Presented for sale by Phil Barber, Cambridge, Mass. 02139 Telephone (617) 492-4653 |
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About This Era and its Newspapers
The industrial revolution, as it transformed all aspects of American life and society, dramatically affected newspapers. Both the numbers of papers and their paid circulations rose dramatically. The 1850 U.S. census catalogued 2,526 titles of periodicals in print. In the 1850's powerful, giant presses appeared, able to print ten thousand complete papers per hour. At this time the first "pictorial" weekly newspapers emerged; they featured for the first time extensive illustrations of events in the news, as woodcut engravings made from correspondents' sketches or taken from that new invention, the photograph. There are published in the United States alone as many periodicals and papers as are produced in the whole of Europe. It is no matter of surprise then that America should be centuries ahead of the Old World in point of intelligence and general diffusion of knowledge. -Walt Whitman, editorial in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle, April 23, 1846 Newspaper growth continued unabated in the years following the War for the Union. An astounding 11,314 different papers were recorded in the 1880 census. By the 1890's the first circulation figures of a million copies per issue were recorded (ironically, these newspapers are now quite rare due to the atrocious quality of cheap paper then in use, and to great losses in World War II era paper drives) At this period appeared the features of the modern newspaper, bold "banner" headlines, extensive use of illustrations, "funny pages," plus expanded coverage of organized sporting events. The rise of "yellow journalism" also marks this era. In our time, radio and television have replaced newspapers as the nation's primary information sources, so it may be difficult for the modern journalism hobbyist initially to fully appreciate the pivotal role that newspapers have played in our history. Papers and magazines from many different states and territories appear in these Nineteenth Century offerings. All shades of opinion are to be found in the editorials of these periodicals, along with full local, national and world news reporting. The differences in the earliest issues and the latest in this period are quite startling. The true modern newspaper slowly takes shape, decade by decade, in response to improvements in reporting techniques, printing and paper making technology, and to changing social values and interests. In this period America left behind its roots as a small agrarian republic to assume its worldwide role as an imperial power, fueled by an industrial growth unprecedented in history. Physically the nation grew from a small area of the eastern seaboard to dominate the continent. From a policy of maintaining no standing army, a huge military establishment blossomed. From the Founders' ideal of a limited government grew a gigantic Federal bureaucracy. From a nation of small farming towns, America became a land of sprawling cities and heavy industry. There were of course conflicting opinions over the course the nation was taking, some of which exploded into violent confrontation and the most bitter political acrimony. To read about them now as they were reported at the time can furnish the modern collector with most interesting insights of how dramatic our history has been, and how rapid, almost overwhelming change has been the norm, rather than the exception, for some two hundred years now. About The Catalog Listings All items in this catalog are unconditionally guaranteed to be genuine and accurately described. Any item may be returned within seven days of receipt for a full refund. No reason for return is ever required.They are in fine used condition and are complete with all pages as issued. All papers are free of damage or objectionable defects. We are sure you will be delighted with their exceptional state of preservation. We purchase only the finest condition newspapers that can be found to offer to our valued friends and customers. These are the finest quality original antique newspapers and magazines, that you might find elsewhere priced at much greater cost. It has always been my policy to present my catalog items at "wholesale to the public" prices. Therefore all catalog items and quoted prices are net, and are not subject to further discount, either for dealers or in consideration of quantity orders. It is our policy to price our items based on what we believe to be their fair market value. I do not set prices at absurdly inflated levels to take advantage of novices or "investors"; nor do employ the common ploy of starting with an unrealistically high price in order to "negotiate" a phony discount later. As over a third of our catalog orders are from dealers buying for resale, at our stated prices, we have every confidence that this policy maintains an ethical standard of integrity and fairness to all. Newspapers are full folio size unless described as quarto (abbreviated 4to) or octavo (8vo), which are respectively smaller in format. Most newspapers have been removed from bound volumes and may exhibit characteristic minor spine weakness or separation without significant paper loss. Most small format octavo magazines of 40 or more pages are disbound from annual volumes and lack wraps unless otherwise stated, as these were very rarely preserved in the bound runs. Illustration plates are lacking unless described as present in the description, as most were framed by the original subscribers. Illustrations are provided of a number of items (more will be added), depicting as much of them as can be shown with my 8 1/2" x 11" scanner. To access the pictures, click on the highlighted link that follows the catalog listing. When done viewing, select the "Back" button in your browser to return to this page. Each catalog entry is briefly described for its general appearance, historical significance, and content. Every one contains hours of additional historic reading and insights into the world preserved on its pages, much more than I could find the space to describe here. I pride myself on the quality and accuracy of my catalog descriptions, and strive to provide all the information needed to enable you to make an informed selection. Please consult my collector information pages and glossary of terms page linked below, if you are not sure what the descriptions mean. Your comments are always welcome, as are your inquiries, if you have questions about these historic collectibles. We value our customers, and appreciate the confidence you place in us when ordering from our on line catalogs. We strive to merit your patronage and to enrich your collecting experience through accurate, knowledgeable descriptions, honest pricing, courteous service, and timely order filling. Enjoy your browsing! Pictures of Cataloged Items
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How to Order from This CatalogBecause catalog items tend to sell quickly, we ask that you e-mail your order to us to confirm availability before you send payment. To reserve a catalog item, please enter the quantity you want in the "Order Quantity" box (where available; most listings are one of a kind and do not have this option) and press the "Add to Cart" button. You will then see your "shopping basket" and its contents and total. You may remove selected items at any time, and use your browser's "Forward" button to view the cart page whenever you wish. When you fill out and submit the Checkout page, your order will be sent to me. As soon as I receive your order, I will confirm the availability of your selections via return e-mail, with your invoice for the total amount due. We will reserve your confirmed selection(s) for seven days for receipt of your mailed payment. ` My catalogs use a "shopping cart" system, which will take you from each catalog to a confirmation page and when you are ready, to the order Checkout page. To use it, please be sure the "javascript" and "accept cookies" functions are enabled in your browser. Non-javascript users can email an order or use my printable order form. Reservations may also be placed by telephone during regular business hours. We accept payment by check, money order, or cash. We accept all major credit cards through PayPal, the safe and convenient online payment service.. After confirming your order, we will request PayPal to send you a bill for the amount of your order. As soon as your payment is confirmed, we will ship your order to you. Basic postage per order addressed within the United States is just $4.75. Because of the many, continual rate increases mandated by the post office, there will also be a small extra shipping charge, as noted per item. i have adjusted it carefully to reflect actual shipping cost, which includes the weight of the packing material and heavy safety mailers I use to ensure your order arrives safely.
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[Prov., R.I.]. A small vignette of a train adorns this attractive railroad bill of lading. Printed form with MS entries describing goods accepted for shipment to Boston, from quite early in the history of American railroading. 8½" x 7"; VF, small inkstain at fold . . . . 4.95 , 1870's. [Fall River, Mass.] Handsome memento of America's great riverine and coastal steamboat trade, a printed Bill for goods transported, with entries and the name of the steamship filled in by hand. Nice condition, uncommon. 8vo, fine . . . . 4.50
Click this thumbnail graphic to view the Tennessee State books catalogued below.
G3-301. [SINGLE ISSUE]. THE ILLUSTRATED AMERICAN, March 12, 1892. [Complete issue of 32 pages, quarto size, published at New York and Chicago, by the Illust. American Publishing Company] Fine memorial issue for the late Mrs. Harrison, wife of the President, with her portrait on the cover and a full account within of the First Lady's last hours and her illustrious life. Also a gala four page spread of the parade and naval review at the opening of the great Columbian Exposition, with much on the "Lady Mangers" and their importance. Much more in this excellent and not often seen pictorial weekly. bright VF . . . 10.00
We hope you have enjoyed this listing, and have found it useful and informative. This catalog contains a very small sampling of our large and diverse inventory of these early newspapers and imprints. More organized and diverse editions of the catalog are planned to be uploaded to this site, so please visit us again. We normally try to have at least several hundred different items in each of our catalogs for our customers to choose from, but they tend to sell out so rapidly that it is hard to keep up with the demand! Please feel free to e-mail your comments to our address below, or call us during regular business hours, eastern time. Navigate my Website: Contents ©:2023 Phil Barber. |