British Journalism and Ephemera Catalog

Presented for sale by Phil Barber, Post Office Box 8694, Boston, Mass. 02114-0036 Telephone (617) 492-4653
www.historicpages.com

About This Era and its Newspapers

      I am pleased to be able to present to our Internet customers this sampling of British newspapers, magazines, and ephemeral items. I feature British journalism prominently in my catalogs due to its singular importance to understanding American history, and because it forms a fascinating study in its own right. Our tradition of freedom of the press is firmly rooted in English soil. Many courageous Britons risked flogging, imprisonment, and even execution to publish the news in defiance of the Crown monopoly, an example widely imitated in the American colonies, where British periodicals circulated extensively. It is worthy of note that the stirring for freedom and justice that characterized the "Enlightenment" of the eighteenth century were largely spread to America in the newspapers imported from England when our native press was in its infancy.

British newspapers are also a treasury of early American news in the years before there was an American press. American news was generally sympathetically reported in all but the most conservative Tory newspapers, as Britons were waging the fight for liberty at home at the same time as the colonies were preparing for war with the motherland. The exaggerated claims of rebel propagandists -and there were many- were soundly corrected, however, in contemporary British journals; reading these articles today offers most interesting perspective on the Colonies' actual relations with Britain and how the ultimate separation was engineered. British views of our Civil War, for example, are also quite fascinating and reflect the lingering hostility between the two nations. The final reconciliation and co-operation that finally healed the rift and which has characterized Anglo-American relations is also well documented in contemporary British journalism.

American News in British Papers
For your browsing convenience I have included British periodicals that have significant American news content in my regular catalogs. To view these papers, please click on the following links, which will take you to the appropriate catalog listings:

About The Catalog Listings

All items in this catalog are unconditionally guaranteed to be genuine and accurately described. Any item may be returned within ten 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. Magazines are disbound from annual volumes and lack wraps unless otherwise stated, as these were never preserved in the bound runs. 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!

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British Catalog Index
Click on the highlighted Page Number to visit that page.
  • Page 1 Pre-1800 Collection, Page 1
  • Page 2 Pre-1800 Collection, Page 2
  • Page 3 The Illustrated London News
  • Page 4 The 19th Century, Page 1
  • Page 5 The 19th Century, Page 2
  • Page 6 The 20th Century
  • Introductory Catalog of atmosphere issues of English and World papers


EXTRA: Napoleon Invades Scotland!
GB-001. [SINGLE ISSUE] THE LONDON GAZETTE EXTRAORDINARY, February 27, 1797. [Complete issue of singlesheet pages, quarto size, published at London, England, by Edward Johnston]
This special broadside edition, printed only on recto, announces the startling news that a French force of "Three large Ships of War and a Lugger" disembarked 1,200 fighting men near Cardigan. Lord Cawdor immediately reaches the scene with the "Cardigan militia, and all the force I could collect" and immediately receives the surrender of the French Chef de Brigade, one unfortunate Tate. Most interesting first person account, including the official correspondence between the rival commanders. Disaffected Scots and Irishmen allied themselves with Bonaparte's quixotic attempts to conquer England, but their hopes of restoring their sovereignty from the hated empire were dashed by Britain's superior military and naval forces. Most uncommon, fine decorative Masthead of the Royal Arms .
Condition of this issue is nice very fine . . . 25.00

Mutiny on the Bounty: One of the First, Detailed Reports!
GB-004. [SINGLE ISSUE] THE GENTLEMAN'S MAGAZINE, May, 1790. [Complete issue of 96 pages, octavo size, published at London, England] This very historic issue of the great magazine contains one of the earliest accounts of a "Notable event, lately happened at Sea", the mutiny aboard H.M.S. Bounty. In a full page report we read a dramatic account of the actions of Fletcher Christian and the mutineers. We read "at day-break on the 28th, the cabin of Captain Bligh, was forcefully entered by an officer of the watch, assisted by three others ... menacing his life if he attempted to speak." and so on. Next is an account of Capt. Bligh's epic voyage in an open boat to East Timor, whence he has lately sailed for England with the shocking news of the loss of his command. One of the great tales of the sea, reported for the first time in this popular magazine. See my scan for part of this exciting article. Much more, including a five page report of the loss of H.M.S. Guardian to an iceberg and the three week voyage of her survivors in a small boat to the Cape of Good Hope. Complete with all three illustration plates, one of which shows Dublin buildings.
Very fine, carefully extracted from a volume without impairment . . . 120.00

The Commonwealth Parliament Abolishes of the House of Lords
G1-008. AN ACT FOR ABOLISHING THE HOUSE OF PEERS, March 21, 1648. [Complete issue of 4 pages, quarto size, published at London, England, by Edward Husband, printer to the House of Commons] The passions of the second phase of the English Civil War are dramatically displayed in this rare Act of the House of Commons, formally abolishing the Royalist House of Lords, "finding by too long experience that the House of Lords is useless and dangerous to the people of England to be continued... from henceforth the house of Lords in Parliament, shall be and is hereby wholly abolished and taken away..." Superb English history in this most bitter year of the renewed struggle for freedom, which will end in the execution of the King. Printed throughout in Black Letter type with a very large decorative Page One factotum; final leaf blank as made
Condition is choice crisp very fine, light offsetting not impairing legibility . . . 225.00

Samuel Johnson's Famed Essay Paper
G1-011. THE RAMBLER, October 1, 1750. [Complete issue of 6 pages, quarto size, published at London, England, by Payne & Bouquet] Samuel Johnson was the proprietor of this influential "essay" newspaper from this golden age of English letters. Adopting the literary device of a supposed letter to the editor, he writes of poverty and wealth, "the caprices and follies" of humanity and the quest for happiness. Fine reading reminds us the human condition is not much changed, despite the vast material differences between the 18th and 21st centuries. Scarcer title and much in demand for its first appearances of writings by the great master. ORIGINAL PERIODICAL edition, not the common later reprints
Condition is fine . . . 25.00

Of "Ye" and the "S" that looks like an "F"
New collectors are sometimes confounded by the unfamiliar ways some words are found printed in old newspapers and documents. Foremost among these is the mistaken idea that the letter "f" was used where we today use an "s". In the old Anglo-Saxon alphabet, from which the English alphabet is derived, the lower case "s" was written in two forms: one is the "long s" that resembles my modern letter "f" (but note, it does not have the center bar), which is used when the "s" appears in any position within a word other than as the final letter; the other is the familiar shaped "s" which appears at the end of words. In capital letters the common "S" is always used. This usage is cognate to the two forms of "s" in the Greek alphabet.

What appear to be printed, for example, as "fuccefs", in old newspapers, is in reality nothing more exotic than "success". In capital letters this word would be printed as "SUCCESS", as it is today.
English printer John Bell first phased out the use of the long "s" in his books at the end of the 1700's, and by 1810 or so the new practice was universal in printed material. Interestingly, though, the use of the old long "s" continued in handwritten documents for many years, through the 1870's. This innovation must have saved typesetters much labor!

The second common misunderstanding is the idea that "ye" (as in "ye olde") is pronounced "ye". It is not and never was! Again, what appears to be the modern letter "y" in this usage is in fact the diphthong from the old Anglo-Saxon alphabet called thang, which is pronounced "th", and which was used as a form of shorthand, being easier to set one letter than two.

A Fine Georgian Map of South America
G1-021. MAP from Guthrie, A NEW..GRAMMAR...OF THE WORLD.., printed by Charles Dilly at London, England in 1788. Quarto foldout plate size, measuring 8¼" x 10.
This excellent copper-engraved map depicts "South America, from the best Authorities", showing the Spanish and Portuguese colonies of the New World in their original names. Quite nice. The maps in this fine early work on the history and present condition of the world were executed by the celebrated Royal Cartography Thomas Kitchin, and are of the highest quality of their time. A photocopy of the book's titlepage is included for verification. .
Condition is fine . . . 55.00

Map of the German States and Their Neighbors
G1-022. MAP from Guthrie, A NEW..GRAMMAR...OF THE WORLD.., printed by Charles Dilly at London, England in 1788. Quarto foldout plate size, measuring 8¼" x 10.
"GERMANY and the NETHERLANDS" is the title of this fine map, which shows the many Germany city-states almost a century before unification, together with Switzerland, Bohemia (modern Czechoslovakia), western Poland (then a Russian province), northern Italy, Turkey, etc. Fine map of a world long gone. The maps in this fine early work on the history and present condition of the world were executed by the celebrated Royal Cartography Thomas Kitchin, and are of the highest quality of their time. A photocopy of the book's titlepage is included for verification. .
Condition is fine . . . 45.00

Frontpage Canadian History
G1-023. [SINGLE ISSUE]. THE LONDON CHRONICLE, November 10, 1764. [Complete issue, 8 pages, 4to size, published at London, England, by James Wilkie]
Page One lengthy reports about James Murray as Governor of Montreal, so recently wrested from France. Under his administration, he has "raised the capital of this province to a state of opulence and freedom unknown before." Nice early Canaduana. Also, complaints from Boston and troubles in Pennsylvania, the subjects of several paragraphs. Lots more news, fine ads, sometimes grim crime reports, and more. The partial red Three Halfpenny tax stamp printed in this issue is much like the hated American tax stamps of 1765-66.
Condition is very fine, untrimmed edges . . . 22.50

Inventory of A Spanish Treasure Galleon
G1-024. [SINGLE ISSUE]. THE LONDON CHRONICLE, August 9, 1763. [Complete issue, 8 pages, 4to size, published at London, England, by James Wilkie]
Interesting table, in unusual format, lists the riches taken from the Spanish man o' war "La Hermione," over half a million Pounds in gold and silver coins (worth billions today!), and how it was apportioned as prize money to the officers and men of the British warship that took her. The Crown, in the form of the Bank of England receives "28 bags of gold coins", to make into Spade Guineas, while the silver -1,896 bags of silver Dollars!- gets divvied up. Great item. More on British trade, relations with the colonies, crime news, etc. Full red Three Halfpenny tax stamp in this issue is much like the hated American tax stamps of 1765-66.
Condition is very fine, untrimmed edges, little light foxing last leaves. . . . 25.00

Reference Books
Some references consulted in the preparation of this catalogue and suggested for further reading include the following

  • Andrews, Alexander, The History of British Journalism, London, 1859. Reprinted Scholarly Press, 1968
  • Crane & Kaye, A Census of British Newspapers and Periodicals, 1620 - 1800. University of North Carolina, 1927
  • Graham, Walter. English Literary Periodicals,. 1930. Reprinted Octagon Books, 1966, 1980.
  • Grant, James, The Newspaper Press, Its Origin, Progress, and Present Position. London, Tinsley Brothers, 1871.
  • Jackson, Mason, The Pictorial Press. London, 1885. Reprinted Burt Franklin, 1969
  • Lake, Brian. British Newspapers, A History and Guide for Collectors. London, Sheppard Press, 1984.
  • Morison, Stanley. The English Newspaper. Cambridge, 1932
  • Stewart, British Union Catalog of Periodicals (1955 and supplements)
  • Sulllivan, Alvin. British Literary Magazines, 1689 - 1914. Greenwood Press, 1983

    Related Catalog Links
    Please click here to go to my Introductory Catalog, for an extensive selection of "atmosphere" issues of English newspapers and periodicals of all periods.
    Please click here to go to my Indenture Catalog, for an offering of attractive collectible large sheepksin legal documents, dating from about 1600 through 1895.

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    Contents ©:2009 Phil Barber.