Vintage Newspapers Are Still...

( a great read!)

We love looking at vintage newspapers! (and old magazines too!)

No! Not last Sunday's paper! We're talking about 75-100 year old newspapers...as a starting point!

Do a little digging, hit a few sales, search the internet! You should be able to come up with some vintage newspapers from way back...maybe even from the 1600's!

A (brief) History of...

News was always of interest to developing countries and ours, America, was no different! The early colonists of America, still controlled by Great Britain, wanted to know what was going on in their new world.

Obviously, the British government still controlled most matters at hand, and that included the printing press. As a result, there were several "underground" newpapers. Most were (and had to be!) simple folded pamphlet's, or even a simple, single sheet of paper!

This process became even harder as the war approached. England withdrew many of the materials and supplies needed to publish or print anything! It wasn't until the later 1700's, after the dust settled, so to speak, that newspapers began to reappear in regular daily living! They have continued on to present this day. ...and, we still love them!

Newspaper Storage Boxes

Support rare and fragile newspapers with acid-free backer boards. Invest in some strong cardboard storage boxes (preferrably with reinforced corners). Dividers can help organize your papers.

Filler boards, foam boards, chip boards, corrugated cardboard, and even mailing boxes can all be used to support and help preserve your papers.

Expensive? That depends on your perspective. Most of these supplies can be purchased for as little as 50 cents to a dollar per item. (Especially, if you buy in bulk!) But isn't it worth it?

Think about it... If you plan on collecting vintage newspapers, then plan on spending a few extra dollars to protect them!

Popular Collectible Newspapers

People held onto, and preserved these papers, because it was important to them! This was their history! This is our history!

All of the wars were important. However, The Civil War was of particular importance because we were fighting ourselves! Brother against brother!

The mid-1800's were an extremely volatile period of time in our country's history. Now add to that, the assasination of one of our (now) most popular presidents. It is easy to understand then, why the vintage newspapers of the 1800's are highly collectible!

Of course, as warped as it sounds, major tragedies always makes big headlines. Big headlines = highly collectible! Don't get us wrong here! We are not asking, hoping, or wishing for anything bad to happen! Not to anyone!!!

But at the same time, imagine finding a vintage newspaper describing one of these tragedies in historic detail! That, my friends can be a very enlightening and educational experience!

How Do You Read A Vintage Newspaper?

...the same way you read a regular newspaper...

• Headlines! - The headlines sell the paper and immediately grab your arrention! It's why you buy the paper today, and it's why you bought the paper 100 years ago!
• Body - Of course, the body of the paper backs up the headlines. Without a good story, there's no need to buy the paper. This is what really makes or breaks the paper...good writers with vivid imaginations that have the talent to make the story come alive!
• Social - The social section of the paper can, and many times is, one of the more important parts of the paper! To read your name in the headline of the social column was pretty cool! ...and could be very prestigious!
• Want Ads - The want ads, as they are now commonly called, served the same function then, as they do today! Jobs for hire! Items/Services for sale! Places to live! But, don't overlook this section! You can learn a tremendous amount of history, simply by reading the want ads! This is the real life stuff!
• Humor - Humor also provided a major role in most vintage newspapers. It wasn't quite as organized back then! Rather, it was usually scattered throughout the entire paper (even the front page). Humorous stories (long/short) were often the focus of many readers, especially during tough times!






• Ads - Sales Ads were also just as important back then as now! How else could the paper make money? In the old days, subscription rates weren't as high as now, as many people simply bought their paper off of the street! Home delivery in a plastic bag was not yet a common factor!

Random Notes...

Because, this paper is history! It is dated May 25, 1851. C'mon now! That's 10 years before Abraham Lincoln became President! It's not everyday that you get a chance to read a paper from 158 years ago!

Our Advice?

Oh my, where to start? We love old historical stories; both from everyday life and major events. Most of the papers that we have purchased were simply common everyday papers, with little or no historical value, (except their age!) However, when you read these papers, (just like you would today), you will be amazed!

They are History! They are historical from every angle; no matter how you look at them! The headlines, the graphics, the ads, the humor! They all add up to a slice of life that we will never, ever, see again!

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