Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

Catalogers: Art Historical Detectives

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  The Elms, an etching by Augustus Kollner, initially seemed like it would be a relatively straightforward work to catalog. The artist’s name, title and date, 1844, were all printed beneath the image.   However, in…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

Mellon Scholars Program: Tools for Success

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In a series of occasional blog posts, participants in our Mellon Scholars Internship and Workshop programs will introduce themselves, discuss their experiences at the Library Company, and share their goals for pursuing careers in the field of…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

Mellon Scholars Program: A Training Arena for Budding Historians

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In a series of occasional blog posts, participants in our Mellon Scholars Internship and Workshop programs will introduce themselves, discuss their experiences at the Library Company, and share their goals for pursuing careers in the field of…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

Mellon Scholars Program: Igniting a Scholarly Journey

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In a series of occasional blog posts, participants in our Mellon Scholars Internship and Workshop programs will introduce themselves, discuss their experiences at the Library Company, and share their goals for pursuing careers in the field…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

“Sew on Your Own Buttons, I’m Going for a Ride!”

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The Library Company of Philadelphia’s current exhibition That’s So Gay: Outing Early America showcases books, photographs, and graphic material that address gay identity in the 19th and early 20th centuries. Beyond attempting to identify…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

Philly-DH@Penn and The Collinson Book

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Philly-DH@Penn is an annual event consisting of workshops, “unconferences,” and lightening talks. The event attracts a wide audience ranging from academic faculty and students to GLAM (Gallery, Library, Archive, Museum) institution staff…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

Amy Matilda Cassey’s Friendship Album

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There are few insights into the lives of free wealthy African American women in antebellum Philadelphia as unique as those made possible by the Amy Matilda Cassey Friendship Album. A friendship album is similar to a scrapbook in that it…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

Tales from the Mystery Drawers, Part 1: The World of Tomorrow

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The Print Room at the Library Company of Philadelphia is a very organized place. Each box is labeled and lovingly tucked back into its proper slot after a research session. Each drawer is carefully inventoried and organized by subject matter,…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

Mellon Scholars Program: Exploring the African Diaspora

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In a series of occasional blog posts, participants in our Mellon Scholars Internship and Workshop programs will introduce themselves, discuss their experiences at the Library Company, and share their goals for pursuing careers in the field of…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

The Library Company Goes 3D

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With the resurgence in 3D viewing technologies in recent years, the Library Company has dared to revive this long-lived pastime through recent exhibitions and collaborations.  3D photographic imaging has existed since the 1840s with mid…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

World War One Posters and a Philadelphia Connection

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An article in the 1918 Thanksgiving issue of The Red Cross Bulletin described this poster even more enthusiastically:The Jessie Willcox Smith Photograph Collection in the Print and Photograph Department is not the only place to find the…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

Canoeing the Pine Barrens

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Though a desolate landscape, Philadelphians have long been drawn to the Pine Barrens of New Jersey for various reasons such as relaxation, trade, and industry.  The Marriott C. Morris collection of photographs includes views of amateur…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

So Who Really Made the First American Flag?

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Every school student has been taught that George Washington and his committee tasked Mrs. Elizabeth Ross, a milliner whose business was located between 2nd and 3rd on Arch Street, with the creation of the first American flag. Supposedly, the…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

Except New Jersey

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In fall 2013 the Library Company seized upon the tremendous opportunity to acquire the Joe Freedman Collection of Philadelphia Ephemera. A boon to our visual culture holdings, I have recently had the privilege to begin to process…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

The French High Commission’s Visit to Philadelphia

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On April 2, 1917, nearly three years after World War I had broken out in Europe, President Woodrow Wilson appealed to the United States Congress to declare war on Germany. President Wilson cited two reasons for seeking a congressional declaration…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

Tamar Stone: Book Artist

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In honor of Women’s History Month, we have invited Tamar Stone to write a guest entry for us. I make artist books. These are one-of-a-kind pieces that use antique textiles to speak to various issues that women faced in the past. My…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

Happy Washington’s Birthday on February 22nd

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  There have been prints depicting George Washington with his family since the 1790s, when self-taught artist Edward Savage produced one based on the painting he completed in 1796. Especially numerous in the years surrounding the Civil…
Playground Association of Philadelphia. Tag Day May 20th 1908. I am tagged to help the children of Philadelphia. Philadelphia: E. A. Wright, [1908]

A Few of Our Favorite Things, Part Fourteen: Antoine Simon Le Page du Pratz’s The History of Louisiana, or of the Western Parts of Virginia and Carolina

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My favorite thing to show visitors is a copy of Antoine Simon Le Page du Pratz’s The History of Louisiana, or of the Western Parts of Virginia and Carolina (London, 1774). It is the one-volume English translation and abridgement of the three-volume…