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Prices realized… 20th century…
September 27, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · 1 Comment
We continue with our series on “prices realized”, with this 4th installment providing select examples of issues from the 20th century. While there are many issues to choose from, we tried to cover a variety of collectible interests.
Note: While collectible newspapers have had a good track record of increasing in value over time (see upcoming posts), we encourage hobbyists to collect for non-financial reasons. History in your hands…
20th century selections:
The previous posts in this series are:
Prices realized… 16th & 17th centuries…
Prices realized… 18th century…
Prices realized… 19th century…
The Traveler… can’t you just go outside and play???
September 23, 2010 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
This week bring us to the reporting of the gubernatorial nomination for New Jersey. The front page of the September 23, 1910 issue of The Christian Science Monitor has the headline of “Believe Wilson May Have Career Like Cleveland” “Gubernatorial Victory in New Jersey for Princeton Man, It Is Said, May Lead to Presidency”. Do you think that they were possibly setting his next goals for him before he even got this one accomplished?
Also on the front page of this issue was a picture of a bi-plane and a young man standing beside it with a simple headline “Fitchburg Has Its First Aeroplane”. This intrigued me to read on, only to find that this a bit more unusual in more ways than one. “Fitchburg’s first aeroplane has been built and its wings tested in several short glides, according to its inventor, Edward W. Macy, 17-year-old… who had labored in secret on his free glider since early in February. The youthful inventory recently took the machine apart for the purpose of perfecting one or two points that the trials had brought to his attention…” It was noted that he was also intended to equip it with a motor. So, when your children get very quiet… watch out, you may not believe what they may be up to!!!
~The Traveler
The Traveler… who really invented “the talkies”?
August 26, 2010 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
Today’s journey, through The Christian Science Monitor dated August 26, 1910, took me on the train ride with Colonel Roosevelt as he was traveling across the states on his campaign tour. I found a segment a bit amusing… “At Erie the Colonel spoke to fully 5000 people. At Dunkirk a crowd nearly as large surrounded the train, and some one shouted, ‘Hello, Teddy!’ ‘I used to think it lowered my dignity to have them call me Teddy,’ the colonel said to his party in an undertone, ‘but do you know I am getting to like it now.'” A this point in time, one just somewhat “assumes” that he was always called Teddy.
While looking further into the issue, I found a one paragraph article with a headline “Mr. Edison Works On A New Device” and I just had to read it. “Moving pictures that talk, reproducing not only the action, but the spoken words of actors shown on the canvas, promise to revolutionize the moving picture business and the announcement that a machine that will combine the perfected phonograph with the present motion picture camera is being constructed in the laboratory of Thomas A. Edison in West Orange, has created a stir among inventors.”
This made me wonder just when were “talkies” invented and who invented it? Was this ground-breaking news? I did some researching through google. In the late 1890’s, there were some sound to movies but each person had to wear a listening device — early headsets?? Mr. Edison is mentioned as to be working on creating a special machine to make the “talkies” but the first talk was not to be until 1927 with the release of The Jazz Singer.
~The Traveler
Collecting “bookend” newspapers…
July 22, 2010 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
When writing up an newspaper on the beginning days of the Berlin Wall–when it was nothing more than barbed wire–it came to mind that we also have issues from Germany on the fall of the Berlin Wall. What a nice pair of issues to have together in a collection; the beginning and end of the Berlin Wall.
This caused me to think of other “beginnings & endings” which would be nice to keep as pairs within a collection. Let me mention a few:
* wars, from proclamations declaring “war” to “peace” reports at their end
* the first and last games of Joe DiMaggio’s 56 game hitting streak
* the first and last games of Cal Ripken’s 2,130 consecutive game streak
* on a more somber note the first election of Abraham Lincoln and his death report, spanning the scope of his national prominence
* the Wright brothers’ first flight and man landing on the moon (actually not and “end”, but certainly a nice “bookend” issue)
* beginning and end of Prohibition
* beginning and end of the Stamp Act
* arrival of delegates to the Constitutional Convention, and the submission of the final Constitution for ratification
* The stock market at its high point on Sept. 3, 1929, and at it’s Depression low point on July 8, 1932
There must be many more. Offer your suggestions to add to the list!
The Traveler… possibilities in Alaska??
July 15, 2010 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
While reading through The Christian Science Monitor dated July 15, 1910, I came across a report from Jacob H. Schiff. The report states that he and a party of friends were inspecting part of Alaska and as a result, are convinced it will become as populous and as productive as parts of Norway, Siberia and Russia. He (Jacob) states the greatest need of the far north to be transportation (access) and goes on further to identify the regions he believes would best be served by access by rail (train). At the time, did they really think that this would become possible??
Note (Google exploration): Through a little fun internet searching I discovered that Mr. Schiff was a well known banker and philanthropist with a descendant married to Al Gore’s daughter.
Looking further through the issue, a name of a city quickly caught my eye – Williamsport, PA! It seems that our hometown, the Lumber Capital of the World, was honoring the lumbermen with the hosting of a convention. Very cool!!
The final small article that just made me look twice had a heading of “Japanese Envoy Coming”, followed with the dateline “Honolulu”. Just knowing what occurred only three decades later…
~The Traveler
The Traveler… Let the journeys begin…
June 3, 2010 by The Traveler · Leave a Comment
After reading Tim’s recent blog posting on digging into an article that was not the “meat and potatoes” of the issue, I decided it would be interesting and intriguing to see what could be found within issues 100, 200 or 300 years ago. As we work with the newspapers, we are constantly being side-tracked with different articles and advertisements that catch our eye and these will be share with you from time to time. Welcome to This Day In History…
On June 3, 1910, within the issue of the Christian Science Monitor (Boston), I found the amazing news reporting of the round-trip aviation feat of flying across the English Channel — a total of 53 miles as Capt. Charles Rolls took it upon himself to circle twice over Sangatte before his return flight to Dover. And to think that we are actually flying to space stations and landing just like an ordinary flight!
However, another intriguing article was of a young Cossack woman who had started to ride from Hargin, Manchuria to St. Petersburg on a Mongolian pony. The distance was 5,420 miles. I wonder if she ever made it??
As I was about to put the issue down I also happened to notice a mention of the famous aviation pioneer, Glen Curtiss. Who knows what other “treasures” might be buried within this issue???
~The Traveler
Rare Newspapers – distracting?
May 6, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · 2 Comments
One of the most common questions our Rare Newspapers’ staff is asked is, “How do you ever get anything done? Don’t you get distracted by the interesting content within the issues?” The answer is an enthusiastic, “YES!” One of the most enjoyable aspects of our daily interaction with early newspapers are these very “distractions”. Hardly a day goes by where we aren’t fascinated by or engaged in conversation resulting from the content within the issues we find.
One such discussion (distraction) was recently inspired by an issue of the Omaha Daily Bee dated June 28, 1919, which originally caught our attention because of its dramatic WWI headline, “PEACE TREATY SIGNED”, with a corresponding subhead, “China Alone Refuses To Sign Covenant That Ends Greatest War in History”. However, what caused our “distraction” was the front page text (shown in the image) regarding the “World’s Ten Greatest Peace Treaties“. Although this issue is no longer available, it can be viewed at: http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/570082?acl=781584385. Much has occurred since the early 20th century. We wonder what such a list might include if it were printed on the front page of a tomorrow’s newspaper?
How things have changed…
May 3, 2010 by TimHughes · 2 Comments
The John Scopes trial of 1925, called the “monkey trial” for his teaching of evolution in the classroom against Tennessee’s anti-evolution law, drew national attention, particularly with two notable attorneys on the case: William Jennings Bryan and Charles Darrow.
The “Bethlehem Globe” newspaper from Pennsylvania, July 10, 1925, reported the opening of the case with the front page heading: “Evolution Trial Opened By Prayer; Judge Has A Bible”. Fast forwarding some 85 years one would wonder if a trial with such religious over-tones would have been permitted to open in such a way. For better of for worse, it was a different era. It is a headline unlikely to be seen today.
The value of a newspaper… impacted by content…
April 12, 2010 by GuyHeilenman · 7 Comments
One of the common questions received at Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers is “What elements are involved in determining the collectible value of a newspaper?” Several posts on this subject may be viewed at: “Determining the Value of an Historic Newspaper“. Two of the elements which drive the collectible value of a paper are content and age. For example, the $0.50-$1.00 newsstand price of a Washington Post, USA Today, or Chicago Tribune with the 1st report on the election of President Obama quickly rose to $35 a month (and higher) after the event (content), and will likely be valued at many times this amount in 20+ years (age).
In contrast, we recently came across a newspaper whose value increased by more than 700% (due to content – a photo) before the end of the day of its initial printing. Our find… the May 1, 1945 Mediterranean edition of Stars and Stripes. The front cover printed the famous photo of Benito Mussolini shown after his execution. In an effort to show a little discretion, the photo is not shown within this post, but may be viewed at: http://www.rarenewspapers.com/view/568477?acl=779383924
Although there have been times when the collectible value of a newspaper increased by the following day, we’d love to know of other pre-2000 events which resulted in an increase in the value of the newspaper on the same day the issue hit the newsstands. If you know of any, feel free to share with the collectible community.
A quiet title…
February 20, 2010 by TimHughes · 1 Comment
World War II “camp” newspapers, produced by the various military units around the world, had some interesting titles (see our post of January 11). One of the more interesting is the “SSHHH” (see below).
I would suspect there was some secrecy with work of the unit which produced this newspaper, given the title and there being no city or town of publication noted. The only clue that it was produced overseas is the note at the bottom of the front page: “This edition musts not be sent home.”
An interesting newspaper title worth sharing.