Rare Newspapers – distracting?

May 6, 2010 by · 2 Comments 
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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?

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Filed under: Common Questions, The 20th & 21st Centuries, The Hobby, The Rare Newspapers Community
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How things have changed…

May 3, 2010 by · 2 Comments 
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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.

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Filed under: Food for Thought, The 20th & 21st Centuries, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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An historical anecdote…

May 1, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
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The following item from the “Massachusetts Centinel” of Boston, August 29, 1787, is evidence of some timely humor when the country was awaiting the results of the Constitutional Convention.

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Filed under: The 1700's, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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Resources of collectors…

April 29, 2010 by · 2 Comments 
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One of the most frequently asked questions regarding the rare newspaper hobby concerns available resources.  Awhile back we posted a general response to this on eBay titled, “What Resources are Available for Newspaper Collectors?”.  Although we’ll continue to look at this question in detail, we thought newcomers might appreciate a general overview.  An excerpt of this post is as follows:

1)  Price Guide For Rare & Historic Newspapers?
2)  Storage & Display Options For Colonial, Civil War & 20th Century Newspapers?
3)  Reference Books On The History Of Old Newspapers?
4) A Club Of Collectors Of Old Newspapers?

Collecting rare & early newspapers from the colonial era through the Civil War & 20th century is a fun & fascinating hobby, but questions often arise: Is their a price guide, or a club of collectors? What storage & display options are recommended for the old newspaper hobbyist? How about reference material on the hobby?

1) Being a relatively unknown hobby has its advantages…

To view the entire post, please go to:  “What Resources are Available for Newspaper Collectors?“

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Filed under: Common Questions, The Hobby
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First newspapers in Maine…

April 26, 2010 by · 1 Comment 
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It may be a surprise to some that Maine did not become a state until 1820, much later than most of the other New England states which were among the original thirteen colonies. It was a part of Massachusetts in the 18th century and figured in the Missouri Compromise of 1820 which allowed Missouri to enter the Union as a slave state, balanced by Maine as a free state.

Benjamin Titcomb, a native of Maine, was the first printer in the state and joining with Thomas Wait started the “Gazette and Weekly Advertiser” in Falmouth (now Portland) on January 1, 1785. But just a year later  Titcomb left the newspaper and Wait changed the newspaper’s name to the “Cumberland Gazette“, Cumberland being the name of the county in which Falmouth was located. It changed names again six years later to the “Eastern Herald“.

Titcomb’s son, Benjamin Titcomb, Jr., started Maine’s second newspaper on Oct. 8, 1790, called the “Gazette of Maine” and six years later these first two newspapers would be combined to be the “Eastern Herald and Gazette of Maine“.

The other 18th century newspapers published in present-day Maine were the “Eastern Star” in Hallowell. 1794, the “Tocsin” also in Hallowell, 1795, the “Kennebec Intelligencer” in Augusta (then called Harrington) 1795, the “Wiscasset Telegraph” in 1796, “The Gazette” in  in Portland, 1798, the “Wiscasset Argus” in 1797, the “Oriental Trumpet” of Portland, 1798, and the “Castine Journal” on Jan. 2, 1799. Many of these titles had a very short life.

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Filed under: Collecting Newspapers, Common Questions, Noteworthy Issues, The 1500's - 1700's, The 1700's
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A toast to the “multitaskers” of the world…

April 24, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
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The Harper’s Weekly dated 10/21/1871 apparently had a wealth of wisdom buried within (see last Saturday’s post).  The following certainly raises the stock of the “multitaskers” among us:

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Featured websites – The Liberator Files…

April 22, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
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Within the past few months, three members of Timothy Hughes Rare & Early Newspapers each recommended the same website, The Liberator Files, as a great resource for exploring this well-known abolitionist title from the early/mid 1800’s.  This Boston paper was published by William Lloyd Garrison, and provides wonderful context for this formative period in U.S. history – from the early 1830’s through the end of the Civil War.  The Liberator Files, developed and maintained by Horace Seldon, includes a wealth of abolitionist related commentary in conjunction with a host of scanned Liberator images from William Lloyd Garrison’s own collection, which are currently held at the Boston Public Library.  Thanks Horace, for your significant contribution to the world of rare & historic newspapers.   Please enjoy!

Feel free to share with the rare newspapers community other historical and/or rare newspaper oriented websites you’ve found to  be of use.

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Filed under: Civil War, Featured Websites, Pre Civil War, The Hobby, The Rare Newspapers Community
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First newspapers in Louisiana…

April 19, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
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Being a French settlement from the early 1700’s, it would be of no surprise that the first newspaper in present-day Louisiana was French: “Moniteur de la Louisiane” which began in New Orleans on March 3, 1794. Three years later it became the official mouthpiece of the government, and continued to print until the publisher’s death in July, 1814.

Louisiana’s first newspaper done by a publisher of English or American extraction was the “Union: New Orleans Advertiser and Price Current” by James Lyon, of Vermont, which began on Dec. 13, 1803. Just one day later Louisiana’s third newspaper began–a French publication–“Le Telegraphe, et le Commercial Advertiser“.  Both these latter two endeavors began just a few months after the Louisiana Purchase.  Actually “Le Telegraphe” began as a French publication but later changed to both French and English, a tradition which held true for many Louisiana newspapers at least through the Civil War.

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Filed under: Collecting Newspapers, Noteworthy Issues, Pre Civil War, The 1700's, The Hobby
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Stating the obvious…

April 17, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
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Upon browsing an issue of Harper’s Weekly dated 10/21/1871, we came across an interesting tidbit which provides an obvious solution to what must have been a common problem.  Please enjoy:

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Filed under: Post Civil War, Unusual, Fun & Bizarre
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Featured websites – The Boston Journalism Trail…

April 15, 2010 by · Leave a Comment 
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The Boston Journalism Trail is a fascinating on-line resource for anyone interested in early journalism in America – especially as was present in colonial era  newspapers.  The website was created and is maintained by Emmanual E. (Manny) Paraschnos, Graduate Program Director and Professor of Journalism at Emerson College, Boston, MA.  Manny states, “I was born with ink in my veins…”, a fact which comes through loud and clear as you journey through the material found via The Boston Journalism Trail.  Take the time to stroll through this wonderful resource.   Click on the various landmarks to see a plethora of images showing the corresponding buildings, and where appropriate, original & historic newspapers.  Of particular note  is the “About the Boston ‘Newspaper Row’ ” link found at the bottom center of the page.

We owe Manny a debt of gratitude for his many contributions to the historic newspapers community.  If you are planning to visit historic Boston, make your first stop The Boston Journalism Trail.  Your trip will be enhanced by what you find.

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