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Prices realized… 18th century…
September 13, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · 2 Comments
We continue with our series on “Prices Realized”. Below are a examples of actual prices paid 
for a few scattered issues from the 18th century. While not the highest valued from the period, they certainly are “premium” issues. Our hope is to provide a more-comprehensive listing in the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, for what it is worth…
The Constitution of the United States… CONNECTICUT COURANT, Hartford, Oct. 1, 1787 ($17,500, 2007)
The Boston Massacre… THE ESSEX GAZETTE, Salem, Massachusetts, March 20, 1770 ($9,250, 2006)
The following is a link to our previous post in this series:
Prices realized… 16th & 17th centuries…
Prices realized… 16th & 17th centuries…
September 6, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · 7 Comments
While we’ve written several posts identifying some of the factors which impact the value of a rare and/or historic newspaper, a “price guide” showing prices realized is as of yet unavailable. Our hope would be to have such a resource accessible within the not-too-distant future. In the meantime, we’ll be taking the next few Mondays to provide some information in this regard which we hope you will find helpful.
16th & 17th Centuries:
One of the earliest issues you will find… ZEITUNGEN, AUS WELSCHLANDEN, 1546 ($1,752, 2007)
Finding authentic newspapers from this period (16th and 17th centuries) is becoming exceedingly difficult. As a result, what would these same issues be valued at today? What impact did the condition, displayability, content, proximity (date and location to the content), rarity, etc. have on each? While these factors, and more, impact the valuation of an issue, the above examples are what they are – prices realized.
Note: Many price guides (in other collectible areas) show highly inflated prices. This enables resellers to offer items at slightly under “established” prices, giving buyers the illusion that they are getting a bargain. However, the truth is, the value of an item is really the price that others are actually willing to pay – not what a catalog/price guide lists. In the field of Rare Newspapers, our approach will always be to base prices on hard data – the track record of previous sales. Additionally, at Rare Newspapers, we try to set prices at a point where both resellers and individual collectors are comfortable. As a result, we do not have a two-tier system (one price for resellers, and another for collectors). We believe this policy provides a degree of integrity within the collectible community. We hope you agree.
How the Newspaper Changed the Press: Providing Contextual History…
September 2, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Imagine the newspaper in pre-revolutionary Virginia. It’s the only one in the state, so the governor has complete control over everything that’s published in it. His is the only opinion expressed, and if anything about a newspaper page fails to agree with him, it’s discarded and replaced. Thomas Jefferson sums it up by saying that it’s “no competitor for public favor.” One of the most attractive elements of a newspaper for the public is its variety of opinions, which ensures that everyone can find something to agree and disagree with when they read it. What is a newspaper without multiple viewpoints, opinions, and descriptions of events?
Creating Context for History
Context is one important characteristic that distinguishes the pre-revolutionary newspaper from the modern one. Now, newspapers allow us to define context using not only the circumstances and facts surrounding an event, but also the wide variety of public opinions and perspectives. This additional facet of contextual history provides a wealth of detail, dimension, and complexity to the texture of events and situations covered in newspapers.
The Turning Point of the Newspaper
Roger Mellen of George Mason University has researched the origins of newspaper competition, working to contradict the assumption that Thomas Jefferson was responsible for bringing it to Virginia. Mellen contends that it was the Stamp Act, not Jefferson, which influenced a second newspaper printer to relocate in Virginia, instigating competition against the governor’s newspaper. Because printers had to pay extra taxes on their products, they were motivated to sell more newspapers by allowing for civic discourse, taking sides on issues, and becoming more opinionated. Printers realized that the “public favor” mentioned by Jefferson was best courted by publishing dramatic political writing, a phenomenon that grew and changed with the public both during and after the revolution. With the public steering the direction of newspapers, the government no longer had the sole influence on what was published, and the scope of contextual history was broadened significantly.
Collecting Context
The way newspapers capture contextual history is just one of many characteristics that influence collectors to continuously search out and buy them. Finding contrasting opinions on a significant political issue, reading different accounts of the same important situation, and even locating various photos depicting the same event can be exhilarating. Tracking the changes in leading public opinion across an extended time period, comparing historical events to modern ones, and finding historical patterns are also hobbies that are enabled by newspapers’ contextual history. No matter what their interests, everyone can learn something from and enjoy the process of collecting newspapers.
Bio: Alexis Bonari is a freelance writer and blog junkie. She is currently a resident blogger at First in Education, researching areas of online education. In her spare time, she enjoys square-foot gardening, swimming, and avoiding her laptop.
The influence of newspapers…
August 16, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · 2 Comments
I’m sure we would all agree with Edward Bulwer-Lytton (1839) that “the pen is mightier than the sword”. What about the pen as wielded via the text of a newspaper? Napoleon’s view was that “Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets”. Interesting comment from one of history’s infamous (famous?) sword bearers. The following editorial note found on the front page of the June 17, 1867 issue of the Bethlehem Daily Times (PA) provides affirmation of this view:
However, lest we become overly fearful of the devastation such influence has upon our thinking, Erasmus (1571) provides us with a word of encouragement to the contrary: “There is no sword to be feared more than the Learned pen”. Perhaps we are safe. 🙂
Did you notice the 1867 price for the issue shown at the top of the image? Apparently, if the average person was inclined to be paid “a penny for their thoughts”, newspaper editors believed their thoughts were worth double.
With the ever-decreasing circulations of newspapers, I wonder what the equivalent form of influence is today… and will be 10 years from now???
Featured website: www.earlyamerica.com
August 5, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · 2 Comments
As collectors of historic newspapers, we are always on the lookout for websites which blend history with early newspaper reporting. One such site is Archiving Early America. It describes itself as follows:
Archiving Early America
Your Window To Early America
Here at Archiving Early America, you will discover a wealth of resources — a unique array of primary source material from 18th Century America. Scenes and portraits from original newspapers, maps, writings come to life on your screen just as they appeared to this country’s forebears more than two centuries ago.
As you browse through these pages, you will find it easier to understand the people, places and events of this significant time in the American experience.
We particularly appreciate Pages From The Past, which provides examples of various historic newspapers. Although not directly related to newspapers, their digit library is also worthy of mention. Enjoy.
Recommended reading…
June 26, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Jim Wheeler, one of our “rare newspaper” friends, recently sent us an e-mail with the following recommendation for our summer reading list:
The Constitutional Convention: A Narrative History from the Notes of James Madison, by Edward J. Larson & Michael P. Winship, ISBN 0-8129-7517
This book essentially condenses and annotates Madison’s notes taken throughout the Convention so that the language and the important concepts that were discussed can be understood today. The book includes a list of those attending the convention and their respective states. When you keep a 
copy of this list handy while reading the notes, you can get a clear picture of the regional motives behind the discussion as the constitution was developed. This book, in conjunction with The Founding Brothers, John Ellis, were both extremely helpful in developing a working understanding of what I consider to be one of the most interesting 10 to 20 year time period in US history.
I thought that in addition to all of your other reading, these two items may be interesting and helpful.
Thanks for your suggestions Jim. To the readers of this post: “If you have a chance to read either of these (or have already done so), the community would love to hear your reactions as well.
Digital newspaper archives…
May 27, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
Many collectors of historic newspapers often collect issues based upon desired content. If the content is relatively common or is within a clearly defined (and small) time frame, finding issues to collect may not be too difficult. However, if the desired content appeared within issues only occasionally and/or over large spans of time, finding desired issues can be quite difficult. For example, if someone is looking for issues with Moon landing content, since the dates are precise, the task of location issues can be easy. In contrast, if what is being collected are pre-1800 mentions of Georgia, the task can be quite daunting.
However, with the continued growth of the internet also comes ever increasing access to digital archives of newspapers from throughout the world. While some are only available for a fee, the quantity of free archives continues to soar. Wikipedia has begun to assemble a list of both types. It can be viewed at:
Wikipedia: List of online newspaper archives
Rare Newspapers – distracting?
May 6, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · 2 Comments
One of the most common questions our Rare Newspapers’ staff is asked is, “How do you ever get anything done? Don’t you get distracted by the interesting content within the issues?” The answer is an enthusiastic, “YES!” One of the most enjoyable aspects of our daily interaction with early newspapers are these very “distractions”. Hardly a day goes by where we aren’t fascinated by or engaged in conversation resulting from the content within the issues we find.
One such discussion (distraction) was recently inspired by an issue of the Omaha Daily Bee dated June 28, 1919, which originally caught our attention because of its dramatic WWI headline, “PEACE TREATY SIGNED”, with a corresponding subhead, “China Alone Refuses To Sign Covenant That Ends Greatest War in History”. However, what caused our “distraction” was the front page text (shown in the image) regarding the “World’s Ten Greatest Peace Treaties“. Although this issue is no longer available, it can be viewed at: http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/570082?acl=781584385. Much has occurred since the early 20th century. We wonder what such a list might include if it were printed on the front page of a tomorrow’s newspaper?
Resources of collectors…
April 29, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · 2 Comments
One of the most frequently asked questions regarding the rare newspaper hobby concerns available resources. Awhile back we posted a general response to this on eBay titled, “What Resources are Available for Newspaper Collectors?”. Although we’ll continue to look at this question in detail, we thought newcomers might appreciate a general overview. An excerpt of this post is as follows:
1) Price Guide For Rare & Historic Newspapers?
2) Storage & Display Options For Colonial, Civil War & 20th Century Newspapers?
3) Reference Books On The History Of Old Newspapers?
4) A Club Of Collectors Of Old Newspapers?
Collecting rare & early newspapers from the colonial era through the Civil War & 20th century is a fun & fascinating hobby, but questions often arise: Is their a price guide, or a club of collectors? What storage & display options are recommended for the old newspaper hobbyist? How about reference material on the hobby?
1) Being a relatively unknown hobby has its advantages…
To view the entire post, please go to: “What Resources are Available for Newspaper Collectors?“
A toast to the “multitaskers” of the world…
April 24, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
The Harper’s Weekly dated 10/21/1871 apparently had a wealth of wisdom buried within (see last Saturday’s post). The following certainly raises the stock of the “multitaskers” among us:
