This black and white print with tint shows a center tent with banners and a pennant which reads "Zykes." A barker holds the tent flap open as he urges the crowd to come inside. Other people are watching a magician in the foreground. On the left side of the print is a tavern with “…boken” painted on the sign above the door. The background contains a waterfall and buildings on top of a cliff. No information is known about Zykes, the show proprietor.
This lithograph was produced by the Metropolitan Printing Company and E. Rothengatter. Emil Rothengatter (1848-1939) was a German-born artist and designer of circus posters who worked in cities including Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1896 he won a contest to design the flag of Cincinnati for a work he called “Zero of Burnet Woods.” However, controversy over whether Cincinnati should have a flag delayed the design’s formal adoption until 1940. Emil Rothengatter also wrote a book entitled Art of Poster Making in the United States, published in 1911. He died in New York.
A colored print of a race between ten horses observed by a crowd on the sidelines. The jockeys wear yellow breeches and colorful jackets. The park is covered with turf and shady trees.
Jerome Park Racetrack opened on September 25, 1866 in Fordham, Westchester County, New York, which now forms part of the Bronx. The American Jockey Club operated this facility on what was once the Bathgate estate. It was owned by Leonard W. Jerome, who helped found the Jockey Club, and August Belmont, Sr. The course was known as “The Bluff” and hosted the first Belmont Stakes in honor of its owner and President of the Jockey Club in 1867. It ran there until 1890 until it was moved to the Morris Park Racetrack. Visits to Jerome Park were integral to New York City social life. In 1894, Jerome Park was scheduled to be turned into a reservoir for the city because the popularity of racing had begun to decline and “bookmaking” was introduced, lowering the class of the facility to the chagrin of the American Jockey Club, which later banned the activity. The prohibition of betting was the final factor in the downfall of Jerome Park.
Thomas Kelly was a successful Irish-born lithographer who had learned the craft in Philadelphia from his father. He moved to New York, where he established a print and frame dealership and continued to publish picturesque scenes of American life. He is possibly the same Thomas Kelly who printed Catholic Bibles and prayer-books in New York, winning an award for these at the 1876 Centennial Exposition.
Black and white print; political cartoon depicting a map of the United States in 1828. A large turtle and alligator are featured at center with several caricatures riding or standing on each of them, expressing views regarding the John Quincy Adams administration. In the background is a mountain range with two groups of Indians commenting on American life.
Rip Van Winkle, a short story by celebrated American author Washington Irving, was first published in 1819 without illustrations in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent.” Best known for his popular stories of Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, Irving achieved acclaim in Europe and the U.S. over the course of his successful writing career. Rip Van Winkle was included in “The Sketchbook of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent” while Irving was living in Europe. Thus, he was one of the earliest American authors to survive merely on his writing. Irving’s stories have remained an emblem of American culture as they were some of the first short stories that aimed to entertain rather than educate. The two best known Irving stories- Rip Van Winkle and The Legend of Sleepy Hollow have inspired artists to create beautiful illustrations like the one included in this print.
The gothic story Rip Van Winkle tells of an ordinary 19th century man who lives in the Dutch Kaatskills (currently the Catskills of New York). He struggles with his nagging wife, Dame Van Winkle, and in an effort to escape her on an especially bad day, he flees to the woods with his dog and his gun. While in the woods, he meets a stranger who is a representation of the spirits of Hendrick Hudson, and is instructed to serve these spirits a precious drink. Tempted, he tries the drink as well and ultimately becomes so drunk that he falls into a deep sleep. When he wakes, he thinks that it is merely the next morning, but it becomes clear that 20 years have passed. He is now an old widow with Loyalist sentiments that show he is living in the past, prior to the American Revolution. The story ends with Rip Van Winkle living a peaceful life in the home of his daughter, finally free from his wife’s nagging.
In this lithographic print, the aged Rip Van Winkle sits outside the door of the inn just as he used to, except now, he is seen as one of the village patriarchs. Three other men congregate around Rip Van Winkle and discuss the Revolutionary War, which took place during the time of Rip’s disappearance and is hinted at by the American flag that hangs in the background. Also depicted are woman and child, presumably Rip Van Winkle’s daughter, Judith Gardenier, and his grandson who was named after him. This illustration shows the resolution to the story, in that Rip Van Winkle is now an old man, but free of his nagging wife’s punitiveness, so he can finally be lazy.
Sarony, Major, & Knapp was one of the largest lithographic firms at the end of the 19th and the early of the 20th centuries. However, before it achieved this success it started out small in 1843 when Napoleon Sarony and James P. Major joined together to start a business. Later in 1857, Joseph F. Knapp joined the company making it Sarony, Major, & Knapp. At the time that this was printed, Knapp was not a part of the business, so it was just Sarony & Major.
Felix O. C. Darley (1822-1888), the artist behind the twelve best-known illustrations for The Legend of the Sleepy Hollow, is considered one of America’s best illustrators. The publisher was the American Art Union, (1839-1857) a subscription organization created to educate the public about American art and artists while providing support for American artists. For $5.00 members would receive admissions to the gallery showing, a yearly report, and an engraving of an original work, as well as any benefits each chapter might provide. Two special editions of the story, each with a set of six of Darley’s illustrations were published; the special edition including this illustration was published in 1850. This print is bound with five others at the back of a rebound book. The cover is of the earlier Rip Van Winkle edition published for the American Art Union but the title page and text are of Washington Irving’s The Legend of Sleepy Hollow.
Sentimental genre prints documented the social image of Victorian virtue through domestic scenes of courtship, family, home life, and images of the “genteel female.” Children are depicted studying nature or caring for their obedient pets as they learn their place in the greater world. Romantic scenes picture devoted husbands with their contented, dutiful wives. In these prints, young women educated in reading, music, needlework, the arts, the language of flowers, basic math and science are subjugated to their family’s needs.
These prints became popular as lithography was introduced to 19th Century Americans. As a new art form, it was affordable for the masses and provided a means to share visual information by crossing the barriers of race, class and language. Sentimental prints encouraged the artistic endeavors of schoolgirls and promoted the ambitions of amateur artists, while serving as both moral instruction and home or business decoration. They are a pictorial record of our romanticized past.
This colored print is an indoor scene of a young man seated on an ornate upholstered armchair with one foot resting on a side chair. The bachelor is dressed in a double breasted, plaid weskit, plaid pants, a large silk tie and fitted coat. He is smoking a cigar and has the newspaper "Spirit of the Times" resting in his lap. The headline reads "War/10,000/Recruits/for Mexic/Great/Foot Race/President's Message. The lithographer also promotes himself by including his own advertisement with a list of his retailer. It reads: "Cheap Prints/Cheapest in the World/at J. Baillie's/ New York and sond by/Sowle & Shaw/52 Cornhill/Boston/A.H. Stillwell/Providence/R.I./A.J. Loomis/9 Washington/St.... J. Bar.../ 39 Fourth St./ Philadelphia." Room furnishings include a pedestal table with a marble top, another table with a fringed tablecloth, a clock and candleabrum on the marble fireplace mantle. On the pedestal table there is a basket of fruit, wine bottle and glass, a container of cigars, a can of sardines and a knife. Patterned wallpaper, patterned carpet and heavy fringed drapery complete the scene. Prints depicting a bachelor in his quarters and titled Single were common during this period and were often part of a series the included Married.
This print was produced by James S Baillie, was active in New York from 1838 to 1855. James Baillie started as a framer in 1838, and then became an artist and lithographer in 1843 or 1844. He discovered how to color lithographs while working as an independent contractor for Currier & Ives in the mid 1840’s. A prolific lithographer and colorist for Currier & Ives; his prints were extremely popular with a wide distribution. J. Baillie spent his later years concentrating on painting instead of lithography.
This print was inscribed "presented by Henry Lyman Chamberlain to the only man in the Junior Class or '48 & 9 not engaged. Bath April 9, 1849" W. L. Gardner .
Sentimental genre prints documented the social image of Victorian virtue through domestic scenes of courtship, family, home life, and images of the “genteel female.” Children are depicted studying nature or caring for their obedient pets as they learn their place in the greater world. Romantic scenes picture devoted husbands with their contented, dutiful wives. In these prints, young women educated in reading, music, needlework, the arts, the language of flowers, basic math and science are subjugated to their family’s needs.
These prints became popular as lithography was introduced to 19th Century Americans. As a new art form, it was affordable for the masses and provided a means to share visual information by crossing the barriers of race, class and language. Sentimental prints encouraged the artistic endeavors of schoolgirls and promoted the ambitions of amateur artists, while serving as both moral instruction and home or business decoration. They are a pictorial record of our romanticized past.
This colored print is an outdoor scene of a naked child with a drum on his back facing a dog seated on a large rock. A toy gun is propped against the dog.
This print was produced by the lithography firm of Risso & Browne. The firm was founded in New York City by Charles Risso and William R Browne in 1832. The firm produced portrait prints, satirical prints, city views, sheet music, technical prints of silk worms and sentimental images. In 1837 Charles Risso left New York for the city of New Orleans and continued to make prints. He returned to New York in 1846. Browne continued to use the company’s name through 1839.
Sentimental genre prints documented the social image of Victorian virtue through domestic scenes of courtship, family, home life, and images of the “genteel female.” Children are depicted studying nature or caring for their obedient pets as they learn their place in the greater world. Romantic scenes picture devoted husbands with their contented, dutiful wives. In these prints, young women educated in reading, music, needlework, the arts, the language of flowers, basic math and science are subjugated to their family’s needs.
These prints became popular as lithography was introduced to 19th Century Americans. As a new art form, it was affordable for the masses and provided a means to share visual information by crossing the barriers of race, class, and language. Sentimental prints encouraged the artistic endeavors of schoolgirls and promoted the ambitions of amateur artists, while serving as both moral instruction and home or business decoration. They are a pictorial record of our romanticized past.
This colored print is a rustic outdoor scene of man and woman seated and cuddling in a romantic, intimate pose. The man is dressed in knee socks, tight knee britches, short jacket, shirt, ascot and beret. The woman wears a long dress, plaid shawl, ribbon and bow in hair. A women's hat lies at their feet. The title and prose refer to a longer popular poem by Scottish poet Robert Burns (1759-1796) entitled Highland Mary. A similar image was created a year after this print by Currier & Ives and colored by Sarony & Major.
The print was produced by Sarony & Major. Napoleon Sarony (1821–1896) was born in Quebec and trained under several lithography firms including Currier & Ives and H.R. Robinson. Sarony was also known for his successful experiments in early photography, eventually developing a cabinet-sized camera. In 1846, Sarony partnered with another former apprentice of Nathaniel Currier, Henry B. Major and created Sarony & Major Lithography firm. Joseph F. Knapp joined the firm in 1857. Sarony, Major & Knapp earned a solid reputation for lithography and the company was especially known for its fine art chromolithography. Unfortunately, by the 1870s, the firm shifted focus to the more profitable area of advertising. It also expanded to become the conglomerate known as the American Lithographic Company, successfully producing calendars, advertising cards, and posters. In 1930 they were bought out by Consolidated Graphics.
Colored print of a little boy in a sailor suit and wide-brimmed hat, carrying a large net in one hand and a ring with fresh fish in the other, standing on a dock. A dog at his feet leaps toward him. A sailing ship, the "Columbia," flying an American flag is in left background. A bucket of fish is in left foreground.
These business cards belonged to Samuel Copp (born 1787) who owned the wholesale and retail dry goods store Samuel Copp and Company located at 197 Broadway in New York City. Samuel served in the war of 1812 and retired to Stonington, Connecticut around 1815.
The Copp Collection contains a variety of household objects that the Copp family of Connecticut used from around 1700 until the mid-1800s. Part of the Puritan Great Migration from England to Boston, the family eventually made their home in New London County, Connecticut, where their textiles, clothes, utensils, ceramics, books, bibles, and letters provide a vivid picture of daily life. More of the collection from the Division of Home and Community Life can be viewed by searching accession number 28810.
This black and white tinted print depicts one 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 outdoor scene of a mother, father and older daughter standing outside a wine and spirits shop while the son begs for alms in the street. The mother holds an ailing toddler while the father pockets a bottle of liquor.
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. The 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. He 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. He suffered from heart disease and died in 1856 at the age of 48.
This print was produced by Francis Michelin (1809/10-1878) and David William Moody. Francis Michelin was a lithographer who was active in Boston from 1840-1841 and soon after moved to New York City, where he continued to make lithographs with various partners. His partners included Michelin & Cuipers (1844-1845), Michelin & Leefe (1852-1853), Michelin & Shattuck (1853-1854) and Boel & Michelin (1856-1858). David William Moody was also a lithographer. He was active in New York City from 1844-1851. He lived in Williamsburg, New York.
Black and white comic print of a woman seated at a piano, playing and singing. A man is creeping out the door in the background. This is one of over 100 in a series of comic parodies of popular songs.
Sentimental genre prints documented the social image of Victorian virtue through domestic scenes of courtship, family, home life, and images of the “genteel female.” Children are depicted studying nature or caring for their obedient pets as they learn their place in the greater world. Romantic scenes picture devoted husbands with their contented, dutiful wives. In these prints, young women educated in reading, music, needlework, the arts, the language of flowers, basic math and science are subjugated to their family’s needs.
These prints became popular as lithography was introduced to 19th Century Americans. As a new art form, it was affordable for the masses and provided a means to share visual information by crossing the barriers of race, class, and language. Sentimental prints encouraged the artistic endeavors of schoolgirls and promoted the ambitions of amateur artists, while serving as both moral instruction and home or business decoration. They are a pictorial record of our romanticized past.
This is a black and white print on pink paper of an outdoor scene depicting a young girl standing tip-toe on a pedestal reaching for two pieces of fruit hanging beyond her reach.
This lithograph was produced by John B. Pendleton (1798-1866), one of America’s earliest lithographers. Pendleton and his brother , established a printing house in Boston in 1825 and later moved it ti New York City. One of Pendleton’s apprentices was Nathaniel Currier, who would buy his mentor’s firm in 1834. With his brother-in-law/ partner James Merritt Ives, he would rename the business Currier & Ives.
This medal, made of metal and copper alloy, was awarded by the American Institute, New York in 1856 to Wisconsin cabinetmaker Peter Glass’s company, Glass & Co., for “best inlaid Furniture.” As a farmer in Wisconsin, German immigrant, Peter Glass, applied his native training as a marquetry craftsman to make award-winning furniture in his spare time.