[EPHEMERA] [SCRAPBOOK] .

The art of scrapbooking in the early 19th century as recorded in aremarkable collection of almost 400 pieces of ephemera, clippings, andother material from the late 18th and early 19th centuries mounted, mostfive to a page, with one in each corner and a larger central piece, in acopy of James Boydell's Merchant-Freighter's and Captains of ShipsAssistant ... (London, 1764; folio, all 51 leaves, front and rear, pluspastedowns employed for the scrapbook). Original paper-backed marbledboards (spine worn, splitting along joints, eroded at ends); shaken, somepages loose, but a fascinating assemblag...

Included in the scrapbook are an elaborate hand-colored 1789 certificate for a New York fireman, two unrecorded sideshow broadsides for a lion, a giant baby, and an elephant (defective), trade cards for a chair maker, a commercial merchant, and a "fancy painter," and silhouettes from the Peale Museum, all more fully described below, and approximately 400 other period pieces, including original drawings, maps, city views, portraits, views, animals, birds, calling cards, trade advertisements, playing cards, lottery tickets, historic and allegorical scenes, small broadsides, etc., some hand colored. The major items: (1) Voluntary Aid [small caption title at head]. New York, [1780s]. Elaborate hand-colored certificate, 7 ¼ x 9 ¼ inches, partly printed in italic type and completed in manuscript: "These are to Certify that 'John Brown' is pursuant to Law nominated and appointed 'one' of the Firemen of the City of New York." Signed by Robert Benson, 13 November 1789, and all within an elaborate ornamental border. Detailed, beautifully hand-colored scene of a fire being fought at the head of the piece, a fire "truck" of the period at the bottom. Trimmed to fit the page, with a small portion of the fire-fighting scene folded over (chipped along the edges, several small tears). (2) The King of Beasts / [cut of a lion, 4 1/8 x 5 ½ inches] / The Gentlemen and Ladies of the City of New-York are respectfully / informed of the arrival of a most / Beautiful African Lion. / [followed by four paragraphs of text, all enclosed within a thin ornamental border]. New York, nd [ca. 1800]. Broadside, 10 x 7 3/8 inches, employing several sizes and styles of type, including two display types, describing the animal and advertising a viewing. Not in Evans, Shipton & Mooney, Bristol, or American Imprints. (3) [Cut of a huge toddler with rattle and chair] / Singular Child / To be seen at the Red Lion Hotel, No. 200, / Market Street ["till the 1 day of March" added in manuscript] / Entrance at the front door, and also from Sixth Street, / A Male / Child, / [followed by three paragraphs of text, describing "the largest of the human family of his age" and advertising a viewing]. [Philadelphia], nd [ca. 1800]. Broadside, 12 ½ x 9 1/8 inches, employing several sizes and styles of type, including several display types, the text and illustration enclosed by an ornamental border. Not in Evans, Shipton & Mooney, Bristol, or American Imprints. (4) [Cut of an elephant] / Is removed to her old stand at the George tavern, corner of Arch and / Second street … / [followed by three sentences describing a viewing]. [Philadelphia], nd [ca. 1800]. Broadside, 7 3/8 x 8 5/8 inches, clearly lacking a headline, perhaps the elephant's name. Trimmed along the left edges (taking a letter in each line). (5) Early 19th century illustrated trade cards, each approximately 3 x 4 inches, for Isaac Pippitt, cabinet and chair maker, and J. West, glazier, sign and fancy painter, both of Philadelphia, and Ketchum & Ellis, brokers and commercial merchants, of New York. (6) 15 head and shoulder silhouettes, each 3 ¼ x 2 ½ inches, eleven with the blindstamp of the Peale Museum, otherwise unidentified. Many of the illustrations in this scrapbook were clipped from periodicals, newspapers, and other publications, but are combined with the separately issued pieces to produce a striking piece of folk art evocative of the period. This scrapbook was apparently assembled by a Mary Brown of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (with a chipped printed label, "Brow_", on the upper cover and an 1823 manuscript receipt to her laid in), about whom we have found no information. Also laid in are an elaborate bookplate for Samuel Weaver (chipped), a note, once mounted, "Property of Samuel Weaver," and an 1856 manuscript receipt made out to him.

• USD 22,500.00 > other currencies
• ordernr.: 51353

• bookseller: Bartleby's Books (USA)