A friend recently passed along an abstract by Isabelle Lehuu called, Carnival on the Page, which explores Popular Print Media in Antebellum America (yes, my tastes do tend towards the esoteric). The author makes some wonderful points about printing, ephemera and ritual or the carnival - which reminded me of a little taste of history that was discovered behind the mantle of the fireplace at the Physick House (where I will have an exhibition in November).
A tiny snippet of newspaper from 1795 was discovered lodged behind the stone of the fireplace with an image of a horse jumping through hoops. I love that path of discovery which led me to the Library Company where I learned that the Rickets Circus of Philadelphia. The circus spent the winter in Philadelphia (October 19, 1795-April 23, 1796).
Rickets was actually the first circus in in America, established by John Bill Ricketts, and was a blend of equestrian feats and theatrical performances - thrilling audiences with his acts such as the Flying Mercury and the Egyptian Pyramids. Hell, even George Washington attended this circus (it is a small world).
Another fragment of a message passed through time by ghosts of the past...
And, by the way, Rickets also went by the fantastic names of Attitude of Mercury and Johnny Gilpin in Stile.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
Sunday, January 21, 2007
whose mom had the biggest house?
In the coming months my fellow conspirators will be helping me to unveil a series of happenings in Philadelphia to entertain, question and celebrate our community past and present. Inspired by the Junto and their weekly meetings which featured drinking and intellectual conversation for their "mutual improvement"
The Junto are elusive but through investigation I have found the following names as founding members, three of which were coworkers at Samuel Heimer's print shop in what is now known as Old City including Benjamin Franklin, Hugh Meridith, George Webb (apprentice to the printer), Stephen Potts (bookbinder), William Maugridge (shop joiner), Thomas Godfrey, William Coleman (a merchant, also said to be cool headed), Philip Syng and Robert Grace (said to be lively, witty and wealthy).
Reading about this group i'm reminded of some secret clubhouse of my youth - they met at Grace's grandmother's house (because she had extra rooms) which was "four doors down towards the river from Edgell House (near Pewter Platter Alley) on the portion fronting the alley.
Over time, the Junto put together a collection of books from their personal collections, gathered them together at a room at 120 Church Alley, next to the Bears Head Tavern. This collective material became the first project of a public nature for the group, as this collection of books became the Library Company of Philadelphia - the first public library by 1731.
The Junto are elusive but through investigation I have found the following names as founding members, three of which were coworkers at Samuel Heimer's print shop in what is now known as Old City including Benjamin Franklin, Hugh Meridith, George Webb (apprentice to the printer), Stephen Potts (bookbinder), William Maugridge (shop joiner), Thomas Godfrey, William Coleman (a merchant, also said to be cool headed), Philip Syng and Robert Grace (said to be lively, witty and wealthy).
Reading about this group i'm reminded of some secret clubhouse of my youth - they met at Grace's grandmother's house (because she had extra rooms) which was "four doors down towards the river from Edgell House (near Pewter Platter Alley) on the portion fronting the alley.
Over time, the Junto put together a collection of books from their personal collections, gathered them together at a room at 120 Church Alley, next to the Bears Head Tavern. This collective material became the first project of a public nature for the group, as this collection of books became the Library Company of Philadelphia - the first public library by 1731.
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