Ehrhart, S. D. (Samuel D.), approximately 1862-1937

The endless game

A game of chess is being played on the “[Depar]tment of Police” board, between a hand labeled “Political Pull” showing a cufflink labeled “Brass Check” and a hand labeled “Reform.” Some of the squares are labeled “Race Track, Suburbs, White Lights, Gambling District, Goatville, Financial District, Tenderloin, Red Light District, Lonely Beat, [and] Hell’s Kitchen.” The chess pieces are police officers, some in plainclothes, labeled “Crooked Captain, Inspector, Sleuth, ‘Fixed’ Captain, Honest Captain, Grafting Captain, Honest Inspector, Plainclothes Man, [and] Sergeant.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906-11-21

The seven ages of dope

A folding fan opens to display “the seven ages of dope,” beginning on the left with a nurse attending to an infant, passing through childhood and adulthood, to old age, and culminating with a coffin-shaped closure for the fan. In the foreground is a row of containers for various types of adulterated products, and in the background are drug producing factories.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906-03-28

In time of peace, prepare for vacation

At center, a young man sits with his mannequin spouse labeled “Farmer’s Daughter,” looking at pictures in the “Family Album.” Surrounding vignettes show the man in training for the annual city-dweller’s summer vacation to the country. Caption: The wise young man goes in training now.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906-05-02

Gambling by wireless

Vignettes show the activities of stock exchanges and gambling on sporting events on ocean liners once they are equipped for wireless transmission.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906-06-20

How to keep a servant girl – and keep her satisfied – in the country

Vignettes lightheartedly depict Irish domestic servants being pampered and coddled by their employers in efforts to keep them happy and happily employed, chiefly, by taking their minds off their domestic duties by providing pleasant distractions.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906-01-17

An international high noon divorce

Illustration shows the circus-like atmosphere of the divorce proceedings of Anna Gould, holding a handful of “Incriminating Evidence” against her husband, and Boni de Castellane. Accompanying text describes the event in language that would be used to describe a wedding celebration.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1906-02-28

The annual invasion

Actors and characters (some in cages), acrobats, and theater props are being unloaded from a ship into a dock-side warehouse. Drawn at the commencement of the opera season; a satirical treatment of German favorites, both singers and aspects of the predictable repertoire. Caption: Arrival of the all-star Argonauts in quest of the golden “fleece.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-08-30

Not

A large elderly man labeled “Life Insurance” holds a cornucopia filled with documents labeled “For the Beneficiaries.” Next to him sits a large dog with collar labeled “Supt. Insurance,” and in front is a group of diminutive figures, a woman in mourning, an elderly man holding the hand of a young child, and a nurse holding an infant. In the background are a group of businessmen labeled “Corruption.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-10-04

Puck’s inventions

John D. Rockefeller stands on a ladder, dumping coins into a “Patent Disinfector,” as a member of the clergy opens a slot and coins pour into a bucket labeled “Purified Cash for Missions.” An open trunk labeled “Contributions,” full of money bags, is at the base of the ladder. Caption: The cash purification plant.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-04-12

The rivals

A beautiful young woman emerges from a church on Easter. A cluster of well-dressed men, all eager for her hand, are waiting. Two of the men turn away a devil figure dressed in red. Caption: Who hath not owned, with rapture smitten frame, / The power of grace.–Campbell.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-04-19

In the merry month of May

A tall, thin old man wearing a top hat labeled “Father” serves as the maypole around which several characters typically featured in Puck cartoons are dancing.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-05-17

Will the white slave have a Lincoln?

A man labeled “‘Independent’ Labor,” tied to a post labeled “Organized Tyranny,” is being whipped by a man labeled “Professional Entertainer.” In the background, a factory is burning.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-06-07

Why not settle it socially at Oyster Bay?

Vignette cartoon with a central image showing President Roosevelt sitting with Russian, Japanese, and possibly Chinese figures at his summer retreat at Oyster Bay; his personal secretary, William Loeb, is serving drinks. The vignette scenes suggest that the Russo-Japanese war, and the control of Manchuria and Vladivostok, be decided by competitions between the Russian leaders and those of Japan and China, such as a swimming race, a wood-chopping contest, a tennis match, and a contest of telling the tallest fish story.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-07-05

At the horse show

At center, fashionably dressed women admire a statue of a horse. Surrounding vignettes show women’s fashions, contrasting an automobile to a horse, the latest in horse fashions, and a horse-owner’s nightmare about failing to win a ribbon. Caption: Fashion’s shrine – horse show week.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1904-11-16

The king of them all

A jolly Santa Claus sits in a large chair at center with toys at his feet. A family with two little girls, possibly twins, and several children and servants approach him, smiling, on the right. Many nursery rhyme characters approach on the left, looking sad and distressed.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1904-12-07

The girl of the hour

A fashionably-dressed young woman ice skates on a pond in a park. She is being admired by several men and boys standing on the left, while on the right four women, a golfer, an automobile driver, a party-goer, and a hunter, trudge through the snow to await the arrival of summer. Old Man Winter blows a frigid blast over the scene from the top.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1904-12-14

Puck Christmas 1904

At center, Father Knickerbocker, a symbolic figure for New York City, welcomes Santa Claus to the underground of New York City. The surrounding vignettes show Santa distributing Christmas presents and planning for next year. The “Angel of Peace” is hoping for an end to the hostilities between Japan and Russia.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1904-12-21

In ad land

In this vignette cartoon, President Roosevelt and members of his cabinet appear at the center in a meeting. Each has a signboard advertising a patent medicine or other product on their back. Roosevelt’s says, “Strenoline The Famous Vigor Producer A De-Lightful Stimulant, Nervy Mfg. Co, Royster Bay.” Surrounding the central image are scenes showing men, animals, and statues, all with signboards, including an elephant labeled “G.O.P. The Great Tariff Comedian – Continuous Performances.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-01-11

The modern war god

A Jewish man dressed as Mars, the Roman god of war, and decorated with symbols of money, stands in the doorway of a munitions store labeled “Marsheim Bellonaberg & Co.” and “Ordnance Dept.” A notice posted on the side states “War Loans a Speciality” and a sign reads “By Appointment to H.I.M. the Czar & Mikado – Cash Vobiscum.”

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-01-25

The retirement of David

David B. Hill appears as a farm wife feeding chickens, geese, and pigs. Vignette scenes show Hill working the farm, shopping, and pontificating to a group of hayseed farmers. The final scene shows Hill in bed receiving the “Presidential Nomination” from Columbia.

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Collection

Library of Congress Prints and Photographs

Creation Date

1905-02-01