The Charles Faivre Collection is made up of eight items pertinent to the veterinary work of father-son horse surgeons Charles Faivre and Charles Nicholas Faivre of Philadelphia. The bulk of the papers are a 60-page treatment record kept by the younger Faivre in 1895; and a ca. 1908 medicinal recipe book of Charles, Jr., "of The Bergner & Engel's Brewing Co's 31st and Jefferson St. Stable Dept. Philadelphia Pa." Other items include a portrait photograph of Charles Faivre, Sr.; a photograph of Charles, Jr., standing with a horse; and a business card and order sheets of Charles, Sr., dating from ca. 1870 and the 1880s.
The following inventory is in rough chronological order:
- Carte-de-visite-sized full length studio portrait of a bearded man, labeled on verso as Dr. Charles Faivre. Mount: "Photographie Centrale No. 2, Cours Belzunce à l'Angle de la Rue Noailles, (Canebière prolongée) Marseille".
- Faded pink paper printed business card for "DR. CHAS. FAIVRE, French Veterinary Surgeon, Graduate at College of Veterinary Surgery at Alfort, France, in 1860, No. 2345 FAIRMOUNT AVENUE, PHILADELPHIA. A Fine Infirmary of 20 Box Stalls and Good Attendance."
- Printed envelope, pink paper, of "DR, CHAS. FAIVRE, French Veterinary Surgeon, 2315 WALLACE STREET, PHILADELPHIA." Return address. Unused.
- Two partially printed order sheets (faded pink paper), "DR. CHARLES FAIVRE, French Veterinary Surgeon, No 2315 WALLACE STREET. Philadelphia, [ ] 188[ ] No. [ ] Ordered from". One of them has pen and ink writing in French, giving birthdays of Dr. Charles Faivre, Sr.'s children Charles, Marie, Frank, and Annie.
- Silver gelatin paper print of a man standing with a bridled horse in front of double-doors with a wooden ramp leading up to them. Pencil identification as Charles Faivre, Jr.
- Charles Nicholas Faivre Treatment Record, January 24-December 31, 1895. These records include around 60 unbound, 6" x 3.75" pages, comprised of partially printed accounts on which Dr. Faivre indicated the dates, names of his clients or type of horse, and the work performed either at his stables or on visits. The following are typical entries. On February 25, he recorded "1 Bottle of White Lini for Black horse." On March 8, "Mr. Miller 1 Bottle of Blue fire 1 visit—3F." On April 2, "Mr Finknauer 1 visit for gray carriage horse hind leg Broke Jerry take him away." On April 12, "Plastered 1 shoulder of Mr Kleins gray horse . . . at our Stable carriage horse." On July 29, "Dr Stewarts horse came to our Stable sick constipation." The records show periodic use of B.J. Kendall Company's opium-based medicine for horses: "Fired horse with Spavin Cure."
- Charles Nicholas Faivre Veterinary Formula and Recipe Book, ca. 1908. This tattered notebook contains ingredients and measures for medical treatment of horses at "The Bergner & Engel's Brewing Co's 31st and Jefferson St. Stable Dept. Philadelphia Pa." The recipes include a variety of different liniments ("strong," "yellow," "camphor," "fever," "blue"); White and Black Sore powder (containing white pepper, chalk, zinc, sugar of lead, camphor, and burnt alum); "colique medicine"; pain colic; liquid for cooling; "Red Sore Powder"; "Powder for Proud flesh"; a base for salves"; liquid and powder medicines for worms; treatment of sand cracks or split hooves; pneumonia and fever medicine; liniment for saddle galls; eye wash; treatment "for Swelling of Horse's Penis"; deep sealed wound treatment; "Powder Hippiatrique"; and medicine "for sores for sluffing out and Healing." Faivre also wrote out seven numbered powders, for example, "Powder No 7 Powder a l'aconite pour la Toux" is made up of 10 ingredients, among them pulverized licorice root, marshmallow root, opium, squill powder, and sulfur antimony. Several recipes pertain to hair, including a hair tonic, shampoo, and pomade noir. At least two recipes are not veterinary, including "Rupture for People" with ingredients yellow wax, mutton tallow, Burgoyne Pitch, Lard, and Russian Cantharadis. Also present is a linseed oil-based furniture polish recipe.
Charles Faivre was born in January 1837 in France and, according to his business card, graduated from the College of Veterinary Surgery at Alfort, France, in 1860. He immigrated to the United States in 1869 and quickly settled in Philadelphia, boarding at a saloon and working as a farrier. Once established, he spent the rest of his career working as a veterinary surgeon specializing in horses. He married fellow French immigrant Annette Morel on June 5, 1874, and the couple had at least five children. Charles Faivre died on June 7, 1902.
Charles Nicholas Faivre was born ca. 1875 to Charles and Annette Faivre in Philadelphia. He married Elizabeth Truran in 1898 and followed in his father's footsteps as a veterinarian for horses. He spent the later part of his career caring for horses at stables of the Bergner & Engel's Brewing Company. Charles Faivre, Jr., died on April 3, 1913, in Philadelphia.
