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A “whispering” report presages a significant event in American history…
October 12, 2026 by TimHughes · Leave a Comment
One of the joys of collecting early newspapers and magazines–as I’ve mentioned several times before–is discovering little gems buried inconspicuously within an issue but would later gain considerably more significance. Huge headlines dramatically presented on the front page are always wonderful, but sometimes it’s the opposite presentation that adds to the collecting joy.
Such is the case with the July, 1753 issue of the “Gentleman’s Magazine” from London. Although one would suspect there would be no notable American content from this year, still some months away from the beginning of the French & Indian War, a seemingly insignificant item defies that assumption.
Tucked within the “America” news on an inside page, the item simply records that Philadelphia has raised: “…the great bell…with this inscription, ‘Proclaim liberty throughout all the land…’.” At the time, it was just a functional addition to the State House steeple. Yet today, this understated mention represents one of the earliest printed acknowledgments of what would become a cornerstone of American identity.
What makes the piece truly remarkable is how ordinary the installation seemed in 1753—long before the bell would crack, long before it would be embraced as a symbol of independence, abolition, and unity. For collectors, this is the Liberty Bell before the legend. Over the next century, the bell’s voice—and its silence—would mark defining moments in American history.
This issue is a gem of an item for any collector of Revolutionary War-era reports.