Visual Materials

Mason's challenge blacking

Description: Image of an advertisement for Mason's Challenge blacking manufactured by James S. Mason & Company of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; African-American man shining boots with blacking and a young boy points and laughs at a dog startled by its own reflection in a well-shined boot; canister of blacking in foreground.
Type: Visual Materials(Opens in new tab)
Date: approximately 1877-1909
Call number: priJLC_HHD_001898
Creator: Last, Jay T(Opens in new tab)
Provenance: Gift of Jay T. Last, 2005. This collection forms part of the Jay T. Last collection of graphic arts and social history, which was donated to the Huntington Library by Jay T. Last in 2005 as a gift in progress. The bulk of the household goods prints were transferred to the Library between 2010 and 2012.

Annear's unrivalled Japan paste premium blacking

Visual Materials

Image of an advertisement for Annear's blacking; caricature of an angry older man swinging a cane at chickens pecking at his shiny black boots while an African American slave man runs and drops a boot at left, saying "Oh! Massa! Massa! Dat's de blacking. Dem dere chicks will catch me next."

priJLC_HHD_001897

Betun de Monterey. Lambrano hermamos

Visual Materials

Image of an advertisement for Betun de Monterey shoe polish; woman in an apron behind a counter admires her reflection in the shine from a boot she has just shined with polish and a brush; circular decorative frame with gold medals from the Monterey Industrial Exposition of 1888, held in Monterey, Mexico.

priJLC_HHD_003823

Established 1856 fashion plate 1878 Henry Arthur manufacturer of boot & shoe uppers

Visual Materials

Image of a variety of shoe, boot, and gaiter styles for men and women with name and number key text below each shoe style; vignettes to the left and right portray a woman seated in an armchair being helped into her button boots by a lady's maid, and a seated man putting on shoes with the help of an African American servant; image of Henry Arthur's business building and storefront at center of print advertising "leather & findings boot & shoe uppers."

priJLC_FASH_001666

From the old reliable boot and shoe store, Jos. Eichenlaub. Manufacturer and dealer in boots & shoes rubbers, &c

Visual Materials

Image of a horse-drawn vehicle in the shape of a very large boot full to the top of various styles of shoes and boots; vehicle is being driven by a man with a top hat and a very large whip and pulled by two horses.

priJLC_FASH_001663

Image not available

Mason, Ethel

Manuscripts

Two letters of correspondence between Otis Chandler and Ethel Mason. Also in this folder is a photocopy of Mason's pay check stub that she attached to her letter.

mssLAT

E. Gilbert Mason miscellaneous

Visual Materials

Includes an exterior view of Mason's studio in Fort Worth, with Mason pictured; two houses (exteriors and unfurnished interiors);portraits of an unidentified woman; and views of a landscape.

photCL MLP 0731

Mason's challenge blacking

Opening Hours

Admission Info and Tickets

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Annear's unrivalled Japan paste premium blacking

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Established 1856 fashion plate 1878 Henry Arthur manufacturer of boot & shoe uppers

From the old reliable boot and shoe store, Jos. Eichenlaub. Manufacturer and dealer in boots & shoes rubbers, &c

Mason, Ethel

E. Gilbert Mason miscellaneous