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.
These musk deer are our #WetnoseWednesday feature, and a benefit to noses everywhere! Cities in the 18th and 19th centuries were as much a center for foul-smells as activity and culture. This circa 1857 chromolithograph advertisement for musk cologne and scented soap is an example of the increasing popularity of perfumes, body soaps, and deodorant in the second half of the 19th century.