RareNewspapers.com has over 18,000 collectible newspapers available for under $50…

March 4, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

When it comes to authentic, collectibles from the past, it is hard to imagine that items 100-300 years old can be had for under $50, but it’s true. RareNewspapers.com has greater than 18,000 original newspapers priced under $50, of which well over 10,000 are 100-300+ years old. A chronological list can be found here:

Authentic/Collectible Newspapers Priced Under $50 

The images below show a few snippets of what you may find.


The New York Draft riots from during the Civil War (1863)…

A newspaper from 1682 by a woman publisher…

Peace between Israel and Palestine?

Beloved actor Henry Fonda’s death report in a regional Hollywood srea newspaper (Los Angeles Times)…

Announcing: Catalog #340 for March, 2024 – Rare & Early Newspapers…

March 1, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

 

The March catalog (#340) 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.

CATALOG #340 – This latest offering of authentic newspapers is comprised of more than 300 new items, a selection which includes the following noteworthy issues: a report of Lexington & Concord in a desirable title, a huge map of the Mississippi River dated 1775, a Maryland newspaper from 1755, print of Jesse James print consumes the front page, a British newsbook from 1643, ‘The Polynesian’ from Honolulu), Lincoln’s 2nd inauguration, letter by Ben Franklin, the Jay Treaty, John Marshall (optician to the King and Queen), a Botany Bay reports, and more.

 

 

Helpful Links to the Catalog:
————–
DISCOUNTED ISSUES – What remains of last month’s discounted issues may be viewed at: Discount (select items at 50% off)
————–
Thanks for collecting with us.

 

Sincerely,

 

Guy Heilenman & The Rare & Early Newspapers Team

570-326-1045

[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: The State, 1892…

February 23, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

The odd, dramatic, and unusual have always been a draw for me, and when I encountered The State (dated Nov. 9, 1892) from Richmond, Virginia, I knew it had to be part of the private collection.
The entire front page is a celebration of the election of Grover Cleveland as President in 1892. It is done in a very dramatic fashion, featuring a huge engraving of a rooster (once the symbol of the Democratic party) that stretches from just below the dateline to the bottom of the front page. There are also insets of both Cleveland and Adlai Stevenson. Of curious interest is the lack of a headline or any text.
The condition is worn as was typical with newsprint of the era, and with various archival repairs, but wow, what a wonderful issue for display!

This Day in “News” History… January 26th…

January 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

Another day of news as reported in original newspapers… January 26th…

There are many internet sources available to explore what happened on a particular day in history. However, as collectors and resellers of “Rare & Early Newspapers”, our curiosity lies in what people were reading in their morning newspaper on specific days in history. In nearly every instance they were discovering what happened the day prior – and if one reaches back into the 1600s, 1700’s, and early 1800s, when news travelled a bit more slowly, they very well could have been (finally) reading about “rumored” and/or anticipated events from days, weeks, or even months prior.

Today’s adventure?

What about January 26th? The following link will take you to all of our available newspapers dated January 26th:

NEWS REPORTED in NEWSPAPERS on January 26th (through time)

Enjoy the trek. Oh, and if you want to try other dates, go here and plug in any month/day of interest.

 

“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus”…

December 13, 2023 by · Leave a Comment 

The world-famous article shown below appeared in THE (New York) SUN on September 21, 1897. It is certainly one of the most challenging issues to collect as few are known to exist. It has been said this may very well be the most recognized editorial of all time. Found on page 6 and headed: “Is There a Santa Claus?”, this is the famous “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus” editorial written by Francis Pharcellus Church, a sardonic Columbia College graduate & veteran Sun writer, he produced a masterpiece in fewer than 500 words.

Although the letter from Virginia and the famous response by Church have become well known (translated into 20 languages), few would know the prefacing paragraph which immediately precedes Virginia’s letter: “We take pleasure in answering at once and thus prominently the communication below, expressing at the same time our great gratification that its faithful author is numbered among the friends of The Sun:…” and then Virginia’s letter and Church’s response.

The famous phrase “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus…” begins the second paragraph, and the letter closes with: “…No Santa Claus!  Thank God! he lives, and he lives forever. A thousand years from now, Virginia, nay, ten times ten thousand years from now, he will continue to make glad the heart of childhood.”

The press tracked Virginia until her retirement as a 70-year-old school teacher, while Church remained anonymous as the author until his death in 1906.

As for Church, he was a hardened cynic and an atheist who had little patience for superstitious beliefs, did not want to write the editorial, and refused to allow his name to be attached to the piece. More than a century later, it is the most reprinted editorial in any newspaper in the English language. This reality is a great reminder to all of us to always give our best effort, even when we don’t necessarily agree with those whom are in authority over us – moral conflicts accepted.

So, for a few brief moments let’s set aside the weight of “enlightenment” which is pressed upon us by virtue of adulthood and attempt to appreciate the sweet exchange between a “cynical” journalist and a curious, yet innocent, young girl. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to ALL!

Announcing: Catalog #336 for November, 2023 – Rare & Early Newspapers…

November 3, 2023 by · Leave a Comment 

 

The November catalog (#336) 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.

CATALOG #336 – This latest offering of authentic newspapers is comprised of more than 300 new items, a selection which includes the following noteworthy issues: Lincoln’s assassination (in a Washington, D.C. newspaper), the famous ‘Dewey Defeats Truman’ newspaper, Bunker Hill & Washington becomes commander-in-chief, a rare newsbook dated 1647, Paul Revere engraved the masthead, John Wilkes Booth’s final performance at Ford’s Theatre, and more.

 

 

Helpful Links to the Catalog:
————–
DISCOUNTED ISSUES – What remains of last month’s discounted issues may be viewed at: Discount (select items at 50% off)
————–
Thanks for collecting with us.

 

Sincerely,

 

Guy Heilenman & The Rare & Early Newspapers Team

570-326-1045

[The links above will redirect to the latest catalog in approx. 30 days

upon which time it will update to the most recent catalog.]

Announcing: Catalog #335 for October, 2023 – Rare & Early Newspapers…

September 29, 2023 by · Leave a Comment 

 

The October catalog (#335) 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.

CATALOG #335 – This latest offering of authentic newspapers is comprised of more than 300 new items, a selection which includes the following noteworthy issues: Birth of the oil industry (in a Houston newspaper), Broadside issue of “The Daily Rebel” newspaper, George Washington at age 22 (and a map of America), Washington crosses the Delaware, London newsbook from 1659, Boston newspaper with an engraving by Paul Revere, and more.

 

 

Helpful Links to the Catalog:
————–
DISCOUNTED ISSUES – What remains of last month’s discounted issues may be viewed at: Discount (select items at 50% off)
————–
Thanks for collecting with us.

 

Sincerely,

 

Guy Heilenman & The Rare & Early Newspapers Team

570-326-1045

[The links above will redirect to the latest catalog in approx. 30 days

upon which time it will update to the most recent catalog.]

From the Vault – Finding those unexpected historical nuggets.

September 25, 2023 by · 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.)

They Put It In Print – Going to extreme lengths to prove another’s innocence…

September 18, 2023 by · 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:

Announcing: Catalog #334 for September, 2023 – Rare & Early Newspapers…

September 1, 2023 by · Leave a Comment 

 

The September catalog (#334) 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.

CATALOG #334 – This latest offering of authentic newspapers is comprised of more than 300 new items, a selection which includes the following noteworthy issues: the surrender of Cornwallis at Yorktown (in a New Jersey Gazette), a Tombstone Epitaph (most famous title from the Old West?), Burgoyne’s account of his surrender at Saratoga, Chief Justice Taney on the Dred Scott Decision, a newsbook from 1647 (“Perfect Occurrences…”), nice headlines on Lincoln’s 1st election, a Revolutionary War bounty pay document from 1777, report on the Cherry Valley Massacre (1778), the beginning of the Australian Gold Rush: New South Wales would be changed forever, Texas becomes a state: from the nation’s capital, obvious bias against the Mormons (a very early report), and more.

 

Helpful Links to the Catalog:
————–
DISCOUNTED ISSUES – What remains of last month’s discounted issues may be viewed at: Discount (select items at 50% off)
————–
Thanks for collecting with us.

 

Sincerely,

 

Guy Heilenman & The Rare & Early Newspapers Team

570-326-1045

[The links above will redirect to the latest catalog in approx. 30 days

upon which time it will update to the most recent catalog.]

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