Included with The Capewell Negative Collection was a box of odds and ends – mostly paperwork – but there was some really interesting things as well, such as picture postcards and this really wonderful playbill souvenir program from the Broad Street Theater in 1901. Featured is the French play L’Aiglon starring Maude Adams, who played Napoleon II of France.
The best part of the program are the ads, like this one for The Quaker City Automobile Company which was located just three blocks north of City Hall in Philadelphia. The car featured in the photo is The Duryea Phaeton – phaeton refers to an open style car or carriage. The Duryea was manufactured by Charles and Frank Duryea in Reading, PA and cost approximately $1,350.
According to About.com:
In March 1896, Charles and Frank Duryea offered for sale the first commercial automobile, the Duryea motor wagon. Two months later, New York City motorist Henry Wells hit a bicyclist with his new Duryea. The rider suffered a broken leg, Wells spent a night in jail and the nation’s first traffic accident was recorded.
There are a lot of fantastic ads that I am scanning and will share with you in future posts. Stay tuned!
