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.
Sometimes books want to go out in a fancy sweater.
According to the bookplate, Mary
Sandwith (1732-1815) was given this Bible by her grandfather in 1736, when she
was a small child. She likely made the needlepoint woolen cover in the Bargello
style, or flame stitch, when she was around eleven years old. The spine has the
words “Mary Sandwith her BIBLE 1743” embroidered to look like a book label.