Leading up to the Political Season… Late 1800’s Edition…

August 26, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

Here it comes – at about this same time on a 4-year rotating basis… the autumn media ramp-up to our presidential election. Although it can seem a bit overwhelming at times – like a tsunami of ads and interviews, I thought it might be fun to look to the past at a more humorous version of political culture and embrace the comedy and satire that accompanied the mid-to-late 1800’s press. So, feel free to join me as I peruse Puck and Judge Magazines – not to mention the endless stream of Harper’s Weekly Nast Cartoons. We could all use a chuckle right about now.

The reason I collected it: Ai Anglo Sacsun…

August 19, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

Sometimes stepping outside the normal categories of historic, rare, or early when it comes to collecting newspapers can turn up some intriguing items. The odd, strange, unusual, and outright bizarre can be attractive additions as well.
The Ai Anglo Sacsun fits that bill.
This newspaper attempted to exploit a movement to spell words phonetically, just as they sounded. So their motto in the dateline is: “Devoted Tu Ai Difyushun ov Nolej and Nuz, Tru Ai Medium of Fonotipi, or the Tru System ov Spelin Wurdz As Iz, Just Az ae are Pronnst.” (difficult to translate as they use some characters not in the traditional alphabet. Their alphabet is found on page 3).
The entire issue has various articles spelled phonetically, making it difficult to read. Otherwise the layout is much like other newspapers of the era, with a very decorative masthead.
Obviously a movement that never caught on. Yet it produced a fascinating newspaper worthy of collecting.

A Picture Paints a Thousand Words… The Beginning of a Series…

August 12, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

On March 22, 2021, I created a post titled, “A Picture paints a Thousand Words”. Using that post as a jumping off point, today begins a series of the same name. Of course, by calling this a “series”, the pressure is on to (somewhat) regularly find front pages worthy of this age-old adage. However, here I go…

There are issues we come across in the Rare Newspapers Archives in which the image on the front page stops us dead in our tracks. The event may be new to us or a historical event of which we’re familiar. However, regardless of the category the images fall into, their impact gives us cause us to stop and contemplate what is before us. Sometimes the pause brings a smile… sometimes it brings a chill. Either way, these newspapers (often front pages) were able to capture the entirety of the impact the journalist and publishers hoped for with just an illustration or photo.

My 1st choice to kick off this series is a bit of an obvious one. As a hint, this event brought forth the dramatic statement of, “Oh, the humanity!” and was captured in THE EVENING BULLETIN, May 7, 1937. 

The reason I collected it: The Spirit of ’76…

July 29, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

I have always been intrigued by newspapers with unusual, huge, patriotic, or simply beautiful mastheads. They always make for very displayable items.

This issue from New York, dated September 3, 1835, certainly fits the patriotic category and was added to the private collection for that reason. It features a heraldic eagle with a 7 1/2 inch wingspan, a scroll reading “The Spirit of ’76” in its beak, the US. flag in its talons, and a small portrait of George Washington.
A quite rare title as this is the only issue we have located in our approx. half-century of collecting. It appears to have lasted for just one year, this being the volume 1, number 113 issue. I only wish we had hundreds more!

Since History Often Repeats Itself, the Past Can be an Excellent Teacher…

July 22, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

Why does the saying, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it”, ring true? Perhaps it’s because of another saying, “History repeats itself”. We see this tandem of truths play out over-and-over again as we look through historic newspapers and see the headlines of today emblazed on the old worn pages of yesteryear. Below is a vivid example of this truth as shown in a FRANK LESLIE’S ILLUSTRATED, New York, Oct. 10, 1885. When compared side by side with a BBC article from 130+ years later, we can see the waves of history crash on the beach of time in the same way and with a similar impact on humanity. If we hope to see the storms of the future coming in time to make ready, perhaps we should study the past a bit more closely.

    

The July (2024) Newsletter from Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers…

July 19, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

Welcome to the July, 2024 edition of our monthly newsletter. This month we continue with our focus on the History’s Newsstand blog. Additional links will take you to two sets of discounted items, new “bonus” items added to the July catalog, and a special offer (free issue) for members (see last item below). Please enjoy.

Discounted Newspapers (50% off) – Over 100 new items have been discounted through Thursday, August 15th. They may be viewed through the following links:

All Discounted Issues

Pre-1800 (50% off)

1800 – 1860 (50% off)

1861 – 1899 (50% off)

1900 – 1945 (50% off)

Post-1946 (50% off)

Last Month’s Discount – The June discount has been extended through Monday, July 22nd. They may still be purchased at: June’s Set of Discounted Items

New Items Added to Catalog 344 – Since Catalog 344 went to print we’ve added over 40 additional issues. The list of new items may be viewed at:

Catalog 344 – “New Items”

Catalog 344 – Entire Catalog

Recent Posts on the History’s Newsstand Blog:

Sometimes you just know what it means – The Spirit of ’76…

The revered Sept. 15, 1790 issue of the Gazette of the U. S. – The back story…

Don’t try this at home… or ANYWHERE for that matter!

The Founding Documents – the Bill of Rights edition…

This Month in History – July…

The Power of Music… Classics Never go out of Style!

Inspiration Comes in All Shapes, Sizes & Stories…

Special Offer for Members – We are offering a free issue of Harper’s Weekly dated 150 years ago. We will randomly select an issue of Harper’s Weekly Illustrated from 1874 and send it for no charge (other than the cost for shipping ($10 to U.S. destinations), but for only $1 additional S&H if added on to an order for other items). Issues may have small binding holes in the centerfold (typical), foxing, or slight wear, but they will not be damaged.

Free Harper’s Weekly from 1874

As always, thanks for collecting with us!
Sincerely,
Guy & Laura Heilenman & the entire Rare Newspapers Team
(including our “founder”, Tim Hughes)
570-326-1045

Don’t try this at home. . . or ANYWHERE for that matter!

July 15, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

We have all heard various versions of, “Kids, Don’t try this at home!”, including in 1966 when Batman and Robin (Adam West and Burt Ward) told us, “Remember kids, Batman can’t fly.”

Perhaps Ben Franklin should have penned “Don’t try this at home. . . or anywhere” shortly after he successfully completed his famous lightning/kite experiment. If he had thought this through, we may never have had his follow-up letter describing copycat deaths printed in…

THE AMERICAN MUSEUM OR UNIVERSAL MAGAZINE, September 1790.

Thankfully he survived his own efforts in 1752.

So, just in case you missed the memo, remember kids, Batman can’t fly… or catch lightning, and neither can you!

Sometimes you just know what it means – The Spirit of ’76…

July 4, 2024 by · 2 Comments 

Sometimes you hear a word or a phrase and even though you can’t clearly give a written definition, you just have a gut feeling of what it means. Earlier today, when I was looking at a Picture and Magazine section from a Chicago Sunday Tribune, July 4, 1926, I breezed by the caption of the front-page image… The Spirit of ’76. After a moment, I found my mind wasn’t so much thinking of what that phrase meant, but instead, I was struck by the emotions which had been stirred… pride (in a good way as my mother would say), determination & a deep sense of purpose. Wanting to see if the phrase, “The Spirit of ’76” had a clear definition, I went to Wikipedia and found the following…

“The Spirit of ’76 is a sentiment explored by Thomas Jefferson. According to the text published at Monticello, “The principles outlined in the Declaration of Independence promised to lead America—and other nations on the globe—into a new era of freedom. The revolution begun by Americans on July 4, 1776, would never end. It would inspire all peoples living under the burden of oppression and ignorance to open their eyes to the rights of mankind, to overturn the power of tyrants, and to declare the triumph of equality over inequality.”

Thomas Jewett wrote that at the time of the American Revolution, there was “an intangible something that is known as the ‘Spirit of ’76.’ This spirit was personified by the beliefs and actions of that almost mythical group known as the Founding Fathers and is perhaps best exemplified by Thomas Jefferson.”

Jefferson and the Second Continental Congress believed the Spirit of ’76 “included the ‘self-evident’ truths of being ‘created equal’ and being ‘endowed by their Creator with certain inalienable rights’ including ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.'” ~ Wiki

Hmmmm… “an intangible something”. I would agree this spirit is hard to completely capture with words, but it can certainly be understood with a feeling, a picture, or a flag, and it is certainly a “spirit” we need in abundance today.

The revered September 15, 1790 issue of the Gazette of the United States. The back story…

July 1, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

We are very proud to offer the most significant American newspaper with Jewish content, in which Washington assured the congregation of the Touro Synagogue in Newport, Rhode Island, that the United States “…gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance…”, perhaps the more famous utterance by a President in the establishment of religious freedom.

The newspaper is the “Gazette Of The United States” dated September 15, 1790, published in New York at the time. To fully appreciate its significance, we offer the following “back story” to this issue containing both Seixas’ letter of welcome to Washington, 

and Washington’s response to the congregation of the Touro Synagogue.

Upon his election as President, many churches, congregations, and religious societies wrote to George Washington to congratulate him on his new office, and he replied to each of them with personalized messages of thanks for their well-wishes. In his reply to the Hebrew Congregation of Newport, Washington applauded the people of the United States for rejecting the European practice of religious “toleration,” embracing instead the “large and liberal policy” that religious liberty is a natural right — and not a gift of government — which all citizens are equally free to exercise.

In 1790, George Washington visited Rhode Island to acknowledge the state’s recent ratification of the Constitution and to promote passage of the Bill of Rights, the first ten amendments to the Constitution. As was the custom, when Washington visited Newport, he was met by a delegation of citizens, who read messages of welcome. One of those who welcomed Washington was Moses Seixas, the warden of the Touro Synagogue in Newport. Touro is the oldest synagogue building in America and the only one existing from the colonial era. In his welcome, Seixas gave thanks to “the Ancient of Days, the great preserver of men” that the Jews, previously “deprived … of the invaluable rights of free Citizens” on account of their religion, now lived under a government “which to bigotry gives no sanction, to persecution no assistance.”

Washington was moved by Seixas’ letter. The president’s response differentiated between religious toleration and religious liberty, as it specifically applied to American Jews. Washington wrote that Americans “have a right to applaud themselves for having given to mankind examples of an enlarged and liberal policy – a policy worthy of imitation . . . It is now no more that toleration is spoken of as if it were the indulgence of one class of people that another enjoyed the exercise of their inherent natural rights.”

Washington’s reply set a significant precedent that separated a more passive practice of tolerance, from the more potent one of liberty. Even the most liberal European states such as the Netherlands had policies that merely tolerated non-Protestants. In alluding to the Bible’s Old Testament, Washington unequivocally called for religious equality for Jews stating that “the Children of the Stock of Abraham . . . shall sit in safety under his own vine and fig tree.”

Notably, Washington imitated Seixas’s phrasing in his reply in writing that the United States “gives to bigotry no sanction, to persecution no assistance” requiring only that they who live under its protection should demean themselves as good citizens, in giving it on all occasions their effectual support.” The president’s reply made loyalty to country, as opposed to Protestant allegiance, the prerequisite for religious equality.

This letter was written during Washington’s first term as President and is Washington’s clearest statement of religious tolerance. It is considered a steppingstone for the First Amendment that would come the following year in 1791 and is considered a foundational document establishing Washington’s belief in the separation of church and state.

The Power of Music… Classics Never go out of Style!

June 24, 2024 by · Leave a Comment 

Has anyone else noticed how music from the 60’s-90’s has made a huge cultural comeback? From movies to commercials… from concerts to radio, the oldies but goodies are being sung (or at least hummed) by everyone from Boomers to Gen Zers. Music not only soothes the savage beast, it also brings whimsy to a warm summer day and sets the mood for a cozy winter evening. So, it is not surprising that collectors LOVE the concert ads in THE VILLAGE VOICE out of Greenwich Village, NY. Interests range from Bob Dylan, Kiss and The Grateful Dead to Lynyrd Skynyrd and Tiny Tim (with his famous ukulele). This retro music can whisk us away to a memory tucked in the back of our minds and flood us with all the emotions we felt as our younger selves. Almost daily, as I prep these concert ads for our collectors, I am transported to a music memory from long ago and reminded again that newspaper collecting has a sweet spot for everyone.

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