Permission to reproduce material from Athenaeum collections must be granted in writing and is at the discretion of The Athenaeum staff. All permission is granted on a per-use basis. Images may not be altered (aside from cropping) without special permission. The user of supplied reproductions assumes all responsibilities for citing sources properly, and using images in conformity with existing copyright laws, and may be required to supply The Athenaeum with a copy of any publication or project in which the images appear. The Athenaeum reserves the right to refuse to reproduce any item in its collections.
For information on ordering reproductions of Athenaeum drawings, please see http://www.philaathenaeum.org/rights.html.
Broad St at Arch St Showing M. E. Church
Permission to reproduce material from Athenaeum collections must be granted in writing and is at the discretion of The Athenaeum staff. All permission is granted on a per-use basis. Images may not be altered (aside from cropping) without special permission. The user of supplied reproductions assumes all responsibilities for citing sources properly, and using images in conformity with existing copyright laws, and may be required to supply The Athenaeum with a copy of any publication or project in which the images appear. The Athenaeum reserves the right to refuse to reproduce any item in its collections. For information on ordering reproductions of Athenaeum drawings, please see http://www.philaathenaeum.org/rights.html.
Broad St at night showing city hall tower
Broad St Corridor, The Bellevue-Stratford Hotel
Broad St looking north from tower of City Hall
Standing figure of Napoleon. His right hand is raised, holding his hat and his left hand rests on his sword at his side. The figure is cast in bronze with a light brown patina. Bronze is bolted to a brown marble base. Stamped on back of brass: GESCHUTZT (patented)
Decorative ornamental, bronze figurine of Napoleon.
Burdick Envelope Mfg. Co., Buffalo, N.Y.
Philadelphia-born church architect Charles M. Burns was the son of Charles M. and Eliza Van Dyke (Rousseau) Burns. Although he entered the University of Pennsylvania in the Class of 1859 as a second-semester freshman, his academic career was finished by the end of his junior year when he volunteered for Civil War action. By 1862 Burns was in battle at Mobile, AL with Admiral Farragut; he would return with Farragut to New Orleans in 1864. Therefore, although city directory listings for Burns commence in 1863, it is doubtful that Burns would have returned to Philadelphia before 1865. Once he did return to Philadelphia, he launched a distinguished architectural career, with a specialty in ecclesiastic buildings, especially Protestant Episcopal churches.
While managing a steadily growing practice, Burns still attempted to further his own education by enrolling at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1876. His own talents were soon recognized, however; and by 1879 he had left off his own student activities in order to become a member of the faculty of the Pennsylvania Museum and School of Industrial Art, with responsibility for "Theory and Practice of Freehand Drawing and Design." According to artist Joseph Pennell, who attended Burns's class and wrote a memorial article (really more a diatribe against Philadelphia) after Burns's death, "If he found that you could accept [his criticism], his interest in you was endless and tireless. But if you did not, the heavy black eyebrows and bristling black mustache, with the flaming red necktie underneath, passed you by -- and that was worse than anything." After this stint at the PMSI, Burns would continue as instructor of drawing at Haverford College through 1885.
Burns was among the first group of architects proposed for membership in the Philadelphia Chapter of the AIA in 1870 and later served as treasurer for the group. Widely known as a portrait painter of some distinction and as a watercolorist, he exhibited at the Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia in 1876; and his architectural drawings appeared in exhibitions at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts in 1887, 1888, 1890, 1892 and 1894. After his retirement to Camden, NJ, Burns passed some of his ecclesiastical work along to Henry Macomb.
On 21 April 1870 Burns was elected an associate member of the AIA, but his membership "lapsed" in October 1875, according to the bulletin published for the 17th Annual Convention of the AIA (1883).
Mary Burt (d. 1908) was the niece of William Lehman whose legacy of $10,000 in 1829 provided the funds to construct this building. This three-quarter length portrait was painted by Bernard Uhle (1847-1929) in 1891.
Born in Chemitz, Saxony, Uhle emigrated with his family to Philadelphia in 1851 and at the age of fifteen became a student at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. He opened a portrait studio in Philadelphia in 1877 and later became an instructor at the Academy (1886-1890). It was soon after this time that Uhle became a recluse. He lived alone (with seven cats) for nearly a quarter century. Uhle was presumed dead until 1915, when he suddenly reappeared to present a painting ordered twenty-three years before.
Mr. Busch (1873-1942) was President of the Welcome Society at the time Pennsbury Manor was reconstructed, thus the reason the artist included that house in the background.
The Athenaeum reading room is named in Mr. Busch's honor. It was dedicated on April 6, 1992, by Mrs. deHellebranth--member of the Athenaeum board of directors, Mr. Busch's daughter, and the donor of the renovation funds.
Bust of Napoleon Bonaparte, with head facing forward, in the Imperial Roman portrait form. 1,200 versions of this official bust (Napoleon's favorite, based on Antoine-Denis Chaudet's 1799 modeling) were carved at Carrara, Italy.
C. B. Haddock to Sarah Josepha Hale Correction: Likely Charles Brickett Haddock
C.B.C. (monogram?)/List of 8 women's names, including Emma Ingle and Anna Camden/Not so very far from here… (poem and illustration)
Café Majestic #1 (woman holding a glass)
Café Majestic #2 (woman holding a glass)
Caillers Swiss Chalet, Acker Quality Shop
Camden & Quelin, Artists Designers and Illustrators
Limited edition bottle of Camus cognac, celebrating the bicentenary of Napoleon's birth. Red flocked outer case with hinged lid, printed with the words COGNAC CAMUS NAPOLEON. Inside, a fitted tray holds a porcelain book-shaped bottle, made by Limoges, with 22 K gold glaze. A separate cork stopper has a porcelain top in the shape of Napoleon's hat.
Caroline Lee Whiting Hentz to Sarah Josepha Hale
Hentz, Caroline Lee, 1800-1856 Mrs Sarah J. Hale - Editress of Lady's Book - Philadelphia Penn -
Caroline M. Kirkland to Sarah Josepha Hale
Kirkland, Caroline M. (Caroline Matilda), 1801-1864
Benjamin Carr was born in England and received a good musical education in London. He emigrated to Philadelphia in 1793. There he opened a music store and promoted music. He was a publisher, editor, organist, pianist, singer, composer, teacher and conductor, as well as one of the founding members of the Musical Fund Society in 1820. He was also a member of the Atheneaum. Carr never married. When he died he was living at 72 South Fifth St.
Darley, Jane Cooper (nee Sully) or John Clarendon Darley
Scottish-born architect/builder Thomas Carstairs (born c. 1759, died July 26, 1830) launched his career in America by advertising his services in the Pennsylvania Packet in 1784. That same year, he sought membership in the Carpenters’ Company, but was turned down. Nonetheless, Carstairs steadily gained commissions and established a thriving business in Philadelphia. The Carpenters’ Company, noticing his growing success, subsequently issued an invitation in 1788, which Carstairs ignored until finally becoming a member in 1805. Among his achievements, Carstairs is noted for a block of twenty-two speculative row houses that he designed and built for William Sansom around 1800 on the south side of Sansom Street between 7th and 8th streets. Historically known as Carstairs Row, that block is widely known today as Jewelers’ Row.
Catalogue of the Books and Other Articles Belonging to The Athenaeum of Philadelphia, 1814
Postcard to Mrs. Emily (Picking) from Maggie
Central City branch of the Philadelphia Saving Fund Society