All items in this catalog are unconditionally guaranteed to be genuine and accurately described. Each catalog entry is briefly described for its general appearance, historical significance, and content. Every one contains hours of additional historic reading, much more than I could find the space to describe here.

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Click this thumbnail graphic to view the Tennessee State books catalogued below.

 

Very Early Illustrations of Sign Language for the "Deaf and Dumb"
G3-258. [BOOK] SENATE JOURNAL OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE FOR 1851-2 , 1852. [Complete original volume, 882, 338 pages, octavo size, published at Nashville, Tennessee]
Of great interest are the illustration plates in the "Report of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum at Knoxville", in the volume's voluminous Appendix (see scan below) which depict the pioneering sign language developed there. Fine item from the period in which what is now known as Ameslan was in development, first introduced to this country in 1817 and now slowly gaining acceptance. The main section of this book documents the works of the state Legislature, giving an interesting portrait of antebellum southerners' concerns and ways. The Appendix contains 18 other reports of the state departments, with individual titlepages. Fine Tennessee history, from the library of historian Robert H. White, with his ownership signature.
Condition is fine and clean internally, in VF modern blue gilt buckram; lacks general title, index to the Appendix leaf, the latter supplied in facsimile. Margin tape mends first three ;eaves . . . 75.00

Thick Volume of Tennessee State Documents
G3-259. [BOOK] APPENDIX [TO THE SENATE JOURNAL], 1856. [Complete original volume, 580 + 193 pages, octavo size, published at Nashville, Tennessee]
This interesting volume contains the documents called for by the Tennessee State Legislature, so numerous that they were printed in a separate volume rather than as the traditional addendum to the Senate Journal. Each with its own halftitlepage, contents include several "Special Messages" of Governor and future U.S. President Andrew Johnson, about the railroad to Georgia, state finances. Other complete documents include the Comptroller's Re[port on the state's banks and finances; the Report of the Bank of Tennessee; Annual report of the Hospital for the Insane; Reports of Fairs and County Societies, detailing all the fairs held in the state in 1855. Quite a few more reports, from the State Deaf and Dumb Asylum, banks, etc., plus a very detailed account of "The Geology of Tennessee" as it was becoming known. On the whole, a fine, detailed portrait of the state on the eve of civil war.
Condition is quite bright and fresh internally; in modern gilt buckram; very fine overall. . . . 75.00

Early Tennessee History
G3-260. [BOOK]. THE JOURNAL OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE AT THE TWENTY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY, HELD AT NASHVILLE, 1843, [sic, actually, 1844.] [Complete volume of 739, 264 pages, octavo size, published at Knoxville, Tennessee, by Eastman & Gifford]
Full coverage of the doings of the state government in the 1843 - 1844 session. Nashville is made the state capital at this historic session, among much more content. In the Appendix are reports on the operations of the Bank of Tennessee, annual report of the State Comptroller, a report on the Lunatic Asylum, from the Keeper of the Penitentiary, the state's seventh "Geological Report" and much more. Quite uncommon this early.
Condition is generally fine internally, evenly browned; Original half leather bindings, somewhat shaken, backstrip scuffed, back board detached . . . 75.00

Andrew Johnson, Governor
G3-261. [BOOK]. THE SENATE JOURNAL OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE THIRTIETH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, 1854. [Complete volume, 792, 294 pages, octavo size, published at Nashville, Tennessee, at the Union and American office]
Signed in type "ANDREW JOHNSON" is the Governor's annual message to the legislature, the detailed "State of the State" Address by the future U.S. President, together with all the verbatim debates in the state Senate on all imaginable matters, improvements, regulations, and of course, taxes. Among the Reports in the Appendix, each with its own halftitle page is the first report of the Tennessee Hospital for the Insane, and the state school for blind children, fascinating legacies of the social conscience of another era. From the library of noted Tennessee historian Robert H. White, with his ownership signature on the inside front cover.
Condition is generally fine internally, some contemporary underlining in blue legal pencil. Titlepage tattered in margins, with complete text, slight damage to the final leaf. Modern library cloth bindings in fine condition. . . . 65.00

Dealing with the Aftermath of John Brown
G3-262. [BOOK]. THE SENATE JOURNAL OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE THIRTY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, 1859 [sic, actually 1860.] [Complete volume, 847 pages, octavo size, published at Nashville, Tennessee, by R.G. Eastman & Company]
This large thick volume records verbatim the proceedings of the Tennessee legislature in its session of October 3, 1859 to March 26, 1860. There are several bills, laws, and resolutions relating to slavery and its political consequences in the white-heat passion of the day, and in a state that would be so dramatically split once war broke out. One resolution here voted on says in part "The theory of an 'irrepressible conflict' is a startling and mischievous invention and is well calculated, if held to be true" that there can be no peace between north and south. More on this subject as well as the usual business of a state government. Much fascinating reading. From the library of noted Tennessee historian Robert H. White, with his ownership signature on the inside cover.
Condition is generally quite clean and fine, in the original 3/4 leather marbled bindings, which are worn and scuffed, front board detached with some short tears to blank fly leaf . . . 65.00

G3-262-A. [BOOK]. THE SENATE JOURNAL OF THE FIRST SESSION OF THE THIRTY-THIRD GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF TENNESSEE, 1859 [sic, actually 1860.] [Complete volume, 847 pages, octavo size, published at Nashville, Tennessee, by R.G. Eastman & Company]
ANOTHER EXAMPLE OF G3-262 above. Condition is generally quite clean and fine, in modern library cloth with the original gilt red label. . . 65.00

The Newspapers of a President of the United States
N-615. THE DAILY NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER, typical issue printed between and 1851. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Washington, D.C. by Gales & Seaton].
I am pleased to be able to offer most historic association issues. belonging to James Buchanan, our fifteenth President. The papers were originally delivered to the future President at his "Wheatland" estate in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. His name, written by an Intelligencer subscription clerk appears in the masthead (nameplate) area of each issue, as seen in my scan above of a typical issue. The venerable old newspaper had been founded in 1801 and was one of the nation's great papers of the era. It contains all the news and politics of that most tempestuous era, plus official Government notices and many other ads. Buchanan (1791 - 1868) enjoyed a long career in public service, serving in the U.S. House of Representatives (1821 -1831), and later as Minister to Russia, U.S. Senator, Polk's Secretary of State, Minister to Great Britain. He won the Presidency in 1856 on the Democratic ticket, garnering 45% of the popular vote in the three-way race by endorsing a strict conservative interpretation of the Constitution to settle the raging slavery controversy. The later years of the Buchanan administration found the aged chief executive embroiled in charges of corruption and incompetence, most notably in the Covode scandal and in his inability to deal decisively with South Carolina's unlawful secession. After taking part in Lincoln's inauguration in 1861, Buchanan returned to Wheatland, where he led a very private retirement. He died of pneumonia in 1868. PROVENANCE. After Buchanan's death his files of newspapers passed to Jeremiah Black, a close personal friend of the bachelor President and Attorney General of the United States in the Buchanan administration. The Black family library was subsequently donated to the Library of Congress; this paper was recently de-acquisitioned and sold privately by the library.
Condition of the issues is generally quite fine, with light normal foxing typical of papers from the humid nation's capitol. My letter of authenticity and provenance is included with each issue. Unique and affordable memento of a 19th century antebellum President of the United States. While my stock lasts I offer them at just, per issue. . . 16.00 Please enter your order quantity here:  then press

An Early Appearance of the Democratic Donkey
G3-264. [SINGLE ISSUE] THE DAILY GRAPHIC, July 24, 1876. [Complete original issue, 8 pages, folio size, published at New York, N.Y., by the Graphic Company]
Fine cartoon (see detail scan below) of "A Herculean Task," reviving the defeated Democratic Party, is especially ironic as the Democratic candidate Tilden would win the election but was denied office by the Republican Radicals in one of the most shameful incidents of election fraud in our history. The donkey was first associated with Andrew Jackson's run for the Presidency in 1828, when his opponents referred to him as a "jackass". The symbol was revived by the great Thomas Nast in a Harper's Weekly cartoon in 1870, and by 1880 the donkey took its place as the permanent symbol of the party. Also in this issue, content on the background of the Republican candidate Rutherford Hayes, dispatches from General Cook's expedition to avenge Custer's recent killing, condition of the freed slaves, the silver issue, great illustrated ads and more. Begun in 1873, the title is America's first illustrated daily newspaper, and is far, far scarcer than contemporary Harper's Weekly or Frank Leslie's. Extra postage for this large sized newspaper is 0.95
Condition of this issue is very fine . . . 25.00

Reconstruction Violence - Americana
G3-266. [SINGLE ISSUE] HARPER'S WEEKLY, May 26, 1866. [Complete issue of 16 pages, large quarto size, published at New York, by Harper Brothers & Co.]
Cover prints of "SCENES IN MEMPHIS, TENNESSEE, DURING THE RIOT," former rebels gunning down Black men, women and children, and burning their schoolhouse. Grim account of the slaughter. Full-page woodcut illustrations of "CREVASSE (Flood) ON CHIN'S PLANTATION, BATON ROUGE", two views of steamboats on the river at "Little Rock, Arkansas" and another excellent overview of old New York's great "Washington Market" where food was bought, before supermarkets. Large portrait of Secretary of War Stanton, the powerful Washington bureaucrat whose attempted removal would trigger President Johnson's impeachment. Great issue from a nation just a year into its recovery from the horrors of civil war
Condition of this issue is fine, small upper r corner margin loss affects no content . . . 25.00

Virginia Mourns the Passing the Union's Greatest Champion
G3-269. [PAMPHLET]. A SERMON PREACHED...ON THE DEATH OF DANIEL WEBSTER , January, 1853. [Complete issue of 24 pages, octavo size, published at Wheeling, Virginia, by Swearington and Taylor]
From the western part of Virginia comes this scarce imprint, a memorial sermon on the death of Daniel Webster, giving the details of his forty-year long and important career in national politics, with a good section on the great oratorical battle between him and Clay on the Union, his international reputation, his living faith and strength of character. National mourning on his death was second only to that for Abraham Lincoln in the century, so well was he cherished by the nation he served. Interestingly the western counties of Virginia, whence this pamphlet hails, would stand with the Union just as strong as Webster, rejecting the state's Ordinance of Secession in 1861 and being ultimately admitted as the new state of West Virginia in 1863. Second edition, corrected and expanded.
Condition is very fine . . . 40.00

Henry Clay's Last Great Speech on Slavery and Union
G3-272. [TWO ISSUES]. THE BOSTON DAILY JOURNAL, February 8 and 9, 1850. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Boston, by Charles Rogers]
Continued complete in these issues, Page One printing of "The Speech of Henry Clay" of Feb. 6. The last great speech of the aging southern rights champion, in which he offers a compromise between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery forces, and opens the Congressional debate, also here reported. Most historic Americana, with a bold vision to preserve the nation; yet the strongest advocates on both sides, Seward and Calhoun, will refuse, and a much-watered down version of the "Great Compromise of 1850" will finally become law in the fall. Lengthy letter from California paints a vivid picture of prospecting on the Middle Fork and North Fork, heart of the gold country .
Condition is very fine, small stain on the Feb. 8 front page . . . 30.00

Sam Houston Declines to Run for President
G3-276. [SINGLE ISSUE]. THE NEW YORK SEMI-WEEKLY TRIBUNE, September 04, 1860. [Complete issue of 8 pages, folio size, published at New York, By Horace Greeley]
Page One letter signed in type SAMUEL HOUSTON is his withdrawal from consideration for the nomination, for now "the time has now arrived when it behooves every patriot to act for himself, and to do all in his power to save his country from a dangerous war of sectionalism and a reckless spirit of Disunion..." Slave uprisings are perceived in Texas and Georgia, Committees of Vigilance set up to ruin them. Great issue of a classic newspaper from a most historic moment in time. Unusual edition printed mostly for suburban local circulation; very few seem to have survived.
Condition is very fine . . . 24.00

Volume 1 Issue of A Fine Granite State Unitarian Weekly
G3-290. [ATMOSPHERE ISSUE]. THE BALM IN GILEAD, AND PRACTICAL UNIVERSALIST, 1841 to 1842. [Complete issue of 8 pages, quarto size, published at Concord, New Hampshire, by J. F. Wetherell]
"Devoted to the inculcation of truth, morality, and practical religion" is the Masthead motto of this early Unitarian newspaper, with an appealing and unusual title. Its elaborately engraved nameplate features the "All-Seeing Eye" of God, with an American eagle in flight above. A co-editor is Maturin Ballou, one of the most beloved evangelists of his century. The articles discuss the progress of the sect across the state and nation. Featured is a Temperance column, as well as Departments for Ladies and Youths. There is also a small summary of the week's news and a column of local ads. The paper ran until 1845; only eight Volume I holdings are cited in the Union List of Serials.
Condition is fine with a touch of light foxing. . . 4.95

From the 'Wild West' Railroad Center
G3-300. THE EMPORIA WEEKLY REPUBLICAN, 1886. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Emporia, Kansas, by C. Eskridge] This excellent early Kansas newspaper boasts a front page packed with national and local news, with extensive coverage of crime in the latter. Much excellent historical reading on a west than was becoming settled but was still plenty wild. Inside is an enormous variety of advertisements, many large with illustrations. More local news and ads found out the back page of this oversized horseblanket newspaper. Condition is excellent, on well-preserved quality transitional stock . . . 7.50 Enter your order quantity here: 

The First Lady Is Dead!
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 . . . 12.00

A Beautiful Hand-Colored American Map
G3-303. MAP from Mitchell, ATLAS OF THE WORLD, printed by S. Augustus Mitchell at Philadelphia, Penn. in 1860. Folio size, measuring 13" x 16".
COUNTY MAP OF KENTUCKY and TENNESSEE. This fine antebellum map of the two border states boasts the original bright hand coloring that has made Mitchell's superb maps very popular among generations of collectors. All cities, counties, and major towns are located in this fine copperplate engraving. Fine decorative borders.
Condition is bright clean very fine, tiny margin loss in upper L corner affects nothing. . . . 55.00

The Heritage of Old New York, Past and Present
G3-305. THE NEW AMSTERDAM GAZETTE EXTRA EDITION, typical issue printed in 1885. [Complete issue of 16 pages, quarto size, published at New York, by Morris Coster]
This intriguing monthly is devoted to the Dutch heritage of Manhattan, detailing historical events, some published here for the first time, from the earliest days of New York's settlement to its takeover by the English. Also followed are the lives of today's descendants of these intrepid pioneers, and the activities of their Dutch Reformed Church. There are several pages of fine ads as well, many illustrations, plus one or two woodcut pictures in the text.
RARE OPPORTUNITY: the title is UNLISTED in both the Union List of Serials and the Union List of Newspapers. Condition is bright clean VF . . . 5.00 Enter your order quantity here: 

A Most Uncommon American Reprint of a British Classic
G3-306. [ATMOSPHERE ISSUE] THE PENNY MAGAZINE, 1835 [sic, actually 1845]. [Two complete issues of 16 pages, quarto size, published at New York, , by Redfield & Clinton Hall]
This classic little weekly was the first regularly published illustrated newspaper. Originally produced by "the Society for the Diffusion of Useful Knowledge" at London, it is filled with wonderful woodcuts of the world's natural and man-made wonders, its leading figures, and more. Issues offered here, in an attached pair, are from the 1845 "American re-issue, from the original [printing] plates", identifiable by the fact that each two consecutive issues were printed together on one sheet. There were numerous contemporary Boston editions of somewhat suspect legality, but there was no copyright law until 1842, under whose terms the rights for this reprint were presumably negotiated. Quite unusual! Two issues attached as one, with a copy of the volume title-page for verification .
Condition of this issue is nice fine . . . 6.00 Enter your order quantity here: 

Unique Philippines Occupation Newspapers
G3-307. DIARIO DE FILIPINAS, 1901. [Complete issue of 4 pages, large folio size, published at Manila, Philippine Islands]
This Spanish language daily was produced under the auspices of U.S. occupying forces, then battling a strong guerilla insurgency. This was America's first experience with jungle warfare and the fighting would last five years and ultimately take the lives of 5,000 U.S. troops and those of over over 100,000 Filipinos. The issues contain all the news of the day, commercial notices, many ads, etc. EXTREMELY RARE TITLE, these are the only known surviving issues of the paper (See Union List of Newspapers, page 630), formerly held in the Archives of the U.S. War Department.
Condition is good with some edge flaking, spinecut when microfilmed prior to release by the holding library . . . 10.00 - Enter your order quantity here: 

Bad Science and Slaveholder Paranoia
G3-3016. [SINGLE ISSUE] THE AMERICAN PHRENOLOGICAL JOURNAL, Feb., 1857. [Complete issue of 24 pages, quarto size, published at New York, by Fowler & Wells]
Father Matthew, the famed "Apostle of Temperance" and George Stephenson, "Father of Railways" are here scrutinized phrenologically and are found to be splendid specimens of Anglo-Saxon virility, with the most symmetrical of noggins. The bizarre pseudo-science of phrenology (like its later and more sinister descendent, eugenics) imagined that personality traits could be observed in physical characteristics. An interesting 2 page illustrated article to an Eskimo village depicts the native and missionaries there. Pieces on spiritualism, temperance, and other fad movements of this most tumultuous decade, so much like the 1960's in flavor. Account of a "Negro Insurrection" in Kentucky, where six men are to be hung for plotting to murder a number of whites. One woman was tortured to death to disclose the conspirators' names and plans, which included killing all the males and "that the young women are to be kept as wives for themselves." Much more.
Condition of this issue is fine . . . 20.00

A Rare Canadian Almanac in the Publisher's Deluxe Binding
G3-3105. [ALMANAC] THE McMILLAN'S AGRICULTURAL AND NAUTICAL ALMANAC FOR 1880, [October 1879]. [Complete issue of 160+(4) pages, octavo size, published at St. John, New Brunswick, Canada, by McMillan & McAlpine]
This very scarce Canadian imprint features many pages of advertising and lists of merchants, bankers, traders, local government, and companies of all kinds operating in New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island. An invaluable source book for local historians. Together with the monthly tables, where blank pages are bound in for the owner's personal notations. Extremely uncommon, much less often seen than the very popular and collectible U.S. equivalents. The original printed purple covers are present, and the whole is bound in nice gilt stamped full leather. Ownership signature on flyleaf is dated October 1879.
Condition of this issue is very fine internally and quite clean and fresh externally, gilding still bright, exceptional thus. . . . 100.00

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Related Website Catalog Links at Historicpages.com
My Introductory Catalog features an extensive selection of inexpensive "atmosphere" issues of newspapers and other periodicals, and ephemera of this period. Please click here to go the Antebellum Americana section, having items from 1830 - 1860. Please click here to go the Age of Expansion section of 1865 - 1910.
Please select here to go to our Civil War catalog, for newspapers of 1861 - 1865 individually described and catalogued for their historic significance, plus a selection of "atmosphere" titles and selected ephemera.

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