evils of drinking.
Description
This black and white tinted print depicts the third of eight scenes based on George Cruikshank's The Bottle. The series shows the progressive degeneration of a family due to the evils of drinking. This print depicts an interior scene of a family whose furnishings are being removed by a sheriff and two men for failure to pay debts. The father and mother are seated near the fireplace, consoling themselves with drink. The three children linger nearby.
This series of prints is by the English artist George Cruikshank (1792-1878). Cruikshank’s father, Isaac Cruikshank, was an artist who specialized in song sheets and caricatures and trained George and his brother Robert Cruikshank in these arts. George started as a caricaturist for magazines and children’s books. His most famous works included The Bottle and The Drunkard’s Children, designed and etched by Cruikshank to show the wickedness of alcohol. Cruikshank's father and brother were both alcoholics and he himself drank heavily until he took a vow of abstinence in 1847. These prints were originally published by David Bogue, who published most of Cruikshank’s other works in the 1850s. David Bogue, (1807–1856) was born in Scotland and moved to London in 1836. Bogue began working in Charles Tilt's bookshop as a publisher and bookseller in 1836 and became Tilt's partner in 1840. Bogue bought the shop in 1843. He was the principle publisher of Cruikshank’s short-lived periodicals, brief illustrated stories, and the Comic Almanack 1835-53. David Bogue published The Bottle series in 1847. Bogue suffered from heart disease and died in 1856 at the age of 48.
This print was produced by the lithographer George Gebbie. Gebbie immigrated to the United States from Scotland in 1862. He settled in Philadelphia and became a fine art printer and publisher. He died in 1892.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1871
maker
Gebbie, George
original artist
Cruikshank, George
ID Number
DL.60.2904
catalog number
60.2904
accession number
228146

The Flag That Waved One Hundred Years by E.P. & L. Restein

The subtitle, “A Scene on the Morning of the Fourth Day of July 1876,” dates the image to Centennial celebrations in Washington D.C.
Description
The subtitle, “A Scene on the Morning of the Fourth Day of July 1876,” dates the image to Centennial celebrations in Washington D.C. This inclusive chromolithograph depicts a black man, a white man, two women, and a child raising an American flag on a rooftop or terrace overlooking the U.S .Capitol. This chromolithograph was drawn by immigrant artist Dominique C. Fabronius and produced by E. P. & L. Restein. Its idealized view of America would have been popular as a Centennial commemorative.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1876
copyright holder
Munyon, J. M.
maker
E.P. & L. Restein
publisher
National Chromo Company
graphic artist
Fabronius, Dominique C.
ID Number
DL.60.2586
catalog number
60.2586
accession number
228146

Sergt Major David

Black & white print; half length portrait of a man (Sargeant Major David) wearing a tall top hat. He has one eye partially closed.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black & white print; half length portrait of a man (Sargeant Major David) wearing a tall top hat. He has one eye partially closed.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1844
publisher
Willig, George
copyright holder
Nunns, J. F.
maker
Sinclair, Thomas
ID Number
DL.60.3151
catalog number
60.3151
accession number
228146

Harrison & Newhall, corner of Race and Crown streets, Philadelphia...Commission merchants and importers Rio Coffee, Sugar, Hides, & C. Philadelphia.

Black and white advertising print depicting a seven-story sugar refinery building behind a row of two and a half-story buildings on a city street. The building is the expanded Harrison & Newhall refinery, formerly the Penington Sugar Refinery, circa 1855 or 1856.
Description (Brief)
Black and white advertising print depicting a seven-story sugar refinery building behind a row of two and a half-story buildings on a city street. The building is the expanded Harrison & Newhall refinery, formerly the Penington Sugar Refinery, circa 1855 or 1856. A number of horse-drawn carts or drays carry barrels to and from the refinery at one end of the street while a traffic jam occurs at the other end. This image was included in the 1856 edition of Colton's Atlas of America, as an example of businesses in Pennsylvania.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
ca 1856
lithographer
Rease, William H.
printer
Wagner & McGuigan
ID Number
DL.60.3785
catalog number
60.3785

Unabhangiger Deutscher Orden der Harugari

Chromolithographed certificate for German Order of the Harugari (a fraternal organization). Print composed of text surrounded by vignettes and fraternal order symbols.Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Chromolithographed certificate for German Order of the Harugari (a fraternal organization). Print composed of text surrounded by vignettes and fraternal order symbols.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1868
maker
Herline & Hensel
ID Number
DL.60.2405
catalog number
60.2405
accession number
228146

The Bottle: VIII. The Sins of the Drunken Father are Visited on the Heads of the Children...by lithographer George Gebbie

This black and white tinted print depicts the last of eight scenes based on George Cruikshank's The Bottle. The series shows the progressive degeneration of a family due to the evils of drinking.
Description
This black and white tinted print depicts the last of eight scenes based on George Cruikshank's The Bottle. The series shows the progressive degeneration of a family due to the evils of drinking. This print depicts an interior scene of a man in a cell huddling in a corner before a caged fire. He is being visited by his grown children, now a thief and a woman of shame. A guard is visible through an open doorway in the background.
This series of prints is by the English artist George Cruikshank (1792-1878). Cruikshank’s father, Isaac Cruikshank, was an artist who specialized in song sheets and caricatures and trained George and his brother Robert Cruikshank in these arts. George started as a caricaturist for magazines and children’s books. His most famous works included The Bottle and The Drunkard’s Children, designed and etched by Cruikshank to show the wickedness of alcohol. Cruikshank's father and brother were both alcoholics and he himself drank heavily until he took a vow of abstinence in 1847. These prints were originally published by David Bogue, who published most of Cruikshank’s other works in the 1850s. David Bogue, (1807–1856) was born in Scotland and moved to London in 1836. Bogue began working in Charles Tilt's bookshop as a publisher and bookseller in 1836 and became Tilt's partner in 1840. Bogue bought the shop in 1843. He was the principle publisher of Cruikshank’s short-lived periodicals, brief illustrated stories, and the Comic Almanack 1835-53. David Bogue published The Bottle series in 1847. Bogue suffered from heart disease and died in 1856 at the age of 48.
This print was produced by the lithographer George Gebbie. Gebbie immigrated to the United States from Scotland in 1862. He settled in Philadelphia and became a fine art printer and publisher. He died in 1892.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1871
maker
Gebbie, George
original artist
Cruikshank, George
ID Number
DL.60.2909
catalog number
60.2909
accession number
228146

Henry Clay

Black and white print, half length portrait of a man (Henry Clay).Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print, half length portrait of a man (Henry Clay).
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1844
depicted
Clay, Henry
maker
Newsam, Albert
Duval, Peter S.
original artist
Neagle, John
ID Number
DL.60.3225
catalog number
60.3225

George Washington, 1st President of the United States

Black and white print. Oval bust portrait with an ornate rectangular frame of a man (President George Washington).Currently not on view
Description (Brief)
Black and white print. Oval bust portrait with an ornate rectangular frame of a man (President George Washington).
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1846
depicted
Washington, George
publisher
Williams, C. S.
maker
Newsam, Albert
Duval, Peter S.
ID Number
DL.60.3228A
catalog number
60.3228A

Fashions by S.A. & A.F. Ward Spring & Summer 1850 ...Philadelphia

Color print, two horizontal panels depicting fifteen figures: eleven men, three women, and one child in fashions from 1850. The upper panel depicts an interior scene; the bottom panel depicts an outdoor scene with a man and woman on horseback in the center.
Description (Brief)
Color print, two horizontal panels depicting fifteen figures: eleven men, three women, and one child in fashions from 1850. The upper panel depicts an interior scene; the bottom panel depicts an outdoor scene with a man and woman on horseback in the center. Numbers below the figures are keyed to a separately printed descriptive text.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1850
maker
Sinclair, Thomas
ID Number
DL.60.3070
catalog number
60.3070
accession number
228146

Fashions. Fall & Winter. 1852-3 S. A. & A. F. Ward...Philadelphia

Color print, two horizontal panels depicting twenty one figures: twelve men, two women, and six children in fashions from 1852-53.
Description (Brief)
Color print, two horizontal panels depicting twenty one figures: twelve men, two women, and six children in fashions from 1852-53. The upper panel depicts an outdoor scene with a park overlooking a town in the background; the bottom panel depicts an outdoor scene with a lake in the background. Numbers below the figures are keyed to a separately printed descriptive text.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1852
maker
Sinclair, Thomas
ID Number
DL.60.3072
catalog number
60.3072
accession number
228146

President Lincoln and His Family

In the years following Lincoln’s assassination, lithographic prints depicting the Lincoln family became popular among the Northern American public, often produced as commemoratives during anniversary celebrations.
Description
In the years following Lincoln’s assassination, lithographic prints depicting the Lincoln family became popular among the Northern American public, often produced as commemoratives during anniversary celebrations. Since the family never sat for a formal portrait, artists relied on earlier photographs of its members to create their compositions, portraying the family members as they would have appeared at the start of Lincoln’s presidency. This black and white print from the late 1860s depicts the family members as they would have appeared at the start of Lincoln’s presidency. At center, President Lincoln sits cross-legged at a table, holding a book on his lap, as he looks up to Mary Todd at his right. Willie, leans against a table, gazing in the direction of his father. At the lower left, Tad marches into the scene, holding a toy drum. At the right, Robert Lincoln, dressed in his military uniform, looks out towards the viewer. Abraham Lincoln was not the only deceased family member at the time of this print’s creation. Willie had died from typhoid fever in 1862, sometime before the publication of this print. The print is “Respectfully Dedicated to the People of the United States.”
Joseph Hoover was the most prominent Philadelphia publisher of chromolithographed parlor prints during the second half of the nineteenth century. In 1856, he established a woodturning and frame-making shop and began selling prints by 1865. Around 1868, he began supervising the lithography production at the firms of Duval & Hunter and James Queen, eventually founding his own printing plants in the mid-1870s. His chromolithographs won a medal of excellence at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exposition. In 1893, he partnered with his son, Henry, and their firm produced between 600,000 and 700,000 chromolithographs per year.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
before 1869
depicted
Lincoln, Abraham
Lincoln, Robert Todd
Lincoln, Thomas
Lincoln, William Wallace
Lincoln, Mary Todd
maker
Hoover, Joseph
ID Number
DL.60.2575
catalog number
60.2575
accession number
228146

To the Memory of George Washington and His Lady by Peter S. Duval and Alfred M. Hoffey

This colored print shows three people, two women and a man, standing by a memorial urn depicting busts of George and Martha Washington. Mount Vernon is seen in the background with deer depicted on the grounds.
Description
This colored print shows three people, two women and a man, standing by a memorial urn depicting busts of George and Martha Washington. Mount Vernon is seen in the background with deer depicted on the grounds. It is one of many prints created as commemoratives created after the death of George Washington. This image also pays tribute to Martha Washington, who died in 1802.
This lithograph was produced by Peter S. Duval and Alfred M. Hoffy after an image by engraver/landscape painter Samuel Seymour (active 1796-1823) published in Philadelphia January 1, 1804 by John Savage. Numerous copies of this image were made into needlework pictures, other prints and supposedly a painting by John Trumbull were made based on this image. This print has minor changes from the original including more deer in the background. This print was published by T. O’Sullivan in 1840.
Peter Duval (ca. 1804/05-1886) was a French lithographer who immigrated to Philadelphia in 1831 to work for the lithographic firm of Childs & Inman. In 1837 he established his own lithographic firm in Philadelphia. During the 1840s, the firm's products included advertisements, book and periodical illustrations, sheet music covers, maps and portraits. By the end of that decade, Duval was winning awards for his work in chromolithography. He was also among the first to introduce steam power to the process of lithography. His son Stephen Orr Duval joined the company in 1858. The company headquarters suffered a disastrous fire in 1856 and Duval declared financial insolvency in 1859. However, he was able to reestablish his business, and he continued working till his retirement in 1869. Alfred M. Hoffy (ca. 1796-1892) was a British army officer who fought in the Battle of Waterloo before immigrating to New York in the 1830s. He worked in Philadelphia as an author, lithographic artist and publisher of lithographic periodicals between 1838 and 1868. Huffy issued the first illustrated American journal on fruit cultivation and was also designed plates for the military fashion periodical U.S. Military Magazine, which he published together with Peter Duval. Duval also produced Huffy's portraits, sheet music and advertising designs.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1840
dedicated to
Washington, George
Washington, Martha
publisher
Sullivan, T.
lithographer
Duval, Peter S.
artist; lithographer
Hoffy, Alfred M.
ID Number
DL.60.2930
catalog number
60.2930
accession number
228146

Celebrated American Trotting Horses

Black and white print of eight horses on a race track. Four are saddled (Lady Suffolk, Zachary Taylor, Tacony, and Mac) and four pull sulkies (Jack Rossiter, Lady Moscow, Flora Temple and Highland Maid).A black and white print of eight horses on a race track.
Description (Brief)
Black and white print of eight horses on a race track. Four are saddled (Lady Suffolk, Zachary Taylor, Tacony, and Mac) and four pull sulkies (Jack Rossiter, Lady Moscow, Flora Temple and Highland Maid).
Description
A black and white print of eight horses on a race track. Four are saddled (Lady Suffolk, Zachary Taylor, Tacony, and Mac) and four pull sulkies (Jack Rossiter, Lady Moscow, Flora Temple, and Highland Maid). Horses in blankets stand in the grassy area in center of the track. The jockey’s clothes are all close fitting but details in decoration vary. Rolling hills can be seen in the distance.
Lady Suffolk, known as the “Old Gray Mare,” was foaled in 1833 in Smithtown, Suffolk County, Long Island. Her sire was Young Engineer, making her a descendent of the famous thoroughbred Messenger who had founded the Standardbred breed; her dam was Jenny. David Bryant purchased the mare in 1835 and they remained together until 1851. She entered her first race in 1838 ridden by Hiram Woodruff. Lady Suffolk trotted in 161 races between 1838 and 1854, winning 88 of them and earning over $35,000 in purse money. In her prime she traveled through the major cities, appearing from Boston to New Orleans. However, in the last six years of her career, she raced only seven times because harness racing had begun to replace under saddle trotting. In 1843, ridden by Albert Conklin, Lady Suffolk was the first trotter to go the mile in under 2:30, which made her the first “Queen of the Turf.” This feat reduced the 1834 record by almost five seconds, coming in at 2:26 ½. Her popularity was greatly due to William T. Porter, who used his weekly newspaper, The Spirit of the Times, to publicize her exploits. She died in 1855 in Vermont and was eventually inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame as an “Immortal” in 1967.
Zachary Taylor was foaled in 1841 in West Gardiner, ME from Quimby Messenger and a Dr. Stafford Mare. He raced from 1848 to 1856 and won 15 races. His best time was 2:31.
Mac was foaled in 1843 in Canton, ME from Morgan Caesar and a Thomas Record Brown Mare. His best time trotting under saddle was on June 5, 1849 with 2:29 ½.
Jack Rossiter was foaled in 1840 and achieved a best time of 2:28.
Lady Moscow was foaled around 1840 near Quebec. She trotted from 1846 to 1856 and won 30 races. She was on of the first horses to trot two mile sin 5:04. She died 1865, in Addison County, VT.
Flora Temple was foaled in 1845 it Utica, New York, a Standardbred from Loomis Bogus and Madame Temple. By 1961 she had become a racing icon, “Queen of the Turf” and was the second mare, after Lady Suffolk, to trot the mile in under 2:30. Flora lowered the record six times, continually beating her own best times. Flora Temple is the “Bob Tail Nag” of the famous song “Camptown Races” by Stephen Foster. After her death in 1877, she was inducted into the Harness Racing Hall of Fame in 1955 as an “Immortal.”
Joshua Conklin foaled Highland Maid in 1847 in Goshen, NY by Saltram and Roxanna. Although she was a natural pacer, she was the first horse to trot 2:27 in a harness.
Wagner and McGuigan (M’Guigan) was a Philadelphia lithography firm from 1846-1858, founded by partners Thomas S. Wagner, and James McGuigan. This firm was preceded by Pinkerton, Wagner and McGuigan. Thomas Wagner was an active lithographer from 1840-1865. James McGuigan was born in Pennsylvania in 1819 and was active as a lithographer in Philadelphia from 1844-1865. From 1844-1845 he was with the firm of Pinkerton, Wagner and McGuigan. Pinkerton left and the two remaining partners continued on under a new name until 1858.
William H. Rease was born in Pennsylvania circa 1818, and worked in Philadelphia from 1844 to 1860. Rease had offices at 17 South 5th Street from 1844-1854, 97 Chestnut Street from 1855-1856, and at the corner of 4th and Chestnut Streets 1857-1860.
Robert A. Clarke was born in 1917, in Ireland. He settled in New York City in 1843. He exhibited work many times at the National Academy and the American Art Union. In 1850 he relocated to Philadelphia where he exhibited at the Pennsylvania Academy. In 1874 Clarke and Samuel Maverick formed the Maverick-Clarke Lithograph Company in San Antonio, TX. Robert Clarke was an active artist from 1844-1852 and was noted for his animal paintings.
Location
Currently not on view
Date made
1854
printer
Wagner & McGuigan
lithographer
Rease, William H.
original artist
Clarke, Robert A.
ID Number
DL.60.3532
catalog number
60.3532

Kensington Fire Hat

Beginning in the late 18th century, some volunteer fire fighters began to wear hats painted with their company’s name to identify themselves at chaotic fire scenes.
Description
Beginning in the late 18th century, some volunteer fire fighters began to wear hats painted with their company’s name to identify themselves at chaotic fire scenes. During the 19th century, these fire hats became more ornate, as portraits of historical figures, patriotic scenes, allegorical images, or company icons were painted alongside the company’s name, motto, or founding date. Made of pressed felt, these “stove-pipe” hats were primarily used in Philadelphia, but other nearby cities such as Baltimore and Washington adopted them as well. Fire hats were personal items with the owner’s initials often painted on the top of the hat. While these hats were worn at fires, they are more colloquially known as “parade hats.” Fire companies commonly marched in the many parades of the period and these ornate hats contributed to the visual culture of their day. These distinguishing features in a company’s regalia often proclaimed the members’ cultural and political identity as well as their position on contested topics such as work, religion and immigration.
This fire hat dates to the first half of the 19th century. The hat is painted black with gold bands around the top and base. "Kensington" is painted in gold above the date "1791." The number "1" is painted in gold on the opposite side, and the owner’s initials “W.H.C." are painted in gold on the top of the hat. The Kensington Fire Company was founded in 1791 in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. At the time, Kensington was a separate municipality, and this company was the first of its kind for the area. The company operated until 1855, when it refused to join the newly organized Philadelphia Fire Department, which, although volunteer, was under the administrative and financial control of the city.
Location
Currently not on view
date made
1810-1860
associated date
1791
maker
unknown
ID Number
2005.0233.0103
catalog number
2005.0233.0103
accession number
2005.0233

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