Collecting “bookend” newspapers…

July 22, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
Email This Post Email This Post | Print This Post Print This Post

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!

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy...

Filed under: Newspaper Collecting Ideas, Noteworthy Issues, The 20th & 21st Centuries, The Hobby, Valuation of Issues
Tagged: , , ,

First newspapers in Missouri…

July 19, 2010 by · 3 Comments 
Email This Post Email This Post | Print This Post Print This Post

It was in 1808 when the first printing press arrived in what is now the state of Missouri, which was the Territory of Louisiana at the time. That was in St. Louis, which had about 1000 inhabitants at the time.  Previous to moving to St. Louis, Joseph Charless, the printer, worked on a newspaper in Lexington, Kentucky in 1803, and then 4 years later was involved in the “Gazette” of Louisville. And it was on July 12, 1808 when Charless printed the first edition of the “Missouri Gazette“, the first newspaper in Missouri. He had 170 subscribers at the time, many of whom paid in flour, corn, beef or pork to the value of the $3 annual subscription. He changed the title to the “Louisiana Gazette” in 1809, but then when Congress created the Missouri Territory in 1812, the paper again became the “Missouri Gazette“.

Not uncommon to early printers, Charless had made many enemies through his newspaper, prompting opponents to head a movement to bring another printer into town. It was in 1815 when Joshua Norvell arrived in town, and in May of that year printed his first issue of the “Western Journal“. He sold it within two years, when the new printer changed the name on May 17, 1817 to the “Western Emigrant“. It again changed hands & title again in another two years, to the “St. Louis Enquirer“.

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy...

Filed under: Noteworthy Issues, Pre Civil War, The Hobby
Tagged: , , , , , ,

Just following the doctor’s orders…

July 17, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
Email This Post Email This Post | Print This Post Print This Post

The following piece appeared in the “Bethlehem Daily Times” issue of November 22, 1869.

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy...

Filed under: Post Civil War, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
Tagged: , ,

The Traveler… possibilities in Alaska??

July 15, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
Email This Post Email This Post | Print This Post Print This Post

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

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy...

Filed under: The 20th & 21st Centuries, The Hobby, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
Tagged: , , , , , ,

Value for an “Ulster County Gazette”…

July 12, 2010 by · 31 Comments 
Email This Post Email This Post | Print This Post Print This Post

If there is any one newspaper about which we receive the most calls as to value, it would have to be the “Ulster County Gazette” issue of January 4, 1800. This Kingston, New York, newspaper documents the death of George Washington, hence the appeal.

Anyone who has been collecting newspapers for more than a few years has likely encountered at least one of the more than 60 varieties of reprints which have been documented and which exist by the hundreds of thousands. The Library of Congress has an informative sheet which will allow one to distinguish a reprint edition from the original.

As of this date, only two genuine issues have been discovered, now in the hands of the American Antiquarian Society and the Library of Congress. Although the history of the reprints, going back to 1825, is an interesting subject in itself, my thoughts with this blog post are on the value of a genuine issue should a third one surface.

Keeping in mind that historical significance is perhaps the single most important determinant for value, The report of Washington’s death does not rank–in my opinion–on the “top shelf”. The “Ulster County Gazette” issue is a relatively late report with a Jan. 4, 1800  date (he died Dec. 14, 1799), and there is no particular significance to the city in regard to Washington; he wasn’t born there, didn’t die there, perhaps never even visited there (although during the Revolutionary War he was in that vicinity). The Declaration of Independence & Constitution rank high on the “top shelf”, and these documents in Philadelphia newspapers would be premier issues for such reports commanding values well above $100,000 each.  As such, the “Ulster County Gazette” issue is famous for being a reprint and not much more.

So, the question is, should a third genuine issue surface, how much should it  be worth? Yes, it is a rare newspaper as only two are known to exist, but I’m sure there are other small town newspapers from the era which are equally as rare. In our catalog 177 we will be offering a Providence, R.I. issue of January 1 for less than $2000, it being a first report also with front page mention and much inside page text regarding Washington’s death. But six institutions have this issue with perhaps a few more in private hands. I think some collectors believe the U.C.G. would be worth $100,000 or more, but I would disagree. Yes, it is “famous” as a reprint, and finding a 3rd issue would be neat, but how does this affect value? It’s a late report of Washington’s death in a small town, upstate New York newspaper which has no significance to the life of Washington. Perhaps add some  premium for the notoriety of the issue, but I’m not sure I’d want to pay more than $3000 or $4000 for the issue.  Step beyond the small circle of serious newspaper collectors and attempts to legitimize a hefty value would fall on deaf ears. Better reports, closer to Virginia, with earlier dates can be purchased for less.

So what are your thoughts? Feel free to share.

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy...

Filed under: Noteworthy Issues, Pre Civil War, The Hobby, Valuation of Issues
Tagged: , , , ,

How bad do you have to dress to offend a horse?

July 10, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
Email This Post Email This Post | Print This Post Print This Post

The “Boston Commercial Gazette” of February 12, 1818 has an interesting tidbit about a man who walked from Concord, Massachusetts, to New Orleans. I was struck by the comment that: “…His appearance on the road was a great annoyance to women, children and horses.”

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy...

Filed under: Pre Civil War, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
Tagged: , , ,

The first newspapers in Mississippi…

July 8, 2010 by · 1 Comment 
Email This Post Email This Post | Print This Post Print This Post

Even before the Mississippi Territory was made whole in 1804 (or nearly so; a small portion was annexed in 1812), a printing press was moved into Natchez at the request of the newly appointed governor in order to: “…diffuse a knowledge of the laws and other useful matters…”.  Documentation gives evidence that Benjamin Stokes: “…commenced in Natchez, and continued some time, the ‘Mississippi Gazette’…This was some time in the summer of 1799, but he soon failed…”. But the earliest issue located is dated Oct. 13, 1801, vol. 2, no. 7, which would carry the date of establishment back to September, 1800. At the time the population of the entire Mississippi Territory was just 7600. The paper was discontinued on Dec. 1, 1801.

Another title, the “Intelligencer“, begin in Natchez on Aug. 11, 1801 judging from the date of the earliest issue located. This publication failed to last through the year, ending publication on Dec. 8, 1801. The next several papers also published in Natchez, with the “Mississippi Herald” beginning July 27, 1802 (ended in 1807); the “Constitutional Conservator” beginning in Oct., 1802 but only one issue has been located, that of April 16, 1803; the “Mississippi Messenger” beginning Sept. 7, 1804 (ended in 1808) and the “Natchez “Gazette” beginning on Jan. 7, 1808 (ended on Nov. 16, 1808).

Each of these titles, and others from the early period of the 19th century, were established before statehood was granted in 1817.

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy...

Filed under: Common Questions, Noteworthy Issues, Pre Civil War, The 1700's, The Hobby
Tagged: , , ,

The Traveler… Celebrating the 4th…

July 1, 2010 by · 1 Comment 
Email This Post Email This Post | Print This Post Print This Post

Happy 4th of July to all!! In reading through newspapers for this week, I decided not to select today’s date, but yesterday’s instead. The Boston Patriot, dated June 30, 1810, contains a large announcement of the “Republican Celebration!” for the Celebration of the 4th of July, 1810 — it being the 34th Anniversary of American Independence.  This issue shows the the progression of the Bunker-Hill festivities which would proceed from the State House to Bunker-Hill. There are also other articles within the issue in reference to the Fourth of July.

On a side note, while scanning through the issue I noticed within the “Died” notifications an amazing announcement.  One brief reports that “Ann Sylvester, a free black woman, died on Tuesday the 14th at Falmouth, Jamaica, at the very advanced age of 133 years“. A very advanced age indeed!! It also provided information on her children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, all 82 of them!… with additional amazing information about her as well. Quite a lady!                    ~The Traveler

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy...

Filed under: Pre Civil War, The Hobby, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
Tagged: , , ,

First newspapers in Michigan…

June 28, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
Email This Post Email This Post | Print This Post Print This Post

The first settlement in present-day Michigan was in Sault Ste. Mari in 1668, yet it was about one hundred years later before the first printing press arrived in the territory. Detroit was founded in  1701 and it was here in 1809 when the Rev. Father Gabriel Richard brought with him a printing press upon which Jame M. Miller, a printer from Utica, New York, would published the first issue of “Michigan Essay; Or, The Impartial Observer” on August 31. A portion of the issue was printed in French. Only four issues of this newspaper have survived and they are all the first issue so it is possible it may have been also the last.

The second newspaper in Michigan was also in Detroit, the “Detroit Gazette” which began on July 25, 1817.  Three of the pages were in English while one was in French. It succeeded for about thirteen years, expiring on April 22, 1830. The third newspaper was again in Detroit, the “Michigan Herald“, which began in 1825 and lasted for four years. the first French newspaper in Michigan was the “Gazette Francaise, which also began in 1825, which was also the year the first newspaper outside of Detroit was begun, being the “Michigan Sentinel” in the town of Monroe.  By the 1830’s newspapers in the Michigan Territory became more commonplace.

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy...

Filed under: Noteworthy Issues, Pre Civil War, The 1700's, The Hobby, Valuation of Issues
Tagged: , , , , ,

Recommended reading…

June 26, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
Email This Post Email This Post | Print This Post Print This Post

Jim Wheeler, one of our “rare newspaper” friends, recently sent us an e-mail with the following recommendation for our summer reading list:

The Constitutional Convention: A Narrative History from the Notes of James Madison, by Edward J. Larson & Michael P. Winship, ISBN 0-8129-7517

This book essentially condenses and annotates Madison’s notes taken throughout the Convention so that the language and the important concepts that were discussed can be understood today.  The book includes a list of those attending the convention and their respective states. When you keep a copy of this list handy while reading the notes, you can get a clear picture of the regional motives behind the discussion as the constitution was developed. This book, in conjunction with The Founding Brothers, John Ellis, were both extremely helpful in developing a working understanding of what I consider to be one of the most interesting 10 to 20 year time period in US history.

I thought that in addition to all of your other reading, these two items may be interesting and helpful.

Thanks for your suggestions Jim.  To the readers of this post:  “If you have a chance to read either of these (or have already done so), the community would love to hear your reactions as well.

If you liked this post, you may also enjoy...

Filed under: Food for Thought, Guest Posts, Pre Civil War, The 1700's, The Rare Newspapers Community
Tagged: , , , , , , , , , ,

« Previous Page — Next Page »