Bryan's Antique Newspaper Collection

 

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Commonly asked questions about antique newspapers:

 Why collect old newspapers?

Newspapers are the only day-to-day form of written history recorded within hours of its making.  Read the Boston Gazette of March 12, 1770 to learn of the massacre in that city and gain an appreciation of the revolutionary spirit never before imagined. Read 1st hand reports on the Civil War. View the Banner Headlines of some of the biggest events from the 20 Century. Every newspaper is a firsthand reflection of life at that time – when descriptive ads for runaway slaves were commonplace; when Paul Revere advertised his “bell foundry” in local papers; when recently enacted laws, signed in type by George Washington, were published in the daily paper.
Are they expensive to collect?
     Surprisingly, they're very inexpensive. One can find newspapers published during George Washington's administration for $25, or issues with front page accounts of Indian skirmishes for $16. Genuine issues published in 1685 are offered for as little as $25.
     The reason: It's a hobby still very much undiscovered by the public who frequently believe that pulp-based publications don't survive decades (see next section). Prices for genuine, complete newspapers dating as far back as the 1600's are very low due to limited demand.
What condition are they commonly in?
     Many issues can be found in good condition. Original issues (not reproductions), are found with slight imperfections such as light foxing or staining, small margin tears, an occasional front page original owner (often library) stamp, and slight fold or edge wear are common. Most issues were once bound into volumes by libraries and publishers at the end of a year for preservation and bear minor left margin irregularities due to the disbinding process. None of these potential typical imperfections cause content loss. Many newspapers dated from the 1880's through the 1920's are pulpish (fragile) due to commonly used print materials and acids used during this period, and appropriate care must be given to these issues. Some issues (especially magazines) were originally published with covers or wrappers that have long since been removed.
But don't they just fall apart?
     To the surprise of many, newspapers published before 1880 remain in very nice condition as the paper had high cotton and linen content. Most issues from the 1600's and 1700's are in much better condition than issues from World War I (or my Sacramento Bee from last week), hence little care is needed for issues over 120 years old.
The historical background of the apparent use of f vs. s:
Centuries ago before the printing press there were grammatical reasons for use of a serpentine-styled "s" to be used rather than the more typical "s". Its look was much as if an "s" was elongated and leaned to the right. When this letter was converted to a block letter for the printing press (around 1500) it looked much like an "f" but with the slash through one side & not the other--look carefully and note the difference. This letter caused confusion with the "f" ever since, and around 1750 publishers were abandoning this letter in favor of the more typical "s", and by 1800 it was almost universally abandoned.
How long have you been collecting?
I began several years ago after happening upon an antique copy of a newspaper on EBay. Since then, I have networked with several dealers around the country and exchanged copies as the market grew. I see signs already that the hobby is catching on as prices for some banners and dates are growing rapidly. For instance, to get a copy of any paper announcing Lincoln's inauguration or death will run into the hundreds of dollars.
How big is your collection?
I really don't know -- it's a rather large collection of at least 50 copies. Each is preserved in acid-free wrappings within a rigid container in a puppy-free corner of my office.