Hevelius, Johannes (1611-1687) Prodromus Astronomiae. Danzig: Stollius, 1690. To be sold at auction on November 18, 2012, Lot 573, Estimate $80,000-$100,000

I got a phone call last August about a potential book collection. Nothing unusual there, my job allows me the privilege of responding to queries about book collections every day. The description of the collection was brief but promising: about 125 books on the history of science, from the sixteenth to nineteenth century.

I had a few days to ponder the possibilities. I am painfully optimistic, but I tried to temper my enthusiastic imagination. Even the spare description provided enough material for me to concoct a fine imaginary collection.

The scientific method was invented in the seventeenth century; all of our modern scientific instruments were in their infancy in this period. In England, Robert Hooke scrutinized minute bodies under his microscope, while Galileo observed the features of the moon for the first time through the telescope. Astronomical observers like Tycho Brahe steadily contributed their data to the emerging science. All of this intellectual progress led to the printing of lots of books – and the ones that have survived to this day can be quite valuable.

The day finally arrived, and I found myself confronted with six shelves of respectable-looking books. I considered them as they stood, and I found that they continued to fuel my hopeful fantasies. The shelves were stacked with gilt-tooled leather and parchment bindings, a few were bound in alum-tawed pigskin, some disbound, a few nineteenth century sets in cloth, in all, promising books.

However, as the saying goes, one should not judge a book by its cover. Or at least, not by the cover alone. Although condition, illustrations, and bindings are important, the main source of the value of a book is its content. And so I began to take the books down from their shelves. Half an hour later, I started to wonder if I was still in bed, dreaming.

I couldn’t believe what I was seeing. The books were just stunning, a book person’s fantasy. The first few were books about optics and lens grinding, all illustrated with stunning engravings and woodcuts. Then I found a few about microscopes, with illustrations of the tiny worlds hitherto invisible to the human eye, visible and knowable now only because of the advent of this new technology.

Then I found Hevelius’s Prodromus Astronomiae, and it stopped me cold. This book was the most important star atlas of its time, cataloging more than 1,500 stars, and illustrating the major constellations in arresting double-page plates. The presence of this pivotal work suddenly put the entire collection into another category. As I scanned the shelves, I noticed three Galileos, Tycho Brahe’s Works, and a first edition of Sir Isaac Newton’s Opticks. This was no longer just a pleasing collection of very good books, it emerged as a significant collection of truly exceptional books, gathered together by a New England scientist and instrument maker in the middle part of the last century.

I am pleased to offer this important history of science collection in the November 18^th rare book auction. After the sale they will go on to new homes, so that the next generation of book lovers can either begin, enhance, or complete their collections with these fine books.

Commedia dell’Arte Needlework, France, c. 1690, wool and silk, depicting the characters Harlequin, Il Dottore, and Scaramouche performing before an audience on an outdoor stage. (Lot 544 in the October 6, 2012 auction, Estimate $4,000-6,000)

I think collecting is somewhere in my DNA.

As a child I collected stamps and multicolored beach glass. As a young person I read that Alexander Calder collected “stones with holes right through them,” so I collected, and still have, shells and stones with holes right through them. Throughout my adult life, my collection focused on actors, acting, and the history of both.

After World War II, at the age of 22, I was discharged from the army and joined Lee Strasberg’s professional acting class. In many ways, Mr. Strasberg was a controversial figure in the world of the theater. However, one thing is beyond dispute – he was an extraordinary scholar of the theater, of actors and of the acting profession.

From the early days and later into his work in The Actor’s Studio, of which I am a member, he would share with us not only his knowledge but also his deep admiration for the profession of acting.  His respect for the Siddons, Keanes, and Duses of our profession led me, and many others, to begin honoring our work and collecting prints, playbills, and artifacts of our history.

So, as much as 60 years ago, with the limited means of a young actor, I began searching antique shops, book stores, and fairs for anything and everything that related to the international acting profession. It was exhilarating to find a book print from the 1780s of Sarah Siddons as Lady Macbeth for three dollars, or later a 1690s needlework of Commedia dell’Arte actors for four figures.

Over the years as my career moved from acting into directing, and from directing into teaching, the walls of my home became covered with these ancestors of mine, helping me to share with my students knowledge of those who came before, their lives, the clothes they wore, and the choices they made.

Three or four pieces of art in my collection relating to the theater could only have been done by someone centuries ago who cared as deeply about actors and the theater as I do.

One is an English needlework picture of the 1790s, beautifully accomplished, with animals, bees and insects. With tiny stitches in black thread, a young child sewed into the needlework every single word of Jacques’ speech, The Seven Ages of Man, from As You Like It.  How that young girl (or her teacher?) must have loved Shakespeare. I also adore a 1690s French needlework, depicting three of the great Commedia actors of that period, doing their work. Those comedians were the rock stars of their time. Following prints of the actors and stitching them into a scene that includes an audience watching was an enormous amount of work.  We will never know the needle pointer’s name, but I feel that he or she had to care about the theater and those actors the way I do.

Like many other collectors, I recognize profoundly that I have been a caretaker of these objects large and small; my private pleasure is in restoring, repairing and museum matting as many as I can – no matter their significance. I hope another will find as much joy in them as I have.

Cotta, John. The Triall of Witchcraft
Auctioned for $1,960

Determining the value of a book collection is a tricky proposition. Not only do many people have large quantities of books, but libraries and collections can have widely varying characteristics. First, let’s decide what kind of a library you have. Take a look at these three major types of collections.

Rare Book Collection

This group of books was methodically assembled by a book lover with a plan. A rare book collection is formed with intention. The books are in very good condition. They are rare, first editions, early, or signed by the author. They represent important milestones, or quirky and interesting anomalies. From whatever source the collector’s interest springs, each book is valuable on its own; brought together as a collection, the value is increased and concentrated.

Scholarly Library

A Scholarly Library is a working set of books containing important theoretical and reference books, usually assembled by an academic, and functioning as a master craftsman’s toolset. Such a library can have potential value, but only if it contains first editions or belonged to a prominent scholar who made important contributions to his or her field and was associated with other well-known people. Think Charles Darwin’s library, or Stephen Hawking’s. Books a high school math teacher might own for reference, or the working library of a doctor or lawyer, are typically not going to have significant monetary value.

Random Accumulation

The vast majority of book collections fall into this category. This is the general home library that most of us own. It consists of our books from college, some novels we’ve read, cookbooks, children’s books, coffee table books, encyclopedias, dictionaries, atlases, and any other general material inherited from ancestors and accumulated through an inquisitive life. Random accumulations generally do not hold much value. A car collector is interested in a mint condition Jaguar E-Type, not a Honda Civic. The same is true of a book collector. To appeal to collectors, books must have special qualities that make them valuable.

4 Steps to Determine the Value of Rare Books

Perhaps you have a random accumulation, but believe that some valuable books may be lurking on the shelves. Or you have a high school math teacher’s scholarly library, but think it may contain first editions. Or maybe you’re dealing with a rare book collection, and you’re not sure how to proceed. With a few simple steps, anyone can get started.

Wagstaffe, John (1633-1677) The Question of Witchcraft Debated, Auctioned for $1,347.50

If you’d like a rare book appraiser or auction house to evaluate your collection, we’ll need the following information first.

1. Take a look at your books. Starting with a collection that contains hundreds or thousands of books can be daunting. What stands out? Pick out a few books that look interesting or hold special meaning for you, and start with these.

2. Look at the title page, and gather the following information: title, author, place of publication, printer’s name, and date. If the title does not have a date, turn the page and see if there’s a copyright date on the back.

3. Check the book’s value online. A website like www.addall.com/Used/ will help you gather some basic preliminary data on how much the book is currently selling for. Pay attention to the edition of the comparisons you find, and look at the mid-range and low prices – not just the highest ones.

4. Talk to a book appraiser. If your book is indeed valuable, and you’re interested in selling, auction could be a good choice for you. Take a photograph of the title page, or create a spreadsheet with the title page information, and send it to a book appraiser. You can contact me using our online auction evaluation form.

If you find treasures on your shelves, we’ll be happy to help you take the next step. In the meantime, stay positive and keep an eye out for the next great book.

Edward Gordon Craig (1872-1976), editor. The Mask: a Monthly Journal of the Art of the Theatre. Florence: Morandi, Tipografia Bodoniana, 1908-1912. Estimate $800-1,200.

Devon Gray is the new Director of Fine Books & Manuscripts at Skinner. Read part I, How to Fall in Love with Medieval Manuscripts, then read on for some of Devon’s favorite discoveries from her years buying and selling rare books.

What do you love most about books?

The timelessness of them. We use books exactly the way they were intended to be used, whether new or old. You pick up a manuscript from 1350, open it, and flip through the pages in exactly the same way as the first reader did several hundred years ago. Even when the spelling is different and the type face is different, you can commune with the book. You can laugh at a joke, read a recipe, learn about an autopsy from the 15th century, or follow accounts from the 1600s of people traveling to Florida. In my experience, books’ values are always indexed to their content.

Your specialty is books made before 1700. Why is that?

At my store, James & Devon Gray Booksellers in Harvard square, we specialized in books made before 1700 mostly because that’s what we liked best. A John Steinbeck first edition in the dust jacket is fairly easy to understand and to learn about. You can compare it to other examples. But an index of prohibited books from 1570 written in Latin is a mystery to most people, and it’s a mystery I want to solve. Some people think that all books dating before 1700 focus on religion, but that’s not the case. I took a whole summer of Latin to help me get started.

What’s the most interesting book discovery you ever made?

One day, someone came into my store with some books to sell, and one of them was Volume III of a three volume set of Kenneth White’s History of England. On its own, that’s not a very interesting book, especially since the person only had one volume out of three. The book did not interest me, but I opened it up, and found an inscription that read Liber Bibliothecae Harvardianae (Harvard Library) in Latin, with the year 1706.

I happened to know that the Harvard library burned to the ground in 1764. The wood frame building was built in 1672, and housed books and scientific instruments for almost 100 years. Then, during a smallpox outbreak in Boston, when the college was closed for the holidays, people came over to Cambridge to stay in the building to avoid getting the disease. Somehow, they started a fire that burned the building to the ground.

The current library has a list of the titles of the original books given by John Harvard to start the library, most of which were burnt in the fire … except for a few that were checked out at the time of the catastrophe. This book wasn’t necessarily one of those, it could easily have been sold off before 1764 by one of the Harvard college presidents.

I bought the book, and I could barely sleep that night. I ran to the University Archives the next day, and discovered that my book was indeed one of the few survivors of the Harvard library fire! This book had been somewhere in Cambridge since the 1760s, unable to be returned to the lost library.

That’s an amazing story! We’re sure you’ll keep making wonderful discoveries as Director of the Fine Books & Manuscripts department at Skinner.

I hope so! One of the habits I’ve developed is that I really love to delve into the research. When a book comes in, I want to find out what makes it important or special. That extra information adds value to the work. For example, I recently evaluated a statement of the Presbyterian church from 1809. What makes it special is that it’s printed by Jane Aiken, who’s also the first female to ever print a bible. Knowing that story makes the book more meaningful and valuable.

I hope to discover many stories and connections like this during my time at Skinner. If you have old or rare books or manuscripts and you’re wondering, “What are my books worth?” contact me at books@skinnerinc.com.

Devon Gray, Director of Fine Books & Manuscripts at Skinner, Inc.

Devon Gray joined Skinner in 2012 as Director of Fine Books & Manuscripts, after more than twenty years as the co-owner and founder of James & Devon Gray Booksellers in Harvard Square, Boston. Here is her story about how she fell in love with old, rare books and manuscripts.

When did you buy your first antique book?

When I was in college, my husband and I loved going to second-hand bookstores in Harvard Square. One day, we found a book from the 1600s. It was a Latin/Greek lexicon printed in Amsterdam, and it cost $175. With most antiques, if something is from 1850, it’s considered really old. If we had found a painting from the 1600s, it seemed to me that it would be worth a lot more than that! So we bought the book.

What happened next?

I was an undergraduate at Harvard, and I looked in the course catalogue for a class about old books. I found one about medieval manuscripts taught by Rodney Dennis, who’s since passed away. The class met at the Houghton library, which is a rare book library. In the exhibition room, a portrait of Melville hangs on the wall and the room is full of incunables, or books made before 1500. It’s such a special, magical place, and it really hooked me. For my last two years at Harvard, I took any class that met at the Houghton Library.

What was your favorite part of that first class?

For our final project, Rodney picked out a medieval manuscript for each of us, and left it in the reading room with our name on it but no information. We had to write a description of where it was made, when it was made, what the text was, what was missing, and what was peculiar about it. I found that process fascinating. Unlike modern books, manuscripts don’t have a title page, colophon, or any information explaining where and when they were written. Identifying them requires understanding the styles of handwriting and the characteristics of different time periods and countries.

How do you turn a love of medieval manuscripts into a job?

My husband and I got married after graduating from college, borrowed some money, and bought books. We started attending antiquarian book fairs, and I also made use of my skill at bookbinding. Since I could repair books, we could buy things that weren’t in the best shape.

What’s the most unique book that you own?

We have a beautifully bound book that was probably put together in the early part of the 1700s in Germany. It contains sermons and prayer cards, like they still have at Catholic churches today. The cards were printed with images of the saints, the virgin, and baby Jesus, and someone carefully cut out the clothing and put fabric behind the image. They used rough, brown fabric for St. Francis and silver lace for Jesus. It’s really special, and I’ve never seen anything else like it.

What are your plans for the Skinner Fine Books & Manuscripts Department?

I plan to hold two Boston auctions each year. Since I’m very comfortable with early material, I’m sure I’ll see more early books. But New England is also rich in histories and works pertaining to the geographic area and people who lived here, like Ralph Waldo Emerson. I’m also interested in great presidential material.

There are so many great books and documents in New England, and I want to get everyone’s attention about what’s going on at Skinner. If you’re looking for more information, you can visit the Books & Manuscripts Department page.

Lot 116 (detail): John Hancock's "John Hancock," offered in the Fine Books Auction on Sunday, November 13, 2011 in Boston, Estimate $2,000-3,000

Read Part I: Three Tips for Collecting Signed Documents to find out about how history and personal connections play a role in value.

There are two remaining factors in collecting signed documents, and they really apply to any type of paper collectible: rarity and condition.

Collectors must remember that paper is fragile and so often does not survive. The very term for paper collectibles, “ephemera”, literally means something that is fleeting and does not last. That’s why when a rare signed document comes to market in great condition, the sky is the limit for serious collectors and records are continually broken.

Keep these last two important tips in mind when considering signed documents at auction:

1. The Rarer the Better

As with all antiques of merit, rarity is highly desirable. In fact, the signature of a relatively unimportant historical figure can be extremely valuable if that signature is deemed very rare.

Take the case of Button Gwinnett, a little known signer of the Declaration of Independence. Gwinnett’s signature is one of the rarest in American manuscript collecting, due to the fact that he was killed in a duel less than ten months after the Declaration was signed. Because he died young, he didn’t have a lot of time to sign other documents, important or otherwise.

This brief brush with fame makes a Gwinnett signature extremely rare. Valued at upwards of $200,000, it is considered the Holy Grail among collectors of the Signers of the Declaration of Independence. Its worth far exceeds signatures by iconic founders Washington, Adams, Jefferson, and Franklin. Because of its value and obscurity, Gwinnett’s signature is also one of the most commonly faked. Make sure you’re buying from a reputable source that will stand behind a document’s authenticity.

2. Paramount to Paper is Condition

It can be very difficult, and in some cases impossible, to restore paper. That’s why condition is paramount to signed documents.

Anything that alters the chemistry of the paper or obscures the ability to read the document and identify the signature compromises worth. Sometimes the best intentions to stabilize or save a document have resulted in bad fixes that cause condition issues. Documents that have been “laid down” (glued to a board or other surface) or “silked” (covered with and affixed to a piece of sheer silk) lose a significant amount of value because acid in the glue or board can deteriorate the paper and compromise its future survival.

Additionally, if a signature is clipped from the original document, making it devoid of date or context, that also affects value. Other condition issues that threaten a document’s integrity include tears, stains, foxing (brown spots due to humidity changes) and folding of items since the paper can become brittle and unreadable where it has been folded.

Documents prefer to be away from sunlight, in clean, flat, and dry conditions. Avoid changes in humidity, which can cause the foxing mentioned above. Always check condition, and inquire about the manner in which a document has been stored when making a determination to buy.

These tips can help even the most novice collector buy historic documents with confidence and conviction. Explore who and what from history interests you—and, as always, buy what sparks your personal taste or interest.

1. Autograph vs. autographed, and other slightly confusing terms of the trade

Lot 140: George Washington (1732-1799), Manuscript signed letter, Est. $15,000-25,000

In the world of manuscript collecting, there are terms of the trade that are slightly different than their common usage. Most people refer to a famous person’s signature as an autograph. However, in the manuscript world, the term “autograph” means that a document has been hand-written by a notable person. If it has been signed, it is simply described as “signed.”

Another slightly different usage of a term in the regular world versus the manuscript world involves the word “manuscript.” Normally, this term generally refers to a document, such as a draft of a novel. However, in the manuscript collecting world, this means a document that was hand-written by someone, possibly an unknown hand. So, here’s where the rubber meets the road: when something is referred to as “autograph letter signed” (often shortened to ALS), it means it was hand-written AND signed by the same figure. If it is called a “manuscript letter signed,” (often shortened to MLS), it means a famous person signed it, but they did NOT write it themselves.

If you’re looking at an autograph document signed, it will usually be priced higher than an autograph document, or a manuscript document signed. An example of a George Washington MLS to be sold in the November 13, 2011 Fine Books & Manuscripts auction is pictured here.

Here’s another thing to note: you will find autograph documents that are unsigned as well. If you’re buying those, be sure the authenticity is sound.

2. Timing is everything

As with many things in life, timing can be an important factor with signed documents. The date a document was signed can greatly affect its value and desirability. Value is at its greatest when a document was signed at the height of a person’s career or notoriety. This is especially evident with presidential letters. A letter signed by a sitting president is always more valuable than one penned earlier in the politician’s life.

For example, a document signed by assassinated president James Garfield at the time he held the nation’s highest office is worth about $6,000. That same document penned when he was merely a Congressman from Ohio is worth $400-600. Learning about a signer’s personal history can help you assess the best period pieces to pursue.

3. A good read trumps all

An interesting read is better than a mundane one – that’s why content is key with signed documents. Letters that reference important historical events are fascinating and provide real insight into the happenings of the day.

Controversy, scandal, and open displays of emotion in print remind us that these icons of the past were real people, with all their human frailties intact. These elements increase a documents value significantly.

It is best when the content of a document is in the wheelhouse of the person writing it – i.e. Washington writing on the Revolutionary war; Edgar Allen Poe expressing his frustration with his writing career.

Additionally, any important figure, corresponding with or referencing another important figure can increase worth. This is known as a “collateral reference,” also sometimes referred to as an “association piece” – i.e. a letter from Abraham Lincoln to Ulysses S. Grant; a letter written by impressionist painter Edouard Manet referencing contemporary writer Marcel Proust.

Buy historical signatures that you find interesting – that’s the personal connection that makes collecting signed documents so much fun.

Read more advice on this collecting field in Part II: Rarity & Condition in Signed Historical Documents.

Witchcraft from the 17th Century

Lot 772: Cabala, Speculum Artis Et Naturae, in Alchymia; Exinde, Augsburg: Andrea Erffurt, 1654, Est. $150-200

The rare book auction includes a collection of twenty unusual titles concerning witchcraft, most published in London in the 17th century. A few have really fascinating frontis engravings, including lot 772, a work entitled Cabala, Speculum Artis Et Naturae, in Alchymia; Exinde. This wild image is shown here. Another, lot 781, a 1681-82 volume entitled Saducismus Triumphatus: or, Full and Plain Evidence Concerning Witches and Apparitions, depicts a curious and creepy interior scene. It’s amazing, and a bit hair-raising, to consider these volumes in a local context: namely, the fact that the witch trials in Salem occurred in 1692-93.

These Halloween-themed offerings are just the tip of the iceberg in the November 14th Fine Books & Manuscripts auction. Over 950 lots of historic manuscripts and autographs of all types, presidential material from Washington to Reagan, antique and first edition books, maps, atlases, and Audubon prints will be on offer. In truth, there’s one way to sum up the variety and selection in the sale—it’s scary-good!

Browse the catalogue online.

A selection of rare books concerning witchcraft to be auctioned on November 13, 2011

1. Dust jackets, dust jackets and more dust jackets!

To be auctioned on November 13, 2011: Fitzgerald. F. Scott (1896-1940), Tender is the Night, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1934, first edition with dust jacket, Est. $6,000-8,000

If there is one single thing that is a make or break for book value, it would be the dust jacket. The value of a first edition copy of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night with dust jacket is around $6,000. Without a dust jacket….$300. This huge difference in value is largely due to the fact that more than 90% of dust jackets are destroyed, either deliberately or due to their ephemeral and fragile nature. If you have one on a good book, treasure it. Also, be sure to protect it with a plastic sleeve.

2. Who wrote that?

A book is more likely to appeal to collectors, and therefore be worth more, if you have actually heard of the book or its author. Additionally, some books by famous authors are better than others. A first edition of John Steinbeck’s Grapes of Wrath in good condition is worth around $2,500. However, his Travels with Charley, first edition with dust jacket, is worth around $100.

3. Where was it published?

The location of publication is an often overlooked but important detail in a list of information about a collection of books. Many titles were published virtually simultaneously in two places, for example, London and New York. Whichever hits the shops first is the “true” first edition while the other becomes the “first American edition” or “first English edition.” The value of a “true” first is typically always greater. George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-four was published in 1949 in both London and New York. The London edition is the “true” first and worth around $1,400. The New York edition is the “first American edition” and worth $250. In this instance, location is very important.

4. To err is Human. And it will make your book more valuable!

When certain books are evaluated, the number of “mistakes” that occur in the printing process will elevate their value. Thrifty printers will not throw out a batch of sheets simply because there was a mistake on the page. They will correct it and move on. Those first sheets now form an “issue point” that collectors use to determine how early in the printing process the sheet was printed. Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn has over seven documented (and corrected) mistakes during the printing process. If you have all of them (or many of them) in your copy, it can be worth over $10,000. Other copies with a few mistakes are usually worth between $500-1,000. These “issue points” can be found in online references to bibliographical information gathered on each book.

5. Leave no page behind!

Completeness in a book is critical. Even simple pages that have no printing on them, called blanks, are critical to the value of the book. Make certain that there are no loose pages or gatherings of leaves that have come out or are in danger of falling out. One lost page can be devastating to a rare book’s value.

6. Please return to…

Look for ownership inscriptions on books. With luck, they will not be on the title-page, as this diminishes value; they should ideally be located on blank pages before the title page. An owner inscription or signature from a member of your own family is always interesting to find, and if he or she was a well-known person, could add to value.

7. With best wishes…

Archibald MacLeish’s copy of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night, New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons, 1934, Auctioned for $23,500

Always look for author signed books. An author signature can mean an increase in value of ten times or more the ordinary value of the book in most cases. For example, as stated above, an unsigned copy of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s Tender is the Night without a dust jacket might bring around $300. With a simple signature, it could bring $8,000. Skinner sold a copy that was signed and presented to the famous poet Archibald MacLeish. This unique copy brought $23,500 at our November 2004 Books auction!

8. Sometimes you can judge a book by its cover

Decorative visual appeal can increase a book’s value. A beautifully leather bound book or one with a pictorial gold leaf cover can form the basis for a really eye-catching shelf; these antique books are usually quite collectible. Simple beauty in a cover or binding can be worth $40-1,000 depending upon the complexity and execution of the design.

With this list of guidelines in hand, a shelf of antique books won’t seem quite so daunting. Did you find something intriguing on your shelves? You can send an image and description using Skinner’s free online auction evaluation form to receive an estimate of what the book might be worth at auction.

Is it just me, or lately does it seems as though we’re being bombarded with news?  When I check my email, yahoo is flashing headlines with links to longer stories; I find bits of the newspaper strewn throughout the common areas of the office; my retired parents telephone frequently in near-panic over the stock market; and the phalanx of television sets at my gym distract with disturbing, high-def images of the follies and tragedies of current events.

Feeling overwhelmed with media the other day, I decided to give my eyes and ears and brain a bit of a break by sitting and reading a novel.  Returning to the “old fashioned” printed word made me think about how important printed words are–and have been–since the invention of the printing press in the mid 15^th century.  We have so many outlets to receive (with or without choice) news and information, but in past history, the printed word was the primary vehicle for disseminating news and current events.

Antique printed news notices are called “broadsides” by collectors.  In a way, a broadside can be considered an antique form of a tweet, a blog, or an email newsletter: it was intended to  spread the word about something to the widest audience possible, in as expedient a manner possible. Broadsides were also intended to be printed quickly and efficiently, in order to keep news as fresh as possible.

A printer would set type and print the information on a piece of paper. Then the broadside would be rushed out of the print shop and delivered to important town officials, who would then spread the word. Or, the broadside would be posted in a high traffic area of town, such as a town hall or market doorway.

Because of the transient nature of antique broadsides—they were printed on humble paper that wasn’t meant to last long—broadsides can sometimes be rare survivors, much sought after by paper ephemera and Americana collectors.

Broadsides sold by Skinner in November 2010 at a Fine Books & Manuscripts auction

This is what I would consider one of the ultimate broadsides, an early printing of the Declaration of Independence—an amazing piece of American history. This was big, big news, and worthy of the $380,000 it achieved at auction.

This broadside reminds me of current squabbles and posturing going on in politics today. It relates specifically to the Massachusetts political arena, and some shady maneuvering called (then and now) Gerry-mandering. It’s a warning notice that explains the issue.

This broadside is pure propaganda, relating to an incident in a prisoner of war camp during the war of 1812. The facts are mostly true, but the drama of the event has been amped up. The printers even employed an ultimate news marketing tool: a salacious image.

Not all broadsides relayed life-changing news, or issued elements of propaganda. Some were simply notices of what was happening in town. In this printing, Samuel Adams is letting the populace know that there’s a holiday coming up. Isn’t that nice?

People are People, No Matter the Century

Not all news has to be bad, and that’s a good thing to remember.  In the midst of economic fluctuations, environmental woes, political farce, riots, and drought, it’s difficult sometimes, but I always try to find news about something good. The discovery of an historic document like one of these always brightens my day. Sure, it’s dorky, and far less important than flooding and famine, but knowing that an historic broadside has been discovered and preserved for the future is a little bright spot in my life of unabashed geekdom.

Broadsides remind us that even when we’re unplugged, we can still learn, and still find out what’s going on.  They remind us that people are people, and we’re all in this together, dealing with some of the same woes as people 100, 200, even 300 years ago.  And they can also remind us that not all news has to be bad.