DARKTOWN FIRE POSTER FIREMAN INVESTIGATING SMOKE

DARKTOWN FIRE POSTER FIREMAN INVESTIGATING SMOKE
Item# 1168
$9.99

Product Description

Note: These prints are examples of the horrible stereotyping that was done about African Americans in the late 1800’s. They are offered here for historical perspective and we mean no offense, either for the images or the language attributed to the characters. Both the captions and artwork were all used in the original posters.

The2FunAdGuyz offer a new, high-quality reproduction, print of one of the infamous “Dark Town Comics”, published by Currier & Ives. Most Americans think of Curriers & Ives as producing bucolic scenes that appeared on holiday greeting cards, but they also has a less serene side that appealed to the prejudices of people who lived at the time.

This print is one of a group now called “The Darktown Fire Brigade”. There are around a dozen of the series—six of them in black and white and an equal number of full color prints—such as this one. All of the series have the same chief and several recognizable firefighters.

“Investigating A Smoke” is the name of this print. The Fire Chief is shown aghast, his crew still rushing down the road to a smoke rising from the church. A minister and his nattily-dressed congregation are shown enjoying pipes of tobacco and causing the thick smoke that has brought the chief and his men.

The first line of the caption reads: “The Darktown Fire Brigade – Investigating A Smoke.”

The second line of the caption reads: “Parson, no sah de meetin house ain’t afire. But de congregation am takin a smoke of de world’s best tebbaker.”

A second print similar to this shows the chief joining the congregation for a smoke. It is also available in our store.

They are a must-have for collectors of black memorabilia or Currier & Ives reprints. Unfortunately these caricatures masked the bravery of thousands of African-American firefighters in hundreds of communities who stood as the only way their community could deal with the toll of fires in their towns.

The lithography printers, Nat Currier and Jim Ives, did this banner. From their business on Spruce Street in Brooklyn, New York, they printed over 1 million prints covering over 7500 different titles from 1834 to 1907. Though their lithographs are in high demand today, they once described their business as "Publishers of Cheap and Popular Pictures".

PAPER QUALITY: This new print is on a highest quality, acid-free, 100-pound glossy premium text paper that allows for maximum color brilliance and fidelity for older images.

AVAILABILITY: In Stock! – Ships Within 1 Business Day of cleared payment.


Image Size: 14.5 inches wide by 10.5 inches high.

Paper Size: 17 inches wide by 11 inches high. This allows for a small border around the image for matting and framing. When matted, this format is perfect for a standard 16-inch x 20-inch frame, a manageable size for a wide variety of decorating purposes.

PLEASE NOTE, The watermark (The2FunAdGuyz) across the thumbnail does NOT appear on the item you will receive.


©All copy and digitally enhanced images and prints copyright 2003-2011 by the2funadguyz. All Rights Reserved.