Emma Josephine Brazier theater and opera scrapbooks, 1858-1918. Box 1: "The Stage 1," theater scrapbook, 1858-1902.

Name:

Brazier, Emma Josephine, 1867-1953

Timespan:

20th century; 19th century

Date:

1858/1918

Description:

The Emma Josephine Brazier theater and opera scrapbooks consists of three volumes that date between 1858 and 1918. They contain playbills and advertisements from theaters and opera houses primarily in Philadelphia and New York, as well as cards and photographs of the actors and actresses that performed in them. "The Stage 1" scrapbook primarily focuses on Philadelphia theater in the mid 19th century. Several theaters are highlighted in this series of newspaper clippings and playbills, including Wheatley and Clark's Arch Street Theater, Wallack's Theatre, Laura Keene's Theater, and Walnut Street Theater. In addition to information on the theaters themselves are several cabinet cards with actors' photographs and names. These actors include Emma Taylor, John Drew, John Sleeper Clark, Laura Keene, William Wheatley, and Edwin Booth. Researchers should be aware that many of the playbills in this volume date from before Emma Josephine Brazier's birth. However, it is clear by construction that the volume was not compiled until the late 1890s or even the early 1900s. All three scrapbooks in the set contain playbills and advertisements from theaters and opera houses; clippings from newspapers, magazines, and theatrical publications; collectible cards from theaters; and cabinet cards (some of which are hand-colored and a few of which are signed by the actors or actresses). In many cases, information about a specific actor or actress is grouped together, so that a researcher may find photographs, clippings, biographical sketches, and even writings by actors or actresses on several adjacent pages.

Language:

English

Relation:

Finding aid: http://hdl.library.upenn.edu/1017/d/pacscl/UPENN_RBML_PUSpMsColl1149; https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3mp4wq05: Digital facsimile for browsing (Colenda): box 2 scrapbook; https://colenda.library.upenn.edu/catalog/81431-p3086467r: Digital facsimile for browsing (Colenda): box 3 scrapbook

Subject:

Academy of Music (Philadelphia, Pa.); Arch Street Theatre (Philadelphia, Pa.); Chestnut Street Theatre (Philadelphia, Pa.); Walnut Street Theatre (Philadelphia, Pa.); Actors; Musical theater; Opera; Theater -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia -- 19th century; Theater -- Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia -- 20th century; Theater -- United States -- 19th century; Theater -- United States -- 20th century; Theater

Form/Genre:

Manuscripts, American; cabinet photographs; clippings (information artifacts); scrapbooks

Physical Description:

Box 1 of 3

Geographic Subject:

United States; Pennsylvania -- Philadelphia

Rights:

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/NoC-US/1.0/

Notes:

Emma Josephine Brazier was born on August 15, 1867 to Joseph Harrison and Ellen Kemball Bartol Brazier. She, her parents, and her brother lived in Philadelphia where her father was employed by the jewelry firm, J.E. Caldwell & Co. of Philadelphia. Her brother, Henry Bartol Brazier, appears to have been an inventor of automobile components. Little is known of Emma Josephine Brazier except that she was apparently an ardent fan of theater and opera. She appears to have attended many plays and operas in Philadelphia and New York and to have followed the actors and actresses closely. She may have traveled to Europe in 1909. There is no indication that she ever married. She died in Massachusetts on November 14, 1953, at the age of 86.; Primarily in English, with some French.

Physical Location:

Kislak Center for Special Collections, Rare Books and Manuscripts, Manuscripts, Ms. Coll. 1149