Announcing: The 250th Catalog from Rare Newspapers…

September 8, 2016 by · Leave a Comment 

Catalog 250 is now available. This latest offering of authentic newspapers is comprised of nearly 350 new items. Some of the noteworthy content includes: a printing of the Constitution of the United States, an issue of The Royal Gazette from Charleston (1782), a 1659 newsbook we’ve never offered before, Winslow Homer’s famous “Snap The Ship”, an issue with the British response to the Declaration of Independence, coverage of Cornwallis surrenders at Yorktown, and more. Key items which include the remaining items from the above may be viewed at: Noteworthy Catalog 250

Whereas the entire catalog is shown at Catalog 250, the following links are intended to aid in quickly finding items from the catalog based on era:

1500-1799 (full view OR quick-scan “compact” view)
1800-1899 (full view OR quick-scan “compact” view)
1900-2015 (full view OR quick-scan “compact” view)

To view items from both the current and the previous catalog, go to: Combined Catalogs

Lincoln Assassination Newspapers Atlas…

January 14, 2016 by · 2 Comments 

Rick Brown been collecting Lincoln assassination newspapers for over 50 years. He has also been a historic newspaper dealer and bought, sold, or brokered in excess of one million historic newspapers. Currently he has in about 200 original Lincoln assassination newspapers – Both Union and confederate. In that same time he been setting aside reprints of the April 15, 1865 New York Herald as he came across Blog-2-18-2016-NY-Herald-Reprintsthem. In 1992 he self-published “An Atlas of Known April 15, 1865 New York Herald Reprints.” In that work, all pages of 17 different reprint versions were shown. With concentrated efforts in 2015 he contacted a few major institutions and has now discovered 48 different/variants of this edition. His online version of the current atlas that shows all pages of 45  different variants. Also included in this online atlas is background information about the reprints – who published, when, how many pages, etc. The URL for his online Atlas is: http://www.historyreference.org/newspapers/assassination/

An average of three April 15, 1865 New York Herald’s are listed on eBay EVERY WEEK – that’s over 150 per year. Almost all of these listings claim there’s is an “authentic,” “original,” or “genuine” edition.  In the past 15 years he has been conducting weekly searches for “April 15, 1865 New York Herald” on eBay. There have been approximately 2,250 listings for this edition on eBay and ONLY TWICE the listings were actually original editions! Also, since he has been going to estate sales and auctions for over 20 years, he has seen a few hundred of these editions offered – NOT ONE OF THEM were an original!! Over 95% of these reprints were produced over 100 years ago so they LOOK OLD, Looking old does not necessarily mean it is an original. Buyer beware – Collector value for these reprint editions is $10-$20 depending on condition.

If you have a Lincoln-related Web site or know someone that does, please have them add a link to my online atlas.

Rick Brown
http://www.historyreference.org
A Nonprofit Organization

A November stroll thru time – 1765… 1815… 1865… 1915… 1945…

November 5, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

Blog-11-5-2015-Wirz-ExecutedWhat news was reported in the month of November – 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 years ago? 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.
November
1965 – 50 years ago
1915 – 100 years ago
1865 – 150 years ago
1815 – 200 years ago
1765 – 250 years ago

An October stroll thru time… 1765… 1815… 1865… 1915… 1945…

October 1, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

Blog-10-1-2015-October-Thru-TimeWhat news was reported in the month of October – 50, 100, 150, 200, and 250 years ago? 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.
October
1965 – 50 years ago
1915 – 100 years ago
1865 – 150 years ago
1815 – 200 years ago
1765 – 250 years ago

The Civil War (post conflict)… May, 1865

May 1, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

What news was reported in May, 1865 – 150 years ago? Such a walk back in time through the eyes of those who read the daily and weekly newspapers of the period can be Blog-5-1-2015-Jefferson-Davis-Capturedquite 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 link 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 walk back in time:

May, 1865

A sampling of what you will find may include articles and info regarding: President Abraham Lincoln’s funeral, the capture of Jefferson Davis, the capture and killing of John Wilkes Booth, the promotion of Ulysses S. Grant, President Andrew Johnson’s amnesty proclamation, and more. Enjoy!

The Civil War… April, 1865

April 10, 2015 by · 2 Comments 

What news was reported in April, 1865 – 150 years ago? Such a walk back in time through the eyes of those who read the daily and weekly newspapers of the period can be quite Blog-4-3-2015-Lincoln-Shotrevealing. 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 link 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 walk back in time:

April, 1865

A sampling of what you will find may include articles and info regarding: the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln (along with much on his funeral), the capture and death of John Wilkes Booth, the surrender of Robert E. Lee at Appomattox, the Fall of Richmond, and more. Enjoy!

The Civil War… March, 1865

March 5, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

What news was reported in March, 1865 – 150 years ago? Such a walk back in time through the eyes of those who read the daily and weekly newspapers of the period can be quite revealing. TBlog-3-6-2015-March-1863his is why we often say, “History is never more fascinating than when it’s read from the day it was first reported.” The following link 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 walk back in time:

March, 1865

A sampling of what you will find may include articles and info regarding: Robert E. Lee offers pardon to deserters (in a Confederate newspaper), Lincoln’s inauguration and inaugural address, Sherman’s march through the south, southern planters arming their slaves, official battle reports from General Robert E. Lee and General George Meade, and more. Enjoy!

The Civil War… January, 1865

January 15, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

Blog-1-16-2015What news was reported in January, 1865 – 150 years ago? Such a walk back in time through 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 link 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 walk back in time:

January, 1865

A sampling of what you will find may include articles and info regarding: Alfred Tennyson, Sherman takes Savannah, General John Bell Hood escapes, “Rebels” turning against the rebellion, Confederates report that Savannah has returned to the Union, Letters from Hardee & Beauregard, slaves in court, Farewell orders of General Butler, Confederates admit a defeat near Petersburg, the capture of Fort Fisher, Savannah’s first Union-occupation newspaper, the Battle of Nashville, Robert E. Lee appointed Commander-in-Chief, and more. Enjoy!

When “white paper” was unavailable the presses kept running…

January 2, 2015 by · Leave a Comment 

We recently came across an interesting issue of The Daily Rocky Mountain News” from Denver, dated Oct. 4, 1864. The uniqueness was not in the reporting; it was in the newspaper itself. Rather than printed on traditional newsprint stock, this issue is printed on pink-colored tissue paper. Fortunately, although very flimsy, it is not the least bit fragile.

Blog-12-2-2014It was not unusual for print shops to run out of newsprint and to become inventive in finding ways to get out the day’s edition, particularly for newspapers in remote parts of the country as most paper mills were located in the Northeast.  Think of the famous wallpaper issues from the Civil War. Some investigating came across the reason. One website on the history of the “Rocky Mountain News” noted that: “…When the Indian outbreak caused an embargo on traffic over the Western plains in 1864-5, he frequently ran out of white paper, and in such emergencies he printed the news on wrapping paper gathered from Denver stores…”. So this pink paper was wrapping paper. I wonder how long the need for “necessity paper” lasted. We also have two more issues with a similar date which are printed on yellow and green paper. In any case, very interesting curiosities for this fascinating hobby.

“All the News That’s Fit to Print”… one editor gets it right…

September 5, 2014 by · Leave a Comment 

While the remainder of the newspaper seems to overwhelming contradict an editorial comment made by a contributor for the Southern Sentinel (Louisiana) in the issue of October 24, 1863, one can certainly appreciate his honest approach to reporting. I dare to say this could not be printed in most current-day newspapers with any degree of integrity. Please enjoy:No News?

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