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Claiming the Land… America Presses Westward…
June 30, 2025 by Laura Heilenman · Leave a Comment
There are few events which capture the enormity and drama of America and her people more than the Westward Expansion. Vast lands to be settled and courageous people have produced tales and legends which continue to inspire generations to dream big and bravely press into the great unknown.
As our founder Tim Hughes states in his discription… “Considered to be one of the most significant achievements of the Congress of the Confederation, the Northwest Ordinance of 1787 put the world on notice not only that the land north of the Ohio River and east of the Mississippi would be settled but that it would eventually become part of the United States. Until then this area had been temporarily forbidden to development.
Increasing numbers of settlers and land speculators were attracted to what are now the states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin. This pressure together with the demand from the Ohio Land Company, soon to obtain vast holdings in the Northwest, prompted Congress to pass this Ordinance.”
THE NEW HAVEN GAETTE & THE CONNECTICUT MAGAZINE on August 2, 1787 captures this monumental event at the moment of its birth. Feel free to browse this rare issue and let your dreams run wild.
The reason I collected it: an “association piece” attached…
June 23, 2025 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Occasionally there are items that accompany a newspaper that add a bit of “flavor” to the issue, like a subscription receipt to the newspaper, or a glued subscription label of the subscriber, and occasionally a newspaper that was sent through the postal system with the postage stamp still attached. “The Manchester Guardian” newspaper from England dated July 5, 1861, by itself is inconsequential to history (i.e., it does not appear to contain any historical reports), however, it has an attachment that is rarely found on the front page. In fact, this is the first of this sort we have seen.
Printed on orange paper is a large label headed: “Newspaper Despatch Only. From Liverpool Agency of New York Associated Press…” noting that this newspaper was sent by the steamship “Asia” and that it: “Sailed July 6, 1861” bound for the “HERALD NEW YORK”.
Given this was before the Atlantic telegraph was fully successful, the only way for news to be exchanged across the ocean was by ship. It is possible the Guardian and the Herald had a reciprocal exchange subscription operated by the Associated Press, which was founded 15 years earlier.
Rare to find such an associated attachment and a nice issue to hang on to when found.
Discovery: Under the theme “Golden Nuggets”… After all of the years this has been in-hand, it was just discovered that the back page contains a report on the death of the renowned poet, Elizabeth Barrett Browning. Fun!
June 19, 1865 – The historical foundation of “Juneteenth”…
June 19, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
“Juneteenth”, also known as “Freedom Day”, traces its roots to June 19, 1865, when Union General Gordon Granger arrived in Galveston, Texas, and issued General Order No. 3, officially freeing the last enslaved people in the western Confederacy. Though President Lincoln’s Emancipation Proclamation went into effect on January 1, 1863, its enforcement relied on Union military presence, leaving remote areas like Texas unaware of their liberty until Granger’s announcement more than two years later.
In the years that followed, formerly enslaved communities in Texas and beyond began marking June 19th with readings of the Emancipation Proclamation, songs like “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” and family gatherings. These early observances blended solemn reflection on the horrors of slavery with joyful celebration of resilience and community, laying the groundwork for a distinctly African American holiday honoring freedom and heritage.
Though Texas led the way by making Juneteenth an official state holiday in 1980, its recognition spread gradually until June 17, 2021, when it became a federal holiday—Juneteenth National Independence Day. Today, Juneteenth invites all Americans to reflect on our nation’s delayed promise of liberty, celebrate African American culture, and renew the commitment to racial equality and justice.
Since Juneteenth’s elevation to a federal holiday in 2021, collectors have eagerly hunted for contemporary newspaper accounts of those first celebrations following General Granger’s Order. Yet, such early reports remain elusive—a notable exception being a brief item in the June 21, 1866 issue of The New York Times (shown below).
Although firsthand press coverage is scarce, that scarcity in no way diminishes the profound significance of American slavery’s end. Our nation’s work to fulfill the promise enshrined in the Declaration of Independence—“that all men are created equal” and endowed with “Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness”—remains unfinished. We must press on with unwavering resolve, viewing one another through the lens of divine dignity birthed by our Creator and allowing that vision to guide how we honor and uplift each and every person.
For those who would like to explore additional related topics through the eyes of “rare & early” newspapers, feel free to peruse the issues found through the following links:
Slavery
Emancipation
Abolition
Where game history, moral philosophy, and educational theory collide…
June 9, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
Ben Franklin’s contributions to The Gentleman’s Magazine of the 18th century are well documented, and in multiple instances, quite collectible. A handful of the his more noteworthy appearances include several regarding electricity, the “Magic Square of Squares”, “On the Increase in Mankind”, “Albany Union Plan”, and “The Speech of Miss Poly Baker”. One of the more interesting is his desirable (from a collecting standpoint) “The Morals of Chess”, which appeared in the July, 1787 issue. A bit of research regarding its significance is as follows:
Benjamin Franklin’s essay The Morals of Chess, written in the late 18th century, is a groundbreaking work that presents chess as more than a game, but as a tool for building moral character. Franklin highlights virtues like courtesy, patience, humility, and attentiveness, which he saw as essential to fair play. This focus on etiquette not only pioneered the concept of sportsmanship in chess but also influenced the formal codes of conduct later embraced by chess clubs and federations, establishing the game as a model for civil behavior.
Beyond etiquette, Franklin uses chess as a metaphor for life, reflecting virtues such as prudence and generosity against vices like rashness and envy. He positions the game as a didactic instrument, capable of teaching both strategic thinking and ethical decision-making. This perspective helped cement the idea that games can mirror real-world challenges, offering lessons in intellect and morality—a notion that resonated with later educators and writers who championed “learning through play.”
Finally, the essay embodies Franklin’s Enlightenment ideals of rationality, self-improvement, and social responsibility. By promoting chess as an accessible activity for all, not just the elite, he democratized it, framing it as a means of personal and civic growth. The Morals of Chess thus transformed the game from a courtly pastime into a lasting symbol of strategic thought and ethical conduct, shaping its role in education and society to this day.
Additional details can be viewed on our website at: Franklin’s Morals of Chess
Does anyone know about this obscure Thomas Nast print from 1877?
June 6, 2025 by TimHughes · 3 Comments
Amongst our holdings is an obscure newspaper called “The People” from New York City, dated November 3, 1877. A closer look notes this is the volume 1, number 1 issue, and more curiously, we can find nothing about this newspaper online. This may be the only issue published, and with no mention of it in Gregory’s “Union List of American Newspapers” one wonders whether any institution is aware it even exists.
Compounding this obscurity is the large comic illustration (shown below) of John Morrissey, done by the famed artist Thomas Nast, verified by a small front page article headed: “Our Cartoon”. It verifies: “The accompanying admirable portrait of Our Great Municipal Reformer is one of the earliest made by Nast, and cost $100. It was engraved by a peculiar process which reversed the artist’s signature; but by holding it before the glass the Nast’s familiar handwriting will be recognized.”
Nothing can be found online of the existence of a Thomas Nast print captioned as noted above, let alone being in a newspaper titled: “The People”. With as much academic research that has been on this famed political artist, I find it interesting that nothing seems to be known of it.
So I reach out to all the Thomas Nast scholars, collectors, and admirers. Is anything out there that we are missing as to the existence of this print? Photos accompany this post. It exists; we just want to know more, and hopefully someone can be of help.
The reason I collected it: the perfect logo for the company…
June 2, 2025 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
When I began this company back in 1975, my offerings were simply typed lists of newspapers I had recently purchased. When an issue sold, I cut it out, added new ones to the bottom of the list, made photocopies of the 8 1/2 by 14 sheets, and mailed them to those expressing interest.
I later evolved my offerings into a small catalog, essentially 8 1/2 by 11 sheets folded in half resulting in 16 pages of 5 1/2 by 8 1/2 inches. I wanted a logo for the cover that would represent what I was selling. Not finding anything magical, I opted for a print of a colonial printing press. Perhaps some of you still have some of those old catalogs featuring the printing press.
But a printing press was too generic. It was not specific to newspapers; books, pamphlets, broadsides–anything with ink–were printed on a printing press. So my quest for a more perfect image continued.
Back in the late 1900’s I was doing research on a collection of the “Illustrated London News“, the model that would be followed by Leslie’s Illustrated, Harper’s Weekly, and a host of other illustrated newspapers. On the back page of an issue from 1862 there was a brief article titled: “The Newsboy“ and it was accompanied by a great print of a young newsboy offering a newspaper (shown below). It was the perfect find. It had an old-time look (it was from 1862 after all), it was specific to newspapers, and it had a generally pleasant appearance that I thought would work well as a logo.
And so it became the framework for our logo (shown to the right above). You will find it front & center on our website and on any number of printed pieces we produce each year. So if you’ve ever wanted how it was created, perhaps appropriately, it came from an old newspaper.
Our History Unites Us – Celebrating Paul Revere with Henry Wadsworth Longfellow…
May 26, 2025 by Laura Heilenman · Leave a Comment
I must admit, a buzz is in the air as we approach America’s 250th anniversary (dare I say … Semiquincentennial). Our family is already starting to make plans on how we will celebrate this tremendous mile mark for our country, and we are relishing the thought of sharing our enthusiasm with others who are equally stirred. So, you can understand my excitement today when I was looking through this month’s catalog and noticed THE ESSEX JOURNAL & NEW HAMPSHIRE PACKET, Newburyport, Massachusetts, Feb. 9, 1776 with a Paul Revere Masthead. Almost instantly, the words of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s poem popped into my head…
“LISTEN, my children, and you shall hear
Of the midnight ride of Paul Revere,”
A moment later, after a quick online search, I identified the 1st printing of Longfellow’s poem contained within THE ATLANTIC MONTHLY , Jan. 1, 1861. Heading into the Archives, I was hoping to find a copy and soon returned to my desk with this new treasure in hand. Below, you will find listed interesting insights from an article by… Historic Boston Incorporated:
“What is perhaps more interesting, is that Longfellow’s poem and its story are actually rooted in the bubbling national unrest unfolding in April 1860, when Longfellow began writing it and more than 85 years after Revere’s now famous ride. By the time Longfellow’s most well-known poem was published in The Atlantic Monthly out of the Old Corner Bookstore in January 1861, numerous states had seceded from the Union and by April the nation was at war.
With war on the horizon, Longfellow reflected on the nation’s past as much as its future. A staunch abolitionist, Longfellow wrote “Paul Revere’s Ride” to unify a nation at odds, to remind America of its sacred oath to uphold liberty as the Civil War beckoned. The final stanza has largely been interpreted as a call to action for his fellow Americans to wake up “in the hour of darkness and peril and need” and recall those sacred ideals the United States was founded upon”
So many memorable events to commemorate this next year… so many happenings to celebrate. Here is hoping (and praying) that by focusing on our history we may unify our nation as Longfellow hoped his poem would over 160 years ago.
Yesterday & Today… Memorial Day & Tariffs…
May 23, 2025 by Laura Heilenman · Leave a Comment
Without a doubt, when Memorial Day arrives, the feel of summer settles in and Patriotism seems to fill the air as the Red, White & Blue flaps gracefully on the warm breezes. Life seems to take a few steps back intime as we gather with family and friends over plates full of deviled eggs and Grandma’s potato salad. On May 29, 1913, Life Magazine featured a beautiful print by Norman Price showing the passing of our heritage of Decoration Day (now Memorial Day) from one generation to the next. In an odd turn of congruency, this issue also has a political cartoon which could not be more in line with today’s headlines on Tariffs and the possible pluses and minuses they may bring to our country. How fitting for both of images to be contained in one publication as America is so much defined by push and pull, delight and difficulty, light and dark. May your Memorial Day Weekend be both lighthearted in celebration and heavy in remembrance of those who gave so much for our Freedom… and may we figure out an answer to that political cartoon.
“The Compromise of 1850” – Daniel Webster’s costly plea for unity…
May 19, 2025 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Whereas it is hard for those of us living today to imagine any “compromise” regarding slavery as a good thing (i.e., if it was wrong – and it was, how could anything less than abolishment be acceptable?), but the passionate antislavery politicians who lived through this era had to navigate the treacherous path between what they knew to right and the likely fracturing of what had increasingly become a fragile union. If they pushed too hard too fast, such a splintering would most assuredly result in an all-out Civil War with countless deaths, and if lost, the Southern institution of slavery would continue unabated by abolitionist sentiment. Even if it is agreed that an attempt at arriving at a compromise is in order, as with any deep-rooted, entrenched disagreement, any move to the middle requires someone to risk taking the first step.
It is with the above in mind history declares Daniel Webster’s “Seventh of March Speech” as being pivotal in bringing both sides to a compromise. Although it cost this anti-slavery Senator from Massachusetts his reputation and career, all are agreed his multi-hour oration was instrumental in holding succession/war at bey for over 10 years (although it may have ultimately deepened the divide). We are thankful to have found a lengthy report in a New York Tribune (March 8, 1850) which included excerpts, paraphrases, and commentary on the speech.
The following is the result of our research regarding its significance (Wiki, ChatGBT, Grok, etc.):
Summary of Daniel Webster’s “Seventh of March” Speech and Its Impact
Daniel Webster’s “Seventh of March” speech, delivered in 1850, was a heartfelt appeal for national unity and compromise amid escalating tensions over slavery that threatened to tear the United States apart. Webster declared, “I speak today for the preservation of the Union. ‘Hear me for my cause,’” emphasizing his alarm at the prospect of secession and civil war. He urged both the North and South to make concessions to safeguard the Union, a stance that significantly influenced the passage of the Compromise of 1850. However, this plea for moderation sparked widespread controversy and exacted a heavy toll on Webster’s career and reputation.
Key Points of the Speech
- Call for Unity: Webster positioned himself as an American, not merely a representative of Massachusetts or the North, advocating for the Constitution and the Union against the specter of disunion.
- Support for Compromise: He endorsed measures like the Fugitive Slave Law, hoping to bridge the divide between Northern and Southern interests and avert conflict.
Impact on Public Opinion
- In the North:
- Abolitionist Backlash: Northern abolitionists and anti-slavery Whigs felt betrayed by Webster’s support for the Fugitive Slave Law, which mandated their participation in returning escaped enslaved people—a stark departure from his earlier anti-slavery rhetoric.
- Regional Fallout: In Massachusetts, his home state, Webster’s reputation plummeted as he was branded a traitor to the anti-slavery cause, eroding his political base.
- In the South:
- Cautious Approval: Southern leaders appreciated Webster’s defense of the Fugitive Slave Law, seeing it as a gesture of respect for their rights under the Constitution.
- Lingering Distrust: Despite this, many Southerners remained wary of Webster due to his prior anti-slavery positions, viewing the Compromise of 1850 as a stopgap rather than a solution.
- Nationally:
- Passage of the Compromise: The speech rallied moderates across regions, providing Northern politicians with the justification to back the Compromise of 1850 without seeming disloyal to the Union.
- Deepened Divide: While it delayed immediate conflict, the speech underscored the irreconcilable differences over slavery, setting the stage for future strife.
Cost to Webster’s Career and Reputation
The “Seventh of March” speech marked a turning point that ultimately derailed Webster’s political career and tarnished his legacy:
- Northern Alienation: His endorsement of the Fugitive Slave Law alienated his Northern supporters, particularly in Massachusetts, where he lost the goodwill of abolitionists and anti-slavery advocates. This backlash effectively dashed his presidential ambitions.
- Incomplete Southern Acceptance: Although the South valued his compromise efforts, his earlier anti-slavery stance prevented him from fully gaining their trust, leaving him without a solid regional alliance.
- Political Isolation: Webster’s attempt to occupy a middle ground failed to heal the nation’s fractures. The Compromise of 1850, while a temporary success, only postponed the inevitable Civil War, and his role in it left him isolated as sectional tensions intensified.
Conclusion
Daniel Webster’s “Seventh of March” speech was a critical moment in American history, encapsulating both a desperate bid to preserve the Union and the profound challenges of compromise in a divided nation. While it facilitated the Compromise of 1850, it came at a steep personal cost, shattering Webster’s reputation in the North, limiting his influence in the South, and ending his political aspirations. The speech remains a poignant symbol of the era’s turmoil—a warning of division and a missed chance to confront slavery head-on.
Words spoken softly would prove to be extraordinarily prophetic…
April 14, 2025 by TimHughes · 1 Comment
Some of the newspapers that are so desired by collectors are those with innocent reports–often inconspicuous amongst the jumble of lengthier articles–that would only find relevance in the passing of years. Such is the case with the “New York Semi-Weekly Tribune” issue of May 15, 1860. Keep in mind that at this date, the Republican National Convention in Chicago had yet to formally begin (May 16-18) and Abraham Lincoln was pretty much an unknown in the world of national politics. He did capture some attention with his famous “…house divided…” speech two years earlier, and more contemporarily with his Cooper Union address in February, 1860, but he was–at best–an outsider for the Presidency.
Page 5 has a column headed: “The Chicago Convention” “The People Gathering” “Prospects of Various Candidates” “Seward Leads Them All” and more. However, the report suggests Seward’s work will be difficult, noting in part: “The crowd gather thick & fast…The Seward leaders are also very confident and profess the utmost faith, but it is impossible to see how his nomination can be carried…”. As for the candidates, it notes: “…Mr. Seward will lead, Mr. Bates will come next, and Mr. Chase will be third…Mr. Cameron will come next, and then Mr. Lincoln…”. By the reporter’s reckoning, Lincoln was a distant 5th.
Ultimately, as the following days would give evidence, Seward led on the first ballot but fell short of a majority, while Lincoln would finish in a strong second place. Cameron’s delegates shifted to Lincoln on the second ballot, leaving Lincoln essentially tied with Seward. Lincoln clinched the nomination on the third ballot after consolidating support from more delegates who had backed candidates other than Seward.
All of this is intriguing and noteworthy, but of special collector interest is a comment in the page 4 editorial. It is a simple, yet very prophetic statement: “…Mr. Lincoln of Illinois, however, is rising in prominence.” And so he did, becoming unquestionably one of the most well-known names in all of American history.