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Snapshot 1881: Is it a car, a bike, a train or a trike?
July 17, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Is it a car, a bike, a train, or a trike – or something else altogether? Looking back with an effort to place various inventions into current-day buckets is not always easy. However, in this case, there is one thing we know for sure: It is a velocipede: “a human-powered land vehicle with one or more wheels.” This one appeared in the April 16, 1881 issue of Scientific American.
The reason I collected it: The Semi-Weekly Argus from Washington Territory…
July 10, 2023 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
“The Semi-Weekly Argus” of Port Townsend, Washington Territory, July 7, 1873, might seem like an ordinary issue with typical content of the day. However the most intriguing aspect of the edition is not the data nor its content; it’s the paper upon which it is printed. It is yellow.
On rare occasions, newspaper publishers had to deviate from the traditional newsprint with which we are familiar, when necessity required an alternative. In such situations “necessity paper” was used, the term for whenever an issue was printed on anything non-traditional.
Given Port Townsend’s relative remoteness in the Northwest, I would suspect supply routes were often questionable a best, particularly with this date being 16 years before statehood.
We have encountered newspapers printed on paper with a wide assortment of colors, as well as wrapping paper, cornhusk paper, wallpaper, lined notebook paper. tissue paper, etc. Such editions were typically very short-lived, perhaps a few days at best, until supply chains could be re-established.
Here is a great example of the use of “necessity paper” and a visually prominent addition to any collection.
The question for freedom… the Underground Railroad…
July 7, 2023 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
Down the hill from my house is a backcountry lane called Freedom Road. As my 6 children were growing up, I loved telling them stories of an Underground Railroad stop in the old barn across from our house and how the escaped slaves, after a short respite from their journey, would then travel down the hill to continue along their road to freedom. How fitting a name and how moving a story – especially to children who could gaze across the street and imagine the historical efforts of humble, brave and noble locals being played out in their own neighborhood. Imagine my delight when I found a rare mention of the Underground Railroad in an October 6, 1854, New York Tribune. As Tim Hughes often reminds us, “History is never more fascinating then when it is read from the day it was first reported”… or when it is in your own backyard.
Announcing: Catalog #332 for July, 2023 – Rare & Early Newspapers…
June 30, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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The July catalog (#332) is now available. Shown below are links to various segments of the catalog, our currently discounted newspapers, and recent posts to the History’s Newsstand Blog. Please enjoy.
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[The links above will redirect to the latest catalog in approx. 30 days
upon which time it will update to the most recent catalog.]
The Legacy of Cassius Clay… Could it be in the Name?
June 19, 2023 by LauraH · Leave a Comment
While looking through an October 25, 1862 issue of Harper’s Weekly, a tiny paragraph on the 2nd page caught my eye. Titled “NO HANGING MATTER”, this article began:“Mr. Cassius M. Clay was born in a slave State, and early convinced that slavery was wrong, he has manfully advocated emancipation in Kentucky; and has been universally known as one of the most valiant of the anti02-slavery orators.” Wondering if the mother of Cassius Clay (later known as Muhammad Ali) knew the legacy with whom she was identifying when she named her baby boy, a quick bit of research online answered my question. Not only was she aware of the connection, but she purposefully chose the name because of this 1800’s abolitionist hero. Crossing both racial barriers and nearly 200 years, these 2 men both established lasting legacies.
Sometimes, the most delightful finds in our newspapers are the small, unexpected, little gems that give new insight into people of the past and the present – and in this particular instance, this “text” was discovered hiding in a title known for its illustrations.
Announcing: Catalog #331 for June, 2023 – Rare & Early Newspapers…
May 30, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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[The links above will redirect to the latest catalog in approx. 30 days
upon which time it will update to the most recent catalog.]
Happy “Victoria Day” (Canada)…
May 22, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Shown below is a Canadian-themed, woodcut illustration from a sketch by Frederic Remington as printed in the Harper’s Weekly dated March 22, 1890.
To our friends up north…
Happy Victoria Day!
(original available at RareNewspapers.com – digital available at History’s Newsstand @ Etsy)
Announcing: Catalog #330 for May, 2023 – Rare & Early Newspapers…
April 28, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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[The links above will redirect to the latest catalog in approx. 30 days
upon which time it will update to the most recent catalog.]
Announcing: Catalog #329 for April, 2023 – Rare & Early Newspapers…
March 31, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
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[The links above will redirect to the latest catalog in approx. 30 days
upon which time it will update to the most recent catalog.]
The State of the Union… Did you know…?
March 20, 2023 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
Did you know, starting with George Washington and lasting through much of the 20th century, most newspapers printed the entire text of each President’s Annual Message (State of the Union Address)? Although in some cases only excerpts were given, including the full text was the common practice, and would often take a page or more to print. One of the benefits of this practice was that it enabled newspaper recipients to read the President’s message in-line with a bit of editorial commentary, and then see how people reacted by reading related reports and letters to the editor over the course of the next several days (or more).
Although these issues are very popular with collectors, we (RareNewspapers.com) are always on the hunt for more to offer. Our current inventory may be viewed at:
*State of the Union Addresses
The addresses have been arranged in chronological order so even if you do not wish or are unable to add any to your collection, you can still enjoy reading portions through the images and descriptions to capture the progression of Presidential thought through time.
*The link contains newspapers with both S.O.U.’s and follow-up reporting.