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The Traveler… inhumanity at its worst…
August 21, 2017 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today’s travels took me to Gloucester, England by the way of The Glocester Journal dated August 17, 1767. I found a very horrific report on the barbaric treatments that Elizabeth 
Brownrigg did to the girl apprentices. She had beaten the one girl so viciously that, even though she had been found, the doctors were not able to save her life. “On Sunday morning one of the unfortunate girls who were cruelly beaten, and otherwise most barbarously treated by the their mistress… of the wounds she received from there said inhuman mistress… when it appeared by the evidence of the of the surviving girl, that, about a year and a half ago, the deceased was put apprentice, and was upon trial about a month, during which she eat and drank as the family did; that soon after her mistress, Elizabeth Brownrigg, began to beat and ill-treat the deceased, sometimes with a walking-cane, at other times with a horsewhip or a postillion’s whip… and beat her with a whalebone riding-whip on several parts of her body, and with the butt-end, divers times about the head, the blood gushing from her head and other parts of her body;…” A neighbor hearing noises from the lower area of the house had her journeyman investigate it and that is how she was found.
~The Traveler
Ticktock, ticktock, ticktock, ticktock…
August 14, 2017 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
What do Grace Kelly, Gene Kelly, Lillian Gish, Ruby Keeler, Gergory Peck, Henry Fonda, Stanley Kubrick, Madeline Kahn, DeForest Kelley, Fay Wray, Michael Landon, Dalton Trumbo, Sal Mineo, Robert Mitchum, 
Anne Baxter, Rock Hudson, Orson Welles, Barbara Stanwyck, Ava Gardner, Greta Garbo, John Candy, Burt Lancaster, Anthony Perkins, Audrey Hepburn, Liberace, Cab Calloway, John Candy, Marlene Dietrich, Dean Martin, Orson Wells, Anne Baxter, Ava Gardner, William Holden, Ginger Rogers, Lana Turner, Gilda Radner, Fred Astaire, Rita Hayworth, Cary Grant, Mary Pickford, Bette Davis, Natalie Wood, Robert Shaw, Alfred Hitchcock, Andy Kaufman, Jackie Gleason, Charlie Chaplin, Joan Crawford, John Belushi, Jimmy Stewart, and Steve McQueen all have in common? Answer: There was a time when they were each on top of the world – adored by millions, and thanks to the silver screen’s ability to capture them in their prime, they seemed as if they would live forever. However, truth be told, the clock strikes midnight for everyone – regardless of their fame.
Over the past few months this reality was brought home to the staff at Rare & Early Newspapers as we discovered the death reports of some of the most famous Hollywood celebrities of all time – nearly all within Los Angeles newspapers. As Mark Twain not-so-subtly revealed through Ebenezer Scrooge in A Christmas Carol, and Frank Capra reinforced through the eyes of George Bailey (Jimmy Stewart – shown above) in It’s A Wonderful Life, sometimes a glimpse at the brevity of life can be a healing, re-purposing salve for the soul. With this in mind, please enjoy(?): Death Reports of the Hollywood Famous
The Traveler… must have been a slow news day…
August 7, 2017 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
I journeyed today to London, England via The Post Boy dated August 8, 1717. I found in the news from Paris that “On Wednesday last, about 
Nine o’Clock at Night, a small Accident befell the King, who being gone to be, tumbled off of it, upon the Floor… And tho’ he receiv’d no other Hurt, than rubbing the Skin off one of his little Fingers, the whole Court was put into a Fright… The Physicians were sent for, who could find no Hurt, but order’d him however, to be chased with Spirit of Wine…”
It must have been a slow news day if falling out a bed and receiving a skinned finger makes the big news! Hmmm, maybe the King had some of the “Spirit of Wine” prior to his going to bed as well? Food for thought!
~The Traveler
An August, 2017 stroll back thru time – 50, 100, 150, 200, & 250 years ago…
August 3, 2017 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
What news was reported in the month of August – 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 years ago (1967, 1917, 1867, 1817, 1767)? Such a walk back through time via the eyes of those who read the daily and weekly newspapers of the period can be quite revealing. This is why we often say, “History is never more fascinating than when it’s read from the day it was first reported.” The following links will take you back in time to show the available newspapers from the Rare & Early newspapers website. There’s no need to buy a thing. Simply enjoy the stroll.
Announcing: Catalog #261 (for August, 2017) is now available…
August 2, 2017 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Rare Newspapers’ monthly offering of collectible newspapers, Catalog 261, is now available. This latest collection of authentic newspapers is comprised of nearly 350 new items. Some of the noteworthy content includes:
• Phillis Wheatley letter in a 1774
• Deadwood newspaper with mention of Wild Bill Hickok
• New York Times reporting Lincoln’s assassination
• Newsbook dated 1609
• Quebec Gazette from 1775
• First “Confederate” newspaper to report Lincoln’s assassination
To view the above key issues and a whole lot more, go to: Catalog 261
(The catalog links shown above will redirect to the latest catalog in approximately 30 days.)
Mid-18th century math challenges found in Gentleman’s Magazines…
July 27, 2017 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Two weeks ago, as we were exploring the varied content to be found in 18th and 19th century Gentleman’s Magazines, we took time to focus on the monthly mathematical challenges the publisher would serve up to the subscribers. At the time we provided our readers with a set of challenges from an issue dated May, 1768. Admitting they were a bit difficult, the following week, along with the available solutions which appeared in the August issue, we provided yet another set of mathematical exercises. The results to this 2nd set are shown below. Whether it is content covering the (now) historical events of the day, book reviews, obituaries, poetry, maps, plates (diagrams), and yes, even mathematical challenges, 18th and 19th century Gentleman’s Magazines never fail to deliver on a truly contemporary experience. As we’ve often said (slightly revised): “History (and poetry, and book reviews, and discoveries, and ____) are never more fascinating than when read from the day they were first reported.”
Solutions to the May, 1768 Gentleman’s Magazine’s math exercises…
July 20, 2017 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Last week we posted a set of math exercises which were provided in the May, 1768 issue of The Gentleman’s Magazine. Today we post the solutions (see below). Understanding that the set of problems were a bit cryptic to the 21st century mind, the bottom of the solutions below provides yet another set of problems to explore – which appear a bit more straight-forward. We’ll post the solutions to these next Thursday. Before you throw in the towel, don’t forget the famous words of W.E. Hickson: “If at first you don’t succeed…”
The July (2017) Newsletter from Rare & Early Newspapers…
July 18, 2017 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Each month the staff of Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers sends out a newsletter to our members which includes special offers, discounts, alerts to new inventory, and information related to the rare newspaper collectible.
The July, 2017 newsletter is as follows:
Dear Friend of Rare & Early Newspapers,
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If you would like to receive these free monthly newsletters, along with additional news and alerts concerning the hobby, go to:
FREE RARE & EARLY NEWSPAPERS MEMBERSHIP
The Traveler… the loss of a first…
July 17, 2017 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
I traveled today to Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, by the means of The Pennsylvania Gazette of July 16, 1767. Within the issue I found the report 
about the death of the first child ever born in Philadelphia. “At Kennet, in Chester County, the 5th Instant, died JOHN KEY, in the 85th Year of his Age, and the next Day was interred in the Burial Place belonging to the People called Quakers, in the Township, attended by a large Number of reputable People, his Neighbours, and Acquaintance, —- He was born in a Cave, long afterwards known by the Name of Penny-Pot, near Race-street, and WILLIAM PENN, our first Proprietor, gave him a Lot of Ground, as a Compliment on his being the first Child born in this City… His Constitution was very healthy till about 80, when he was seized with the Palsy, and continued weakly till his Death, —- About 6 Years ago he walked on Foot from Kennet to Philadelphia in one Day, which is near 30 Miles…”
He sounded like a very remarkable man.
~The Traveler
Are you smarter than a 18th century 5th grader? Math exercises within Gentleman’s Magazines…
July 13, 2017 by GuyHeilenman · 2 Comments
As we continue to explore the diversity of content found on the pages of 18th and 19th century Gentleman’s Magazines, our attention was drawn to the abundance of Mathematical challenges found within many issues – particularly those from the 1700’s. Rather than opining on the difficulty level of the quests as opposed to what might be expected of the average reader of a common (blog) post or publication of the 21st century, especially since we have no idea as to the intended target audience. Instead, let’s just enjoy the challenge as if we were living just prior to the American War for Independence.
The challenge: On a somewhat regular basis the publisher would provide a set of Mathematical exercises and invite their subscribers to submit solutions. These responses would then be printed (along with the names of those who submitted them) within a future magazine – typically 1-3 months later. The set shown below is from an issue dated May, 1768. Go ahead and give the problems a try. As an act of 21st century kindness, next Thursday I’ll post the solutions which were submitted in 1768. Are you bold? Go ahead and reply with your solutions prior to next Thursday and allow the collectible world to observe your mathematical genius – or at least your ability to rival the math-prowess of a 17th century 5th grader – or mathematics professor of the period. Enjoy.