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The Ladies Fair! The Fairest Fare! (Women’s Activities, Food, & George Washington)
The Ladies Fair! The Fairest Fare! (Women’s Activities, Food, & George Washington)
The Ladies Fair! The Fairest Fare! (Women’s Activities, Food, & George Washington)

The Ladies Fair! The Fairest Fare! (Women’s Activities, Food, & George Washington)

Fancy sun bonnets, Jenny Lind collars, tidies and more


Ante-bellum advertising broadside for a three-day philanthropic “Ladies Fair” in Muncy, Pennsylvania. The fair sold articles of clothing and other handicrafts made by women as well as food, all to benefit St. James’ (Episcopal) Church.

Articles for sale included “Fancy Sun Bonnets,” “Jenny Linns” [Jenny Lind collars], “Tidies,” “Work Boxes,” “needle Books,” “Book Marks,” “Wafer Boxes”—“all of exquisite workmanship, with children’s long mittens and Socks to boot!” Other offerings included perfumes, “Doll Babies,” pincushions and “Braided Slippers for Gentlemen, whose chins are hedged in by chapperal, a la mode!

Because the fair was to take place on a weekend that included George Washington’s birthday, a dinner with extravagant dessert fare was planned for Friday, February 22:

And now to all temperance and other sober minded men, women, and children…an invitation is extended to come and dine at the Fair…in honor of the birth day of the immortal George Washington… [A] hot DINNER, the best the country can produce, will be served up in the best style, with cold Lemonade to quench hot thirst, and colder Ice Cream… Pies for the nicest mincing; Cakes from pound to poverty; and last of all, not least, will be seen an Egyptian Pyramid towering far above humbler aspirants.

A visually interesting broadside for a women’s fair featuring women’s handicrafts and February festive foods for founding father George Washington.


Description: [The Ladies of St. James' Church, Muncy]. The Ladies Fair! The Fairest Fare! (Women’s Activities, Food, & George Washington)

[Muncy, [Pennsylvania] Ferbuary 13, 1850. [1]p. Broadside. 12 x 7¾ inches. Wove paper with ornamental border. Printed in two columns in various attractive fonts. Small hole in ample margin; very good.

[3726207]

Not recorded in OCLC.


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