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Elon Musk and his Hyperloop idea is 146 years old…
August 16, 2013 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The recent buzz about Elon Musk and his Hyperloop transportation system is an idea that was actually conceived in 1867, and received enough attention at that time that a model of the “Pneumatic Railway” system, as displayed at the American Institute in New York City, appeared on the front page of the October 19, 1867 issue of “Harper’s Weekly”.
Once again the old adage and Biblical verse “there is nothing new under the sun” is proven to be true. Every new idea seems to have some sort of precedent or echo from the past.
The Traveler… Valachi spills about “Cosa Nostra”… test-tube babies…
August 5, 2013 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today I traveled back 50 years into the past to Detroit, Michigan, by the means of The Detroit News dated August 4, 1963. There I found the headline “Top Mobster Tells How Gang Runs Cities’ Crime” which was when Joseph Valachi testified at Washington about the mafia. “… He has added new names and a flood of details on 
unsolved murders and mysterious disappearances. He also outlined the structure of a well-disciplined, terror-ridden, semi-military organization dominating organized crime in America and he has given the organization a name — a name not known to the outside world. The organization is know as ‘Cosa Nostra’ — Our Thing…”. The movie “The Valachi Papers” was made about him and this event.
Also, on the front page of this issue is the announcement “Henry Ford II and Wife Agree to Live Apart”. This was occurring after 23 years of marriage.
Additionally: The New York State Supreme Court justice had just ruled that “Test Tube Baby Is Ruled Illegitimate in N.Y. Suit”.
A rather interesting day in the news.
~The Traveler
Some back-handed compliments for Abe Lincoln…
August 2, 2013 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The June 5, 1860 issue of the “New York Tribune” has two testimonials as to the character of Abraham Lincoln, to be the Republican nomination for President in the up-coming election. The second report is by the Honorable George Ashmun and offers some interesting comments. Also, “The Daily Delta” from New Orleans, issue of Feb. 27, 1861 has an equally back-handed “compliment” on the appearance of Lincoln (see below), noting he: “…is not handsome by a great many degrees,but he has not that hideous, ugly look which his portraits give him…”:
Will the real Abraham Lincoln please stand up?
July 29, 2013 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
There is no doubt Abraham Lincoln is one of the most beloved historical figures of all time. Similar to how Robert E. Lee is respected by “Yankees”, as time goes by Abe Lincoln also seems to garner mutual appreciation. Once seen as polarizing, he is now credited with opposite – preserving unity. To what can we 
credit the change in how he was/is viewed? Perhaps it was his address at Gettysburg or our post-Civil War hindsight which appreciates (or at least acknowledges) the end result – that we remain a united nation. However, one danger in turning a flesh-and-blood human being into an icon is that we lose perspective on the conflicted realities the people of this era were facing. We also tend to eliminate anything about such individuals which may present them in a light which bristles against how we perceive them. Doing so marginalizes the issues they were grappling with and minimizes the complexities surrounding change. It is with this in mind we invite you to explore another side of Abraham Lincoln – as he discusses his views on what to do about the slave issue. The best way to take this journey is to read his thoughts via the images provided through the link to the Liberator of August 22, 1862: Abraham Lincoln on African Colonization
Documenting an early reprint of the Ulster County Gazette…
July 22, 2013 by TimHughes · 3 Comments
If the “infamous” “New York Herald” issue of April 15, 1865 is the most common reprint edition about which we receive phone calls and messages, then the “Ulster County Gazette” of January 4, 1800 has to be next in line.
The front page of a curious little periodical titled “Type of the Times” from Cincinnati, March 15, 1858, provides solid evidence of just how early the “Ulster County Gazette” was reprinted. I had known there were many editions as I’ve seen a multitude of variant issues on different qualities of newsprint–some on rag paper–but this is the first hard evidence of just how early at least one of the reprints was created:
Little Eddie the drummer boy…
July 12, 2013 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The Civil War is full of both tragic and heartwarming stories, most of which never made the pages of newspapers of the day. Personal experiences were typically eclipsed by battle reports of the day.
But the story of little Edward Lee, the drummer boy, found the pages of “The Crisis” (January 29, 1862) newspaper from Columbus, Ohio, and can also be found on many websites. Read the full story to get but a glimpse of the tragedy which happened on a daily basis during this troubling period in American history.
A link to images showing the entire article is: Little Eddie the CW Drummer Boy
60 years ago today… the Corvette…
July 1, 2013 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Chevy rolls out the 2014 Corvette Stingray today, just in time for the 60th anniversary. How much has changed in 60 years? The following link will take you back to a newspaper report of the first release. Please enjoy this walk down memory lane. It’s hard to imagine the initial cost was only $3,250!
1953 Chevy Corvette
Gettysburg revisted… 150 years ago…
June 28, 2013 by GuyHeilenman · 2 Comments
Since the birth of the United States, there may not be a single more formative event than The Battle of Gettysburg. Authentic newspapers containing first-hand accounts continue to be one of the most sought after within the collectible. Over the years several History’s Newsstand posts have been written about these contemporary reports. A sample of a few are:
The ultimate optimist…
Beyond the big, historic headline…
The Civil War…
The “top ten”: 19th century…
Most historic Civil War event…
The following are the currently available original newspapers with reports related to the Battle of Gettysburg. Please enjoy a brief walk into the heart of “America in crisis” (arranged in chronological order): Battle of Gettysburg
Niles’ Weekly Register documented the first half of the 19th century…
June 14, 2013 by TimHughes · 2 Comments
Of the many notable newspapers published in the history of the United States there are a few stand-outs for different eras. Of the colonial era the “Pennsylvania Gazette” came to prominence under the guidance of publisher Ben Franklin, and in the latter decades of the 1700’s the “Gazette of the United States“, and the “Columbian Centinel” were two of the more significant titles which informed the American populace for many years. Of the 19th century the “National Intelligencer” and the “New York Times” were certainly among the more prominent, but a title which did as much as any other to bring the news into the households of America was “Niles’ Weekly Register“.
Considered by some a magazine due to its small size, I like to consider it a small newspaper, as its content was more aligned to presenting the politics & other news of the day rather than the literary content more associated with magazines. But of curious note is that it was devoid of advertising, relying entirely upon the strength of its subscription base for its existence.
Hezekiah Niles edited and published his newspaper in Baltimore from 1811 until 1836, making it into one of the most widely-circulated periodicals in the United States and himself into one of the most influential journalists of his day. Devoted primarily to politics, “Niles’ Weekly Register” is considered an important source for the history of the period. It continued beyond his demise until 1849.
Given its close proximity to the nation’s capital it was in an excellent position to print political reports but also the wealth of other news from all corners of the then-growing country which would eventually find its way to Washington, D.C. Having collected early newspapers for over 37 years I can attest to the quality of reporting–very in depth–in comparison to the physically larger newspapers of the day.
Founded just a year before the outbreak of the War of 1812 and lasting through the early period of the California Gold Rush, a great wealth of American history was printed within each of its 16 weekly pages, and a nice spectrum of America in the first half of the 19th century can be gathered by simply focusing on this one title.
Early in its publication the battle of Tippecanoe brought the name William Henry Harrison to prominence with his victory over the Indians, the details of which made the pages of “Niles’ Weekly Register“. Then all the event of the War of 1812, from President Monroe’s war proclamation to the war-ending Battle of New Orleans led by Andrew Jackson (actually fought after the treaty ending the war was signed) with the host of naval battles of 1812-1815.
There is hardly a topic or event from American history not found in Niles’ Weekly Register. Much Judaica content, the creation of the Mormon Church and their journey west, much on the historic Maryland Jew Bill, and even mention of Abraham Lincoln and Robert E. Lee long before they would be names known to the American public were found in this newspaper.
The slavery issue was certainly not side-stepped, as reports on Nat Turner’s Rebellion and the Denmark Vesey case were two of the more notably events which received much coverage. The Amistad affair–not found in every newspaper of the day–was reported in many issues of Niles’ as the events & trial unfolded. Certainly the issue is slavery was ever-present in congressional reports, and was a factor in the Missouri Compromise, also published in this newspaper.
As the country continued to expand, the westward march was documented in many reports including the development & opening of the Erie Canal, the exploring of the Yellowstone region, and the creation of the Santa Fe Trail being just a few. Several states joined the union during the years of Niles’ and as they did even the alterations to the United States flag were documented by the newspaper. Names such as Daniel Boone, infamous pirate Jean LaFitte, Samuel Morse, Daguerre and Eli Whitney are a few which were featured as their actions and inventions made news.
The Texas war for independence made the news in 1835 and 1836 and many of the notable battles were reported. There is even mention of Davy Crockett leaving Congress and heading to Texas to fight for their cause, where he would meet his end at the famous Battle of the Alamo.
With politics as a focus it is no surprise that elections and inaugurations were all documents in “Niles’ Weekly Register“, including the short term of President William Henry Harrison who just one month after being inaugurated would die in office.
There is so much more history to be found within the pages of Niles’. Our troubling (and often disgraceful) relationship with the Native American Indians, including the Black Hawk War & Trail of Tears, was covered in much detail. The Mexican War and all its events was the last of the military encounters to appear in this newspaper, the treaty ending that war being signed in 1848, just one year before the demise of the newspaper.
The ironic same-day deaths of Presidents Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, and on the 50th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, received much coverage; the Monroe Doctrine and the curious efforts of Mordecai Manuel Noah to create a Jewish settlement on an island in the Niagara River are just two of the fascinating events of American history documented. And it was not just American history that was reported, as world-wide events, as their significance would dictate, would make the pages of Niles’ as well, not the least of which was the historic battle of Waterloo which spelled the doom of Napoleon’s efforts in Europe.
It was a pint-sized newspaper with a powerful impact upon the documentation of American history in the first half of the 19th century. It is a title every collector should not overlook as they consider the best newspapers for reporting some of the major events in history. They all will be found in “Niles’ Weekly Register“.
Reporting the world of sports…
June 10, 2013 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
One of the passions held by many is sports, and each season provides a new opportunity to cheer on one’s favorite teams as they follow their efforts through to a hopeful championship. It is not coincidence that “fan” is a diminutive form of the word “fanatic”. The hobby of collecting early newspaper adds an opportunity to broaden support for a team by including an historical perspective possible only through all this hobby has to offer.
Baseball, football, basketball, tennis, golf, horse racing, soccer, and on and on. You name the sport and reports can be found in newspapers going back to the very beginning of the sport, or the beginning of newspapers. We once offered a newspaper from Springfield, Massachusetts—where basketball was founded—reporting the very first public game ever played. It is the holy grail of newspaper reports on basketball, and now resides in the archives of the Library of Congress. Similar gem items can be found for other sports as well.
If a report cannot be found on the very beginning days of a sport, finding reports as old as possible is a quest which never ends. Baseball traces its history back to 1839 (although exactly when & how it was founded is up for some discussion) so finding a newspaper with a bonafide baseball report as close to this year is a worthy goal. We have some issues back to 1855 on our website, and game reports become more frequent during and just after the Civil War.
But with baseball it’s often the golden era that attracts the most attention, from when Babe Ruth, Lou Gehrig and other standouts from the 1920’s and 1930’s were making headlines. Just following Ruth’s standout career can create a formidable collection, from early mention of him in the majors (how about 1914?), his first Major League game appearance, his first home run, a report of him being sold to the Yankees, and then his stellar career as a home run record-setter. All were reported in newspapers.
And there was a host of notable ball players from a generation before, including Nap Lajoie, Branch Rickey, Henry Chadwick, Honus Wagner, Walter Johnson, Ty Cobb, Joe Jackson, & Christy Mathewson to name a few. In fact baseball had its own daily newspaper from the 1880’s titled the “Official Record” which chronicled nothing but baseball reports of the day.
Illustrations of baseball players are a special treat and add a graphic & displayable dimension to any collection. The popular illustrated newspaper “Harper’s Weekly” (and other well-know illustrated issues of the day) had many issues which featured half page or full page baseball prints, as well as a few doublepage centerfolds and front page prints which are particularly desirable.
There are some ancillary items which are intriguing, several found in the scientific-themed periodical “Scientific American”, which featured a new electric scoreboard dating back to the 1800’s, and a 
novel invention of a “mechanical baseball pitcher”. There are baseball reports of Jim Thorpe, who, although was more famous for his Olympic and football prowess, was a notable baseball player as well. Newspapers with reports involving Jesse Owens are equally noteworthy. And just a focus on World Series games would result in a sizable collection, with the goal of owning the championship report for every World Series from 1903 to the present. The “Black Sox” scandal of 1919, which involved members of the Chicago White Sox team being accused of throwing the Series, made headline reports for the next two years as the case was investigated and brought to a painful conclusion.
Although the most collectible of sports, baseball is by no means the only. Football reports became common in the 1890’s and into the early 20th century. Again, “Harper’s Weekly” did much to provide a graphic account of the sport, with both illustrations and photos of players and action, showcasing the minimal amount of protection that was worn in comparison to what’s found in the game today.
Collecting by team makes for even more focused collection. Among the more popular would have to be the Yankees in baseball, and Notre Dame in collegiate football. But any team name for any sport can be 
searched out of our website, whether it be collegiate football, the NFL, or nearly any other sport you can think of. Even something as obscure as pre-1800 boxing reports and ballooning can be found within collectible newspapers. Give it a try.
With golf it was Bobby Jones who gave the sport some prominence with his accomplishments which culminated in the “triple crown” victory, after which he left the sport to pursue a movie career. But again “Harper’s Weekly” put many golf themed prints in its pages, several done by noted artist A.B. Frost, which make for displayable items for any golf enthusiast.
Tennis was another sport which made the pages of “Harper’s Weekly” and those that are framed make great display items for any den. Track and field, bowling, bicycling, curling, fishing (with prints by A.B. Frost and Frederic Remington), hunting, sailing (including the America’s Cup), skiing, automobile racing, archery, and even surfing are a portion of a lengthy list of sporting events found in newspapers of the day.
Whatever sport you follow and whatever the era, the world of rare & early newspapers has much to offer. Add an historical dimension to your hobby. There is much from which to choose.