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From the Vault – Finding those unexpected historical nuggets.
September 25, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Few thrills are greater in the rare newspaper collecting hobby than finding the unexpected historic gem. Those moments of serendipity are the treasures we all hope for at some point in our quest for new additions to our collection.
I have come across many in my years of collecting with two among the more interesting.
Long before the days of the internet I subscribed to the catalogs of the prestigious Sotheby’s auction house in New York City as they occasionally ran Americana sales which included newspapers. One sale offered an 
issue of the SOUTH CAROLINA GAZETTE from August of 1776. Trying to assemble one newspaper of all thirteen colonies from the Revolutionary War, this would be a new addition to that set. The lengthy catalog description noted some war skirmishes but nothing significant. But that was not a concern to me as I was only seeking a title from that colony from during the war, and the date of 1776 made it that much better. I placed my bid and was excited to learn I won the issue.
Several weeks later the issue arrived. In preparing it for my collection I casually looked over the content, and you can imagine my shock upon finding on page 2 a complete printing of the Declaration of Independence! I couldn’t imagine the incompetence of the cataloger–employed by Sotheby’s no less–who missed this report.
Not many years ago we purchased the newspaper holding of a public library in Massachusetts which includes a lengthy run of a Springfield newspaper, in fact two truckloads of volumes ranging from the mid-1800’s thru the latter part of the 20th century. Knowing the wealth of historical material which could be culled from this collection we put our attention to those events for several months upon its return to our
office & warehouse in Williamsport. Some time later we realized that the sport of basketball was founded in Springfield. Could we be so fortunate to to find a report off the very first game every played? Did the local newspaper even report what is now an extremely significant event in the history of basketball?
Indeed they did. The Springfield Republican, March 12, 1892 issue reported somewhat inconspicuously on page 6 an event headed “Basket Football Game” played the day before (which we now recognize as the first public basketball game), with mention of James Naismith who is recognized as the founder of the sport. It was a thrill to find the report which languished for over 100 years, unbeknown to anyone, in the back shelves of a library. Curiously the curator of the Basketball Hall of Fame didn’t appreciate its significance, however the Smithsonian Institution did as it now is part of their collection.
What historical gems have you discovered serendipitously in issues purchased for another reason, or as part of a collection where nothing special was expected? Feel free to share your stories with other collectors!
(This post was originally published on October 13, 2008.)
Snapshot 1839… Is an atheist’s sworn statement in court valid?
September 22, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Let’s be honest, if a journalist posed this question in a mainstream newspaper today, the pushback for even asking the question would likely go viral within minutes, if not seconds. However, in 1831 the Boston Police Court was wrestling with this very question. In fact, the language used to describe such a situation was not one of validity, but competency. The article is too long to show in full, but for those who may be curious I’ve included 2 photos below – one each of both of the introduction and the conclusion.
Note: Some might also find the slavery-themed content within this same issue rather interesting as well: Daily National Intelligencer, July 2, 1839.
They Put It In Print – Going to extreme lengths to prove another’s innocence…
September 18, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Would you step in front of a moving vehicle to push a small child out of the way of its path? Would you jump into a river to save a drowning family member? Would you kill yourself to prove a stranger’s innocence? If you are anything like me, the answers in order are: “yes”, “Yes”, and “NOT A CHANCE”. However, someone not only said “yes” to the 3rd question, he actually put his “yes” into action. How do we know? The New York Herald dated June 17, 1871 put it in print:
Horace Greeley inadvertently meets a slave trader (1859)…
September 11, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
As Kansas began to bleed were slaveholders in Missouri and Kansas selling their slaves to other slaveholders in the South? Did the efforts of the well-intended inadvertently lead to opportunists who “helped” to rid the region of slaves by becoming slaver traders? The article shown below from The Norwalk Experiment (OH) dated June 14, 1859 appears to indicate as much. While the likelihood of the worst of humanity rearing its ugly head under such circumstances is certainly not hard to fathom, our efforts to find documentation of this happening at this particular time has come up dry. If anyone can shed light on whether or not this had become common practice, please respond. If relevant, we will post your comment. Thanks in advance. In the meantime, the complete article is shown below.
“Uncle Tom’s Cabin” – impacting The Senate and The South (1853)…
September 4, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Few can argue against the claim of Harriet Beecher’s Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’ Cabin“ being one of the most influential books upon the 19th century… and beyond. However, many incorrectly believe the impact to have been largely upon America alone, but the reality is many European countries felt its sting long before its role in codifying anti-slavery sentiment within the United States. Scanning through newspaper reports from the early 1850’s dramatically reveal the initial polar-opposite reactions regarding its influence.
One such newspaper was the Mach 17, 1863 issue of the New-York Daily Times. The front page provides the text (except shown to the right) of the previous day’s debate on the floor of the Senate in which one senator refers its impact on England as a positive validation for his point, while another senator takes the reference to be an unjustified, gross, “miserable” insult. For those who were beginning to sense the foundation of slavery beginning to crumble, this novel would prove to be a thorn in their side for years to come.
Ironically, in case one wonders if the culture of the 1850’s was ripe for the demise of slavery, page two has a lengthy discussion on the impact of both slave and free labor on Southern Agriculture Prosperity – an excerpt which is shown below. One of the fun things about the relationship between this incredible novel and historic newspapers is that it was 1st printed in serialized form in The National Era, a newspaper out of Washington, D.C..
Announcing: Catalog #334 for September, 2023 – Rare & Early Newspapers…
September 1, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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[The links above will redirect to the latest catalog in approx. 30 days
upon which time it will update to the most recent catalog.]
The reason I collected it: Dodge’s Literary Museum…
August 21, 2023 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Mastheads of newspapers through the centuries offer a very wide assortment of styles, sizes and decorativeness, with many being quite mundane. Only the “special” ones make it to the private collection, and “Dodge’s Literary Museum” is one.
Any newspapering which the masthead consumes one-third of the front page qualifies. This title’s masthead engraving consumes over half of the front page, very unusual as such. The content may be literary items with no “newsy” reports, but the front page is certainly worth of collecting, regardless of what is inside.
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We all need a North Star… Wisdom from Frederick Douglass…
August 14, 2023 by Laura Heilenman · 1 Comment
It is difficult to look at the life of Frederick Douglass and not become completely enthralled. Over the years, as I have ventured beyond the surface-deep historical facts by reading his speeches and writing, I have been astounded by his insight into the human condition and his wisdom which inspires the reader to live their best, most sacrificial life. It is no coincidence his first newspaper was titled THE NORTH STAR (later called the FREDERICK DOUGLASS’ PAPER). I would submit we can all use a clear guide to true north. Here’s hoping and praying that every new generation studies his life and writings, thereby helping to ensure “a more perfect Union” and a brighter future for all.
Source: Edited photo from the Library of Congress, Washington, DC
The impact of Newspapers on the abolition of slavery…
August 4, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
The impact print media in general, and newspapers in particular had on attitudes towards slavery cannot be overstated. The abolitionist press was in full-force during the early-to-mid 1800’s with publications such as The Anti-Slavery Bugle, The Emancipator, the National Anti-Slavery Standard, the National Era (which had the honor of being the first to print Harriet Beecher Stowe’s “Uncle Tom’s Cabin”), among those who carried the torch. While some publishers became household names during this critical period in American history (William Lloyd Garrison – publisher of The Liberator), Frederick Douglass – publisher of the North Star [later, the Frederick Douglass’ Paper], and Horace Greeley – publisher of the New York Tribune), a slew of others, while highly influential, have largely been forgotten. One such unheralded publisher was Hezekiah Niles’, the publisher of the Niles’ Register from Baltimore, Maryland. While Niles’ Register would not be placed under the umbrella of The Abolitionist Press, not wearing this label coupled with its heavy focus on political issues may have played to his advantage when Hezekiah wrote and published his “Mitigation of Slavery” in serialized form over a span of 8 issues in 1819. It may not have had an Uncle-Tom’s-Cabin-level impact among the masses, there is little doubt the minds of many in-and-around Washington D.C. were challenged to keep the abolishment of slavery at the forefront of both political and public discourse. The full text of his essay can be read on-line, however, photo-snippets of portions of an original as well as a brief description may be viewed on the Rare Newspapers website: Hezekiah Niles’ “Mitigation of Slavery“. His final thoughts are shown below.
Horrace Greeley, Fred Douglass, Harriet Beecher Stowe… Hezekiah Niles…
Announcing: Catalog #333 for August, 2023 – Rare & Early Newspapers…
July 31, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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The August catalog (#333) is now available. Shown below are links to various segments of the catalog, our currently discounted newspapers, and recent posts to the History’s Newsstand Blog. Please enjoy.
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[The links above will redirect to the latest catalog in approx. 30 days
upon which time it will update to the most recent catalog.]