April 15, 1865 New York Herald Reprints

September 30, 2008 by GuyHeilenman 
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From our guest contributor, Rick Brown:

[caption id="attachment_337" align="alignright" width="220" caption="Authentic April 15, 1865 New York Herald"][/caption] I have been collecting Lincoln assassination ephemera for 43 years now. Since I am listed in several directories, I average 2 to 3 telephone calls a month from people wanting to know the value of their old newspapers. In the past 43 years I have been offered the April 15, 1865 New York Herald perhaps as many as 10,000 times and only once was it an original. I’ve heard many a story like  "It can’t be a reprint because my great grandfather fought in the Civil War and bought it in New York and brought it back home." One of the strangest responses I received when I informed the owner their specimen was a reprint was: "Producing a reprint is against the law. Therefore it HAS to be an original!" To add to the confusion, the first reprint was produced in 1871 and the last about 1908. (This does not include the reprints printed on parchment - those are still being produced today.) Thus, the reprints DO look old because they are old. In 1995 I did extensive research into newspaper reprints including the April 15, 1865 New York Herald. At that time I documented 32 different versions. The only Herald reprint produced on rag linen was a single sheet printed on both sides. The back page has a large ad for Grain-O-Coffee (who later became the originators of JELLO) and was produced in 1871. Due to the nation’s centennial in 1876, interest in major events in American history was high. Publishers produced literally a hundred different newspaper reprints of various titles. Starting in 1890, Kitchel’s Liniment, a patent medicine company, produced an annual version of the April 15, 1865 New York Herald. The front and back page remained the same. Pages 2 and 3 were testimonials for Kitchel’s Liniment. At the top of page 2, centered in the margin, was the phrase “Use Kitchel’s Liniment (1890) and Forever.” Each subsequent annual reprint changed the year in the phrase. The last Kitchel’s Liniment reprint version I have found is 1908. Another patent medicine company that produced New York Herald reprints was MA-LE-NA liver pills. They, too, produced annual reprint versions but with no date indicated like with Kitchel‘s Liniment. The assassination of President Garfield and McKinley also saw reprints of the April 15, 1865 New York Herald produced. Ford’s Theater and various museum gift shops also sold these reprints and still do today. [caption id="attachment_339" align="alignleft" width="203" caption="Authentic Left Column Heading"][/caption] While very few actually indicated on the paper itself that is was a reprint, it is important to note that NONE of these reprints were meant to deceive. In the case of the patent medicines, people were hired to give the reprints away at county fairs or other places where a large quantity of people would be gathering. The reprints were a marketing device. It was reasoned that having the Lincoln assassination news on the front and back page, people would not throw them away like they would if it were just a flyer advertising their product. In the 1930s, however, the height of the American depression, there were a few scam artists who went door to door selling a "valuable relic of American history" - An old April 15, 1865 New York Herald reprint they had obtained in quantity. Unknowing people would take what little cash money they had and purchase it for $1 or so (big money in those days.) They were hoping to sell it for much more. Meanwhile, the scam artist had moved on to another city. Of the 32 versions I have documented, only one was printed on rag linen; the Grain-O-Coffee one. Four of the versions were single sheet and printed on both sides. All four of these have the date April 15, 1865 on the front page and April 14, 1865 on the back page. Three were printed on parchment paper and the other one on wood pulp paper. The rest of the reprints were 4-page editions. Of the 32 reprint versions, all but 6 of them have printed on the front page in the forth column from the left and about six inches down the phrase EXTRA 8:10 AM is printed. There were NO original 8:10 AM EXTRA editions produced. Originals have eight pages and were printed on rag linen. One of my continual searches on Ebay is "April 15, 1865 New York Herald." Currently, on average, there are 3 to 4 of these placed on Ebay on a weekly basis. Very few correctly state that they are offering a reprint. Most claim to be originals. From time to time I will send an email to the seller pointing out that their specimen is actually a reprint and referring them to my site for further information. - http://www.historybuff.com/library/refhotlist.html.  Of each ten sellers I send the email to, on average, four thank me for pointing it out to them but seldom edit their listing to point out that it is a reprint; four do not respond at all; and, shamefully, two reply back with something like "You know it is a reprint, and I know it is a reprint, but THEY don’t know it’s a reprint." In the past 12 years I have used Ebay, only ONCE was an original offered. Fortunately, very few of the April 15, 1865 New York Herald’s reprints actually sell. Authentic Page One Report Recently, yet another Herald reprint was offered on Ebay that made me snicker. The photo showed one of the single sheet reprints so badly deteriorated that it was in four pieces. The seller stated that he would not normally sell this family heirloom, but for the right price he would sell it. The minimum bid was $100,000!!! I didn’t have the heart to break his bubble. Rick Brown HistoryBuff.com A Nonprofit Organization Editor's Note:  The Library of Congress also provides a great web page which discusses this commonly reprinted issue:  NY Herald Reprints
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Filed under: Civil War, Collecting Newspapers, Common Questions, Guest Posts, Revolutionary War, The Private Collection
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Comments

34 Responses to “April 15, 1865 New York Herald Reprints”

  1. Angela on October 22nd, 2008 7:56 pm

    Hi,
    Thank you for the information regarding the New York Herald 1865 Lincoln paper. Sadly, I’m one of those people who thought they had an original. In fact, I took the time to have it professionally archived and framed. Does it have any value at all? I think it is the one page version.
    Thank you for your site!

    All the best,
    Angela

  2. Rick Brown on October 22nd, 2008 10:24 pm

    Thanks for your inquiry. By stating your specimen is a “one page version” I assume you mean it is actually 2 pages – single sheet printed both sides. Unfortunately, since there were so many of these reprints produced, collector value is low. Perhaps only $15 or so if in excellent condition.

  3. Angela on October 23rd, 2008 10:12 pm

    Rick,

    Thank you so much for taking time to let me know the value.

    Now I will be the hunt for an authentic paper. Any advice?

    All the best, Angela

  4. Rick Brown on October 24th, 2008 2:39 pm

    My best advice is forget Ebay. In the past 9 years I have only found 1 original on Ebay and hundreds of reprints. (The genuine edition was in poor condition.) Even though the Ebay sellers state their specimen is “authentic,” “original,” etc., IT IS LIKELY NOT!

    As you may have guessed already, this is a hard-to-find original issue. However, being so rare, it is not as expensive as most would think. An original starts at $1000 and goes up from there depending on condition.

    Buy ONLY from a long-term historic newspaper dealer (not general antiques dealers, or small, local auctions) and don’t purchase it unless they guarantee it to be authentic for life.

    Rick Brown

  5. EMMA on November 10th, 2008 11:02 pm

    Hi I WOULD LIKE TO KNOW IF LAMINATING A NEWS PAPER ARTICLE WOULD TAKE AWAY FROM THE VALUE AND OR THE AUTHENTICITY OF THE NEWS PAPER?

  6. GuyHeilenman on November 11th, 2008 8:33 am

    Good question Emma,

    Although laminating would not take away from the authenticity of the newspaper, it typically does diminish the value. Best to place it in an archival sleeve of some sort… or to have it professionally framed using acid-free materials and a high quality UV glass.

  7. John Knox on December 23rd, 2008 1:22 am

    I appreciated your comments about the reprints and would be interested to hear your opinion of what a genuine New York Herald April 15 1865 issue would be worth.

  8. GuyHeilenman on December 23rd, 2008 9:36 am

    Hello John – I am unable to comment on an issue without having it in hand, but if it helps, our last two authentic NY Heralds for this date sold in the $2,000-$2,500 range.

  9. rachelle munoz on January 11th, 2009 10:51 pm

    i have a original paper of the new york herold on april 15th 1865 and i wanted to know how much it is worth i got it from my great great great grandfather when he died and now it might be worth alot more than it was 153 years ago but the condition is not its best cause its crumbling up everywhere but if any one can tell me the truth of how much it is worth that wolud be great thanks Rachelle Munoz

  10. GuyHeilenman on January 12th, 2009 11:45 am

    Hello Rachelle,

    Although we do not typically like to use the blog as a place to “appraise” issues, you issue is one worth discussing. If the paper is very brittle, since it is from the “rag” era, there is a reasonable chance it is a reprint (perhaps even reprinted soon after the Civil War. Please go to the Library of Congress’ description of the common reprints of this issue (see link below). If it is authentic, please contact us at guy@rarenewspapers.com. If it is not authentic, keep it as a family heirloom. It has emotional value, but no collectible value. Good luck.

    Link: http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/circulars/nyherald.txt

  11. Kayla on May 13th, 2009 10:49 pm

    I must say, I was semi-sad when my Aunt Dee sent me this link, for my Great Grandma Mae has a re-print (Grain-O!). Of course we all thought it was an original.

    I still think it’s ‘pretty cool’ and I get a kick out of reading the Grain-O part. Thank you for taking the time for posting this for all to read; I’m sure I’m not the only one who is grateful.

  12. GuyHeilenman on May 14th, 2009 6:40 am

    Hello Kayla – Thank you for your kind words. Sorry for the bad news; however, I appreciate your spirit. :)

  13. Greg Adams on June 14th, 2009 10:54 pm

    So if it has 8:10 AM, it is a reprint?

    We found it in the attic of my Great Aunt. I think that I dont care that it is a reprint, but it definitely would be nicer. I really can’t use much information because it is just the front page in a frame.

  14. Theresa on June 20th, 2009 11:53 am

    My in-laws have one and I am sure it is a copy. I would like to know how I can located on the web the original. There is a section of it that was cut out and we are just curious what was in that spot that someone had to cut out.

    Thanks for your help.

  15. GuyHeilenman on June 22nd, 2009 7:22 am

    We do not have any reprints so your best bet is to go to the Library of Congress’ website of common reprints. You may also want to contact Rick Brown at http://www.historybuff.com

  16. Tom Rowley on June 23rd, 2009 3:56 pm

    Regarding the Lincoln Assassination… The New York papers of the time tell the story well, but why is it that there are no Washington D.C. papers out there with the assassination news? I know the D.C. papers at the the time were, for the most part, critical of Lincoln, but I don’t think I have ever seen any D.C. papers (or even reprints) with assassination news.

  17. GuyHeilenman on June 24th, 2009 7:39 am

    Hello Tom – Good question. Washington, D.C. issues on the assassination do exist. We’ve had a few through the years. We just suspect their print numbers were considerably less than the more popular N.Y. titles (much bigger city) which may explain why there are fewer out there.

  18. Sharlee on June 24th, 2009 7:28 pm

    I have a two sided 2pm Inauguration Edition reprint, on page 8 at the very bottom of the paper it reads: Reproduction of pages 1 and 8 from an original in the Library of Congress. The rush in getting out this extra edition probably accounts for the incorrect date line of page 8 reading April 14, 1865.

    My question to you is when was it reprinted and who reprinted this paper. I have done research and nothing mentions this note at the bottom. The paper itself is in good condition I found it in an old trunk of pictures that my Grandmother had left to me when she died. The paper was folding in fours and has almost no tears in the creases. The paper looks yellowed because of moisture. The paper is thick but I have no clue of material used. Any clues you could give me would be helpfull.

    Thank you Sharlee

  19. GuyHeilenman on June 25th, 2009 6:49 am

    Unfortunately we do not have any knowledge concerning the reprint editions – other than how to identify them. Sorry. You may want to contact the American Antiquarian Society and/or the Library of Congress – Newspapers Division.

  20. Rick Brown on July 3rd, 2009 9:45 pm

    I have found that the double-dated, single sheet printed both sides on “heavier paper” is a reprint that was sold in Civil War souvenir shops as well as Ford’s Theatre. It is actually printed on modern parchment paper. This reprint version began in the 1960s and has continued ever since.

  21. GuyHeilenman on July 6th, 2009 6:59 am

    Thanks Rick. The more information gathered on this common reprint the better. Your Newspaper Reprints Monograph link found at Common Reprints is a valuable resource for those wishing to learn more.

  22. JT on July 20th, 2009 2:37 pm

    Many thanks for great information. I too have the Grain-o. You saved me the cost of spending hundreds to preserve a copy worth $15 (if that). I’ll see if any local school is interested in having it as a teaching tool.

  23. jjacobs on July 27th, 2009 1:48 pm

    april 29,1865 harpers illustrated newspaper. what do i look for to know if mine is a reprint or original?

  24. GuyHeilenman on July 27th, 2009 2:03 pm

    Most Harper’s Weekly reprinted issues were not reprinted with intention to deceive. Some were reprinted as “commemorative” items and others were reprinted for educational purposes. Although it is impossible to tell for certain without having the issue in hand, Harper’s Weekly reprints typically had the phrase “Reprint” or “The Reissue Of” (small) in the masthead or had a solid black circular ink-spot in the upper left or right-hand corner of the masthead.

  25. GJackson on November 2nd, 2009 11:36 am

    OOOPS. I just picked up an April 15, 1865 edition of (if I can remember since I’m at work and the paper’s at home) New York Herald at our local flea market for $60. Now after reading about all the “reprints”, I wonder if I have an 1871 reprint. My newspaper has an image of President Lincoln on the front page; so far, I don’t see any newspapers with his image. The paper is only 4 pages — I skimmed through the stories and it does give a timeline but makes no mention of Booth – just that the murderer escaped and is being chased. The paper is fragile and on foam core backing covered in clear plastic wrap. I’ll leave it be until I can find a copy online of what I’ve purchased to decide if it’s original or reprint. It’s not rag paper – I have rag paper newspapers from 1809-1811 (English) so can spot them. Oh well. It’s a nice newspaper but probably not worth the paper it’s written on (lol).

  26. GJackson on November 2nd, 2009 11:43 am

    And my newspaper is 4 pages; not 2, so I guess there’s hope until hope fades…..much like ink on paper (lol).

  27. GuyHeilenman on November 2nd, 2009 12:07 pm

    Sorry, but if it has an image of Lincoln, it is a reprint. Sorry for the bad news. Thanks for posting this.

  28. Glenda on November 3rd, 2009 12:11 pm

    Hopefully my mistake helps others avoid making one. I still like the paper … it’s a novelty item but now I’m more knowledgeable in case I come across something in the future. GREAT SITE YOU HAVE HERE! I’ve purchased Ventura newspaper from you before…

  29. Marc King on December 22nd, 2009 2:12 pm

    Oh man, I thought I had an original. Unfortunately it has a photo of Lincoln in the front left corner. It is only two pages.. It’s in pretty bad shape. My uncle found it folded up in my Great Granmother’s bible, and gave it to me. I had it framed in a nice frame. Great site…Thanks for the info.

  30. Danny on March 17th, 2010 10:13 pm

    I have a copy that says reprint on it. The front page says April 15, 1865 and the back page says April 14 1865, It also says it’s page 8. It says on the bottem of the page that it is a reprint and that the date is wrong because of the rush in getting out the extra edition. It says that it is a reproduction from an original in the Library of congress. I found it in a frame that belonged to my wifes father. She says that she remembers it being in his office when she was a child she is 47 now.It also had a jumbo post card of Lincoln in the frame. How old would you say these items are.
    Thanks Danny

  31. GuyHeilenman on March 22nd, 2010 10:39 am

    Sorry – but since some were done soon after the event, and others were done much later, there is no way to know for sure. If it was copied from an issue held at the Library of Congress, it was likely done in the last 30 years. To confirm, you may want to consult their newspapers division. Good luck.

  32. Lila Sybesma on March 22nd, 2010 8:30 pm

    I’m a little confused on the reprint/no reprint issue. I have a badly worn issue of the April 15, 1865 issue. It has no picture of Lincoln and has Kitchel’s Liniment on the back. I see no words that says reprint. It was found with other documents from that time period.

  33. TimHughes on March 23rd, 2010 11:49 pm

    If it has the Kitchel’s Liniment ad on the back, it’s a reprint unfortunately.
    Tim Hughes

  34. Carrie on June 23rd, 2010 2:49 pm

    Thanks for your info on the New York Herald April 15, 1865. I have one of the reprints with the “Extra” 8:10 A.M. on teh front page. It was found in an old family steamer trunk. I am sad to hear that it is a reprint. It is not in the best of condition so probably will just toss or give to grandson.

    Thank you again for your information. Very Helpful.

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