Snapshots of the Past

The young swell – Historic Reproduction

The young swell, c1869. — antique lithograph
The young swell, c1869.. Antique lithograph from the Family Life collection.

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)

Description

A window into the past: The young swell, preserved in this antique lithograph. Sourced directly from the Library of Congress, it represents an authentic piece of documented history.

The framed print arrives ready to hang; the unframed option suits custom framing. A conversation-starting piece for home, office, or as a meaningful gift. Free shipping in the lower 48 states. Since 2001, Snapshots of the Past has shipped historic prints to tens of thousands of customers around the world.

The young swell

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A dog stands in for a man in this color lithograph, titled *The young swell*. "Swell" was a common slang term in the 1860s for a young man who dressed with great care and display, and the animal here is shown with the posture and finery of a dandy. Color lithographs like this were printed as tobacco package labels in the 1860s, when makers competed for buyers with eye-catching images, and a dressed-up dog would have been an easy joke for shoppers to read. The label carries the copyright line of W.P. Kittredge & Co., the firm that issued it. Comic animal figures in human roles were a popular way to poke fun at the habits of gentlemen about town.

Created / publishedc1869.
Medium1 print : lithograph, color.
GenreTobacco package labels 1860-1870.Lithographs Color 1860-1870.
NotesCopyright by W.P. Kittredge & Co.
SubjectsAnimals in human situations--1860-1870. Dogs--1860-1870.
SourceLibrary of Congress, Prints and Photographs Division
Original scan1,172 × 1,472 px · prints to 4 × 5 in at 300 dpi
ReferenceAMZ-SOTP-HPA-218226

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