Playtime in Dixie Compliments of Lord & Gage
Wraps
Reading, Pennsylvania; New York
Reading, Pennsylvania; New York: Lord & Gage; Jas. McCreery & Co. . Wraps. Good. Scarce, with only one copy found on OCLC First Search (at Duke, and not identical, coming from a different department store). Stereotypical imagery of black people playing instruments, baseball, coon hunting, etc. N.d., circa 1905. 12mo. 19 by 13.5 cm. Unpaginated, 16 pp., including wraps. The imagery is not rabidly or insultingly racist; at the time, it might have been viewed as gentle and affectionate in its portrayal of blacks. Still, in unquestionably drew on stereotypes, and one can also not look at the drawings and fail to see a strong element of condescension towards blacks as simpler, more primitive, etc. If we suspend our latter-day judgment at the content, we can admire the straightforward and simple charm of the drawing, which is rendered in black, white and red. The style of the illustration, the lettering and the overall composition is one we find typical in the first decade of the 20th century. This brochure was obviously a department store freebie hand-out, this one, as part of the Xmas season, and we can infer from the other copy of which we are aware that several department stores must have ordered copies for distribution, with some customization for their own promotions. Given the ephermeral nature of the presentation, it is not surprising that there are not an abundance of copies surviving. Moderate soiling to the wraps. Long closed tear along joint. (Inventory #: 004837)