Search
The Rare & Early Newspapers Hobby
Receive the Newsletter
Buy Historic Newspapers
January Newsletter (2026) – Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers…
January 19, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
| Welcome to the first newsletter of 2026. The past few weeks have been pregnant with in-house discoveries – several which are included within new listings or through the highlights shown below. For those who love to collect, appreciate history, and desire to be life-long learners, this hobby brings all of these together with the added bonus of “context” – the capacity to at least partially grasp how those who actually experienced key events perceived what we now call history. I love this collectible! No, my enthusiasm was not AI enhanced/generated. 🙂
Let’s jump right in with a few important links (don’t miss the “discoveries”):
Dr. B Church Jr – American Traitor (E22) Field Music Corps – The Drummer Boys of the Revolution (E23) Battle of Quebec – “Unsuccessful but Brave Attempt” (E24)
The Weekly Chronotype (turns out it’s a notable abolitionist newspaper) The Nippu Jiji… (turns out it’s not a Nippon Fiji)
The Spirit of the West Returns… America Returns to Her Roots… 1776-2026: The Dream Still Shines at Dawn’s Early Light! Popcorn, Principle, & the Presidency: JFK’s Quiet Stand for Artistic Courage… A Colonial “2nd forgery” with intriguing backstory… Cape Fear (pt. II)…
From Dreams to Reality… Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Paves the Way… |
|
1776-2026: The Dream Still Shines at Dawn’s Early Light!
January 5, 2026 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Whether we call it the Semiquincentennial, America250, the Quarter Millennial, the Sestercentennial, or simply the 250th birthday of the boldest experiment in self-government, 2026 rises like a new dawn—filled with promise, reflection, and hope for every American and every friend of liberty across the world.
The front page below, taken from a newspaper celebrating the Centennial Fourth of July in 1876, carries us back to that earlier moment of celebration—a time when a young nation looked proudly to its past and eagerly toward its future. It reminds us of the countless generations whose courage and sacrifices made possible Franklin D. Roosevelt’s enduring truth:
“We are a nation of many nationalities, many races, many religions—bound together by a single unity, the unity of freedom and equality.”
That vision still lights our way. Yet we are also called to remember Frederick Douglass’s wise and urgent reminder, spoken on the 23rd anniversary of emancipation in the District of Columbia:
“The life of the nation is secure only while the nation is honest, truthful and virtuous.”
As we celebrate this extraordinary milestone, may we lift our hearts in gratitude for the Divine grace that has guided us through triumph and trial alike. And as we look ahead, may we renew our shared promise—to preserve every hard-won freedom and to keep lifting the banner of justice, opportunity, and dignity for all who call this land home.
Here’s to the journey still unfolding. Here’s to the dream still alive.
Happy 250th, America!
Christmas through the eyes of a newspaper from 1794…
December 25, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
As I was searching through our newspapers published on Christmas from the past in the hopes of finding one which would be potentially meaningful to our collecting friends, I came across a December 25, 1794 London Gazette which seemed to hit the mark. I’d love to know if you agree.
Under the heading “AMERICA” on page three I found the entire text of President George Washington’s State of the Union address. It is quite lengthy, and the entire text can be found online, but I was struck by the first and last paragraph – both of which are shown below. Is it me, or could these words have been penned today? Merry Christmas!
Holiday Newsletter (2025) – Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers…
December 15, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
| Welcome to the Holiday Newsletter from Rare & Early Newspapers. Whereas a number of interesting items are included below, don’t miss out on one of our posts from a few years ago: “Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus“.
This month’s highlights: 1) Newly Listed Catalog Items – The list of items which have been added to our most recent catalog after it went to print continues to grow – including a number of great (highly collectible) issues. These new listings may be viewed at: NEWLY ADDED CATALOG ITEMS 2) Discounted Issues (50% off): 100+ items have been added to last month’s list of discounted issues – each discounted by 50% (as shown) through January 15, 2026! Take a look; you won’t be disappointed: DISCOUNTED ITEMS (50% off) 3) Catalog 361 – Wonderful items from the December catalog still a remain. The available issues may be viewed at: CATALOG 361 4) Holiday-themed content – over 80 collectible newspapers with a Christmas, Hanukkah, or New Year’s theme are available at: ISSUES w/ HOLIDAY-THEMED CONTENT (you may need to view the full description if the “holiday content” is secondary to an historic report) 5) Additional Ideas for Gift Giving:
* Note re: Holiday Shipping – We are sending this newsletter a bit earlier than usual to increase the chance that any item/s ordered will arrive in time for Christmas. If historic/rare newspapers are part of your gifting plans this year, please know we will make every effort to ship incoming orders within 48 business hours. 6) The History’s Newsstand Blog – bi-weekly posts of potential interest to those who collect rare & early newspapers. An aye aye lemur’s handful of recent posts includes:
|
|
Publishing Under Fire: The Nippon Fijii and the Aftermath of Pearl Harbor…
December 8, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
It’s difficult to fathom what it must have been like to be a Japanese-American living in Hawaii at the time of the Pearl Harbor attack. According to the 1940 census, more than 150,000 Japanese-Americans—roughly 35% of Hawaii’s population—suddenly found themselves in an impossible position, caught between loyalty to their home and suspicion from their neighbors.
Fear quickly swept through the islands. While the sheer size of the Japanese-American community made mass internment in Hawaii unfeasible, more than 2,000 individuals were arrested, many later sent to internment camps on the mainland. Their lives—and their trust in the nation they called home—were forever changed.
It was in the midst of this uncertainty and fear that the staff of NIPPON FIJI, Hawaii’s leading Japanese-language newspaper, produced their December 8, 1941 issue. The paper stands today as one of the most striking and rare firsthand publications from that dark and defining moment in American history.
Announcing: Catalog #361 for December, 2025 – Rare & Early Newspapers…
December 1, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
|
|
From Passion to Legacy: 50 Years Strong… and Counting…
November 28, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · 10 Comments
The following, penned by the founder of Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers, appeared on the front page of our most recent catalog (#361):
It was 50 years ago this month that the Rare & Early Newspapers business began.
Having been a collector of many things in my earliest of years, primarily coins, venturing into this fascinating world of old newspapers was a logical step. I never really saw a truly old newspaper until I stumbled across an 1826 Philadelphia newspaper at a local flea market, I was convinced I had discovered an unexploited hobby. So my new adventure began.
Although I started collecting somewhat earlier, I sold my first newspaper on December 1, 1975. I used a manual typewriter to list various newspapers on a legal-size sheet of paper, then making photocopies at a local college to print multiple sheets. When an issue or two sold, I typed up replacements and taped the listings over those that sold, then made more photocopies.
How to advertise in the pre-internet era? I would place small, classified ads in various history & collector-themed magazines. As for research, I kept a set of encyclopedias next to my desk.
Eventually, the single sheets of offerings turned into small catalogs. The first formal catalog was issued in the spring of 1978 and wasn’t even numbered, as I wasn’t sure there would be another.
This catalog you have in your hands is number 361. My ad mentioned “…send 25¢…” for the catalog, which more than covered the cost of postage. Imagine that!
It was always my goal to continue to offer more issues, earlier issues, and more historic offerings with each passing month. I’ve been pleased with our progress, and for those who have been with us for many years, hopefully you’ve noticed the dramatic growth in the range of our inventory. It was my hope that collectors would look forward to each catalog, anxious to discover new “goodies” we’ve not offered before.
I became semi-retired some 23 years ago with Guy Heilenman taking over, but I remain actively involved, primarily with buying inventory. My wife and I moved West to be close to family, but I get back to Williamsport for “hands-on” work about six weeks a year.
There will be no end to this business. We remain the only full-time dealers in early newspapers in the world. At some point another generation will take over, and our inventory and offerings will, hopefully, continue to expand. I hope to remain involved for as long as God allows.
Thank you all for 50 years of fun!
Tim Hughes
Properly Directed Thankfulness – George Washington and the Foundations of a New Nation…
November 25, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
On October 3, 1789, just months into his presidency, George Washington issued the very first official presidential proclamation. Fittingly, his choice of subject set the tone for a new nation: a call for a national day of thanksgiving and prayer. In it, Washington urged the people of the United States to acknowledge “with grateful hearts the many signal favors of Almighty God, especially by affording them an opportunity peaceably to establish a form of government for their safety and happiness.” This was more than a holiday declaration—it was a reminder that gratitude, humility, and faith would form part of the nation’s foundation.
Below is the complete text of Washington’s Thanksgiving Proclamation as it appeared on the front page of the Gazette of the United States on October 7, 1789:
November Newsletter (2025) – Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers…
November 14, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
|
|
Announcing: Catalog #360 for November, 2025 – Rare & Early Newspapers…
October 31, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
|
Catalog #360 (for November)
|