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Here’s to good health…
November 20, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
An article the the September 4, 1840 issue of The Citizen Soldier, Vermont, provides a mid-19th century perspective (advice) for how to acquire good health. Try to imagine the follow-up letters to the editor in response had this appeared within this morning’s paper. Please enjoy:
New discovery… Who knows what one might find?
November 8, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · Leave a Comment
We’ve often mentioned that one of the pleasures of the Rare & Early newspaper collecting hobby is finding unforeseen historical nuggets buried deep within the pages of newspapers… just waiting to be unearthed. 
This was recently brought to the surface again by a collector/history teacher who purchases 19th century wholesale lots (undescribed as to content) for his students and for personal use . His note is as follows:
This paper (from a wholesale lot) had a reference to a house vote for the “relief” of Susan Decatur, wife of naval hero Stephen Decatur. She had inherited $75,000 from her husband, who was killed in a duel in 1820. This is the equivalent of $1.4 million today. The bill was defeated. One of the nays was cast by Congressman Crockett (David). Minor, but priceless info. Your company does more good than you know.
Feel free to share your own discoveries with the collecting community.
Minister needed to be clever to say only nice things…
November 6, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
This interesting report In the “Richmond Examiner” issue of August 27, 1864 shows some creativity by the preacher:
April 15, 1865 New York Herald reprints… revisited…
November 1, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · 10 Comments
A previous post by guest contributor Rick Brown detailed how one can identify whether or not their April 15, 1865 New York Herald is authentic. One of the most notable differences between an authentic issue (which is quite rare) and one of the reprints (which are rather common) is that the common reprint has an image of President Lincoln on the front page, whereas, the original does not. We recently came across a photo of the Lincoln image (as shown to the right). If your issue has it… unfortunately, your’s is not an original.
Old age is relative…
October 23, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
Enjoy the following, which appeared in an 1857 newspaper:
Contest/drawing… humorous nuggets…
October 14, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
Over the years, while searching for key content within our newspaper archives, we inevitably have found articles, images, headlines, anecdotes, etc. which are quite humorous. Many such snippets have appeared on the History’s Newsstand blog and may be viewed at: https://blog.rarenewspapers.com/?tag=humor
What about you? Have you found a little comic relief within your personal collection? If so, we would love for you to share your most humorous discovery (or discoveries) with the Rare Newspapers collecting community – and receive a reward for doing so. There are several ways to participate:
1) post the text of your newspaper anecdote, article, headline, etc. directly on the blog as a comment to this post.
2) post a scan/photo of your newspaper anecdote, article, headline, image, etc. directly on the blog as a comment to this post.
3) send the text or photo of your entry to guy@rarenewspapers.com, and we will post it for you.
You may submit as many entries as you wish, through Thursday, October 31st. Everyone who makes a submission will receive a coupon for 10% off a future website order at Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers. However, we will also have a random drawing for three winners whom will also receive $50 gift certificates for use at Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers. Why draw at random as opposed to selecting the most humorous? What one may find to be funny, another may not.
The Traveler… a hatchet and… a slap in the face…
October 9, 2010 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
This week I ventured off the date just a bit, but staying within the current week. I began reading through the October 3, 1810 issue of Thomas’s Massachusetts Spy, or Worcester Gazette when a lengthy front page article entitled “An Island of Savage Cannibals” caught my eye. This was from The Fejee Islands, and after reading the article, I have decided that this would definitely not have been on my vacation agenda! For some reason, a part of ransom requested by these people was twelve hatchets??!!
Inside the issue was a small article entitled “Real Bravery” which read “Little Algiers has declared war against France. The independent States of America dare not.“ Now, talk about a slap in the face…
~ The Traveler
A great rarity comes into our inventory…
October 7, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
One of the more rare items in the world of early newspaper collecting has come into our inventory: a collection of the very first newspaper in Hawaii, including the volume one, number one issue.
Hawaii’s first newspaper was essentially a student newspaper, titled “Ka Lama Hawaii” (The Hawaiian Luminary), done by Protestant missionaries at their school at Lahainaluna on the island of Maui. The missionaries transported a printing press some 18,000 miles around Cape Horn to Hawaii, setting up what would become the very first newspaper building west of the Rocky Mountains. The newspaper was printed in the Hawaiian language on the manually operated flatbed press which could turn out 100 sheets per hour. Content included articles on government, Christian teachings, and in keeping with the educational element, illustrations of exotic animals like the lion, elephant and zebra. The very first issue, dated Feb. 14, 1834, was dominated by an essay on the habits & habitats of the lion.
This newspaper lasted for just these 25 issues printed in 1834, then did not print for several years only to resurrect itself to print just two final issues in January, 1841. Not only is it the first newspaper in Hawaii, but it also predates any newspaper in North America west of the Rocky Mountains.
We felt these rare issues were worth sharing with fellow collectors.
“Keeping” the Commandments…
September 25, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
The following is an interesting item printed in “The Floridian” newspaper from Tallahassee, August 12, 1848. The “Temperance Aphorisms” which follows it is worth a look as well:
Prices realized… 19th century…
September 20, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · 5 Comments
This post is the 3rd installment of a series dedicated to exploring actual sale prices of historic newspapers from various periods of time. Below please find a few selections from the 19th century.
Note: If you have an issue of your own you’re trying to price, one trick/strategy is to go to the “advanced” search engine at www.rarenewspapers.com (see top left of window), enter a 2 week range of dates (one week prior to your issue’s date to one week after), and view the results. This will give you comparable issues (if available) to help you in establishing a reasonable price for your issue. Make certain to take into consideration your issues title, city of location, proximity to the location where the event (key content) occurred, condition, displayability, proximity of issue’s date to the date the key event occurred, etc.
19th century selections:
The best Lincoln Assassination issue to be had… THE NEW YORK TIMES, April 15, 1865 ($2,800, 2009)
Wallpaper issue! THE OPELOUSAS COURIER, Louisiana., Apr. 4, 1863 ($2,650, 2006)
The previous posts in this series are:
Prices realized… 16th & 17th centuries…
Prices realized… 18th century…