Top of page

Photo, Print, Drawing N. Helverson, Undertaker, 93 Coates Street, Philadelphia.

About this Item

Title

  • N. Helverson, Undertaker, 93 Coates Street, Philadelphia.

Summary

  • William H. Rease, born in Pennsylvania circa 1818, was the most prolific lithographer of advertising prints in Philadelphia during the 1840s and 1850s. This advertisement shows the office building and storefront for the undertaker and "Coffin Ware-House" at 93 Coates Street (later 225-27 Fairmount Avenue). A male patron enters the doorway of the office "N. Helverson Undertaker." A sign advertising "Coffins Ready Made" adorns the showcase window. A doormat covers the small step preceding the entrance and the cellar doors to the building are open. In the right, a woman appears interested in a display at the adjacent store, which is out of view. At the warehouse, workers haul coffins near the open doorway of the four-story building. A sign illustrated with a coffin is displayed in the first-floor window and workers are visible at two open windows above. A tree stands in front of the building and two horses hitched to a hearse parked in the street stand in its shade. The hearse is adorned with bunting, drapery, and fringe. Rease became active in his trade around 1844, and through the 1850s he mainly worked with printers Frederick Kuhl and Wagner & McGuigan in the production of advertising prints known for their portrayals of human details. Although Rease often collaborated with other lithographers, by 1850 he promoted in O'Brien's Business Directory his own establishment at 17 South Fifth Street, above Chestnut Street. In 1855 he relocated his establishment to the northeast corner of Fourth and Chestnut Streets (after a circa 1853-55 partnership with Francis Schell), where in addition to advertising prints he produced certificates, views, maps, and maritime prints.

Names

  • Rease, William H., circa 1818-1893 Artist.

Created / Published

  • Philadelphia : Wagner & McGuigan, 1846-11.

Headings

  • -  United States of America--Pennsylvania--Philadelphia
  • -  1846-11
  • -  Advertising
  • -  Coffins
  • -  Hearses
  • -  Horse-drawn vehicles
  • -  Laborers
  • -  Lithographs
  • -  Merchants
  • -  Storefronts
  • -  Stores and shops
  • -  Street scenes
  • -  Undertakers and undertaking
  • -  Wagons
  • -  Warehouses

Notes

  • -  Title devised, in English, by Library staff.
  • -  "Digital catalog number: POS 498"--Note extracted from World Digital Library.
  • -  Original resource extent: 1 print : lithograph ; 39 x 33 centimeters.
  • -  Reference extracted from World Digital Library: Rease, William H., Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary, Library Company of Philadelphia, http://www.lcpdigital.org. External
  • -  Original resource at: The Library Company of Philadelphia.
  • -  Content in English.
  • -  Description based on data extracted from World Digital Library, which may be extracted from partner institutions.

Medium

  • 1 online resource.

Digital Id

Library of Congress Control Number

  • 2021670252

Online Format

  • compressed data
  • image

Additional Metadata Formats

IIIF Presentation Manifest

Rights & Access

The Library of Congress is unaware of any copyright or other restrictions in the World Digital Library Collection. Absent any such restrictions, these materials are free to use and reuse. Researchers are encouraged to review the source information attached to each item. For information on contacting WDL partner organizations, see this archived list of partners

The Library asks that researchers approach the materials in this collection with respect for the culture and sensibilities of the people whose lives, ideas, and creativity are documented here.

Credit Line: [Original Source citation], World Digital Library

More about Copyright and other Restrictions

For additional information and contact information for many of the partner organizations, see this archived capture of the World Digital Library site from 2021.

For guidance about compiling full citations consult Citing Primary Sources.

Cite This Item

Citations are generated automatically from bibliographic data as a convenience, and may not be complete or accurate.

Chicago citation style:

Rease, William H., Circa Artist. N. Helverson, Undertaker, 93 Coates Street, Philadelphia. Pennsylvania United States of America Philadelphia, 1846. Philadelphia: Wagner & McGuigan, -11. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2021670252/.

APA citation style:

Rease, W. H. (1846) N. Helverson, Undertaker, 93 Coates Street, Philadelphia. Pennsylvania United States of America Philadelphia, 1846. Philadelphia: Wagner & McGuigan, -11. [Photograph] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/2021670252/.

MLA citation style:

Rease, William H., Circa Artist. N. Helverson, Undertaker, 93 Coates Street, Philadelphia. Philadelphia: Wagner & McGuigan, -11. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, <www.loc.gov/item/2021670252/>.