Library Company of Philadelphia
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Welcome to the Library Company of Philadelphia's Tumblr page! Founded by Ben Franklin in 1731, we are an independent research library specializing in American history and culture from the 17th through the 19th centuries. This page highlights materials from LCP's extensive collection of rare books, manuscripts, broadsides, ephemera, prints, photographs, and works of art.
One of our favorite parts about working with special collections is seeing how previous owners interacted with the materials as objects. We found this fabulous #Feathursday feature, dated 1857, while cataloging our copy of The Select Letters of Major Jack Downing (Philadelphia, 1834). Here, the blank leaves bound at the front of the book were used as a drawing pad– thirteen years after the book was published.