Contrary to modern science…

February 19, 2011 by · 2 Comments 
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The following appeared in the “Democratic Watchman” of Bellefonte, Pennsylvania, in the issue of December 2, 1877:

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Filed under: Post Civil War, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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Entry point to the Rare Newspapers Collectible… 16th & 17th Centuries…

February 17, 2011 by · 2 Comments 
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Our peek at the lower-end entry points into the hobby of collecting rare and early newspapers draws to a conclusion today with a gander at inexpensive newspapers published prior to 1700. A list of titles priced at under $50 includes:  The London Gazette, The Athenian Mercury, Votes of the House of Commons, The Observator, and The Weekly Pacquet of Advice From Rome, all of which are British publications.

The following link will take you to these potential pre-1700 entry-point issues: Pre-1700 Inexpensive Issues

Enjoy!

Note:  View the following to explore the History’s Newsstand Blog’s featured posts on the upper end of the collectible: “Prices Realized” and “Most Collectible Issues“.

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Filed under: Common Questions, Newspaper Collecting Ideas, The 1500's, The 1600's, The Hobby
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The first newspapers in North Carolina…

February 14, 2011 by · 1 Comment 
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James Davis was North Carolina’s first printer, having come from Virginia to New Bern in 1749 to print government work. On Aug. 9, 1751 he established the “North Carolina Gazette“, the first newspaper in North Carolina, which would continue until 1778. He also created the colony’s second periodical, “North Carolina Magazine, or Universal Intelligencer” on June 8, 1764, it lasting until 1768.

Shortly thereafter on Oct. 17, 1764 Andrew Steuart began in Wilmington the “North Carolina Gazette & Weekly Post-Boy“, and yet another printer, Adam Boyd, began in Wilmington as well the “Cape Fear Mercury” on Oct. 13, 1769. It wasn’t until after the Revolutionary War that newspaper publishing in the colony began to flourish.

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Filed under: Colonial, Common Questions, Noteworthy Issues
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Searching for a husband…

February 12, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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The following thought appeared in the “New York Illustrated News” of July 23, 1853. While many newspapers chronicle engagements, marriage, etc., this snippet stood out as a fitting warning to young men with cold feet. I believe the first word should be “Popping” and not “Poping”:

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Filed under: Pre Civil War, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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The Traveler… traveling to Rio de Janeiro… part of the “health test”??

February 10, 2011 by · 1 Comment 
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I decided to take my travels a like further back in time  and to a place that always intrigued me.  Through letters from Boston and Philadelphia, The London Gazette dated February 12, 1711 reported on a vessel that had been shattered from Rio de Janeiro. The French had landed and were being beaten off with the reinforcement of eight thousand men from the mines… the French retreated.

In my readings, I see numerous  “An Act..” within newspapers, but found this one quite unusual. “An Act to enable John Lord Gower, Baron of Stitnham, an Infant, to make a Settlement upon his Marriage.” I wonder what the terms of the settlement were??

Last, the back page had an announcement about “The Corporation of the Amicable Society for the Perpetual Assurance-Office” for the Affidavit of the Health. The way the announcement read, this may have been part of the qualification testing… if you understood it all, then you were in good (mental) health.

~The Traveler

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Filed under: The 1500's - 1700's, The Hobby, Uncategorized, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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First newspapers in New Mexico…

February 7, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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The first printing press arrived in New Mexico at Santa Fe in 1834 and just one year later the first newspaper was published, a Spanish-language paper titled “El Crepusculo de la Libertad” (Dawn of Liberty), beginning on Nov. 29, 1835 but lasting for only four numbers. It was presumed that New Mexican lawyer Lic Antonio Barriero published it to promote his candidacy for the Mexican Congress, and abandoned it after his election.

In 1844 another newspaper was published: “La Verdad” (The Truth) which lasted for over a year. A bi-lingual newspaper, “The Santa Fe Republican” began on Sept. 4, 1847 and two years later on Dec. 1, 1849 the first issue of the “New Mexican” appeared, which exists to this day.

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Filed under: Common Questions, Noteworthy Issues, Pre Civil War
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Perhaps we should increase the size of our coffins…

February 5, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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I’m sure most have read about the origins of the phrases, “Saved by the bell”, “Dead Ringer”, and “Graveyard shift”. This interesting tidbit, which appeared in the “Scientific American Supplement” of February 3, 1906, might have offered yet another solution:

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Filed under: The 20th & 21st Centuries, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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Entry point to the Rare Newspapers Collectible… 18th Century…

February 3, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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Over the past month the History’s Newsstand Blog has explored the lower-end entry points into the hobby of collecting rare and early newspapers. This next installment takes us back to the 18th century.  The further we move back in time the higher (price-wise) is the entry point.  One of the common ways to keep your early (into the hobby) 18th century collecting budget under control is to start by collecting newspapers/magazines from England.  Typically, reports on American affairs found within British publications cost as little as 1/10 (and sometimes even less percentage-wise) than the corresponding reports in American issues.  With this in mind…

The following selection provides a glimpse of the wide variety of 18th century issues available valued at $25* and under.  Many more exist on the Rare Newspapers’ website, but others can be found throughout the collectible community as well. The item numbers for each are linked to corresponding images.

The oldest newspaper in the world…

120436 THE LONDON GAZETTE, England, dates ranging from 1726 to 1730  – This is the oldest continually published newspaper in the world, having begun in 1665 and is still being published today. Reporting is almost entirely concerned with Parliamentary items and European news with some advertisements near the back of the issue.  $18.00*

From Pre-Revolutionary War England…

121059 THE ST. JAMES CHRONICLE; OR, THE BRITISH EVENING POST, London, England, 1767. Nice engraving in the masthead makes this a displayable issue. Various news of the day and a wealth of ads, from not long before the outbreak of the Revolutionary War. $18.00*

From Post-Revolutionary War England…

208968 THE GENERAL EVENING POST, London, 1792  A nice “typical” folio-size newspaper of 4 pages from the 18th century. There is a wealth of news of the day on the front page and inside pages with some ads scattered throughout as well.  $18.00*

By the town critic…

121100 THE CONNOISSEUR, London, 1755. See the photo below for an example of this title from our archives. An uncommon and early title “By Mr. Town, Critic & Censor General” as noted in the masthead. Done in editorial format.  $20.00*

From 18th century Scotland…

208447 THE EDINBURGH EVENING COURANT, Scotland, 1785.  A nice 18th century Scottish newspaper with the entire front page taken up with ads, with various news of the day on the inside pages. Some of the ads have illustrations as well. Complete in 4 pages, partial red-inked tax stamp on the front page, folio size, some light browning or dirtiness, but in generally nice condition.  $20.00*

Additional issues priced at $25* and under may be viewed at: Entry Level Newspapers

* All prices shown were valid as of the release date of this post.

View the following to explore the History’s Newsstand Blog’s featured posts on the upper end of the collectible: “Prices Realized” and “Most Collectible Issues“.

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Filed under: Common Questions, Newspaper Collecting Ideas, The 1500's - 1700's, The 1700's
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First newspapers in New Jersey…

January 31, 2011 by · 2 Comments 
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Given that New Jersey is geographically wedged between the the large colonial cities of New York and Philadelphia, there seemed to be little interest in creating a New Jersey newspaper until relatively late in the 18th century. Although New York & Pennsylvania had newspapers in the 1720’s, New Jersey’s first title, “The New Jersey Gazette“, did not appear until 1777.

But printing was being done in the colony as early as 1723, and it even had its first magazine, “The New American Magazine“, done by James Parker at Woodbridge in 1758. But it was Isaac Collins who on Dec. 5, 1777 started in Burlington the province’s first newspaper, “The New Jersey Gazette”, which would be removed to Trenton just three months later where it continued until 1786.

Technically there is another contender for the the title of New Jersey’s first newspaper, as Hugh Gaine removed his  “New York Gazette & Weekly Mercury” to Newark, New Jersey, just prior to the British occupation of that city. His first Newark edition was on Sept. 21, 1776 and he only printed seven issues through Nov. 2, 1776 before returning to New York a few days later.

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Filed under: Common Questions, Noteworthy Issues, The 1700's, The Hobby
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Thoughts on “weight of people” in 1866…

January 29, 2011 by · Leave a Comment 
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This item from “Leslie’s Illustrated Newspaper” of July 7, 1866 provides some interesting thoughts on the weight of people, as “analyzed” in 1866:

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