Living Curiosities! Two Native HOTTENTOTS OR, WILD WANDERERS, BROUGHT FROM UPPER EGYPT

(Circus) Broadside, 14 3/4 x 5 3/8 in., “Living Curiosities! Two Native HOTTENTOTS OR, WILD WANDERERS, BROUGHT FROM UPPER EGYPT.” (Boston: J.E. Fa[r]well & Co., 32 Congress St., [c. 1850-1875*].)

A terrific broadside featuring amazingly inaccurate information with the gall to quote “Dr. Livingston[e], the great traveller… They are the smallest of the wandering tribes in the world, and pronounced by the Egyptians as Hottentots, and not connected with either the Kaffirs, Gupseys, Tartars, Berbers or Arabs, and unlike any race of the Human species, yet known to exist only on Barks, Roots, Bums, &c.’ They have been leased to the present proprietors of the Exhibition, by Capt. Bibbers of the River Nile, and by him obtained through the assistance of Hon. Edwin Delcon, the American Consul at Alexandria. They have no idea of labor or learning; after eating hey are content till they get hungry again, when they commence to travel till again satisfied.”

The Khoikhoi (or Hottentots as Europeans were inclined to call them) were not natives of Upper Egypt, but rather present-day Namibia in South West Africa. Despite gross misrepresentation, the proprietor’s wanted the general public to be assured that “this Exhibition embraces nothing offensive, while every care and attention will be shown to visitors.”

Small loss at center right margin, light toning and other minor pinholes, light creases, else very good.

(EXA 4489) $975

______________
^* An examination of records in Worldcat and related sources reveals that the firm of J. E. Farwell issued imprints bearing the 32 Congress St. Address between 1846 and 1876. This broadside also references David Livingstone whose first work on Africa did not appear before 1850. In Boston, during the winter of 1861, the Boston Aquarial and Zoological Gardens featured an exhibit including “the KAFFIRS and HOTTENTOTS (back on a visit, prior to returning to their native land).” (Boston Herald, 4 Feb. 1861, 2).

Broadside for the Garfield and Arthur Club

(Election of 1880) Broadside, 11 3/4 x 18 1/2 in. (sight), “NOTICE! — A Meeting of the Garfield and Arthur Club. OF DOYLESOWN, WILL BE HELD AT THE CLUB ROOM, ON FRIDAY EVENING, OCT. 22d, AT 7.30 O’CLOCK. PUNCTUAL ATTENDANCE IS REQUESTED. BY ORDER OF THE PRESIDENT.” (n.p., likley Ohio, Pennsylvania, [1880].) A simple yet graphic exhortation to attend a political meeting less than two weeks before the election. The Garfield-Arthur ticket prevailed in both Pennsylvania and Ohio in an extremely close election. Overall Garfield won the popular vote by a margin of less than 2000 votes.

Folds, some ink erosion to several letters not detracting greatly, several minor holes toward margins, mild ink transfer toward lower end, else very good. Matted and framed. Not examined out of frame.

(EXA 4495) $850

Rail excursions to the 1892 Republican Convention

(Election of 1892) Broadside, 16 x 5 1/2 in., headed “Which Will It Be?” issued by the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railway, (Chicago: Rand, McNally & Co., [1892]).

An excellent three color poster bearing the portraits of Republican hopefuls James G. Blaine, Benjamin Harrison, William McKinley, Russell A. Alger, and Chauncey M. Depew advertising special fares to attend the Republican National Convention in St. Paul, Minnesota. Interestingly of the hopefuls illustrated, Blaine’s portrait is the largest. This may have been an effort to generate excitement over the prospect of a party rebellion against the incumbent, Benjamin Harrison. Blaine had resigned his post as Secretary of State only days before the convention. While his motives were uncertain, some elements of the party supported his running for the White House one last time (and perhaps some on the railroad’s board supported Blaine). For Blaine it was too late: he lost in a landslide to Harrison at the convention. Harrison won 535 votes, while Blaine tied future president William McKinley, with 182.

Overall quite clean. Neatly hinged to an archival mat and ready for display.

(EXA 4293) $325

Broadside announcing memorial service in honor of Abraham Lincoln

(Abraham Lincoln) Scarce broadside, 4 3/4 x 6 in. headed “NOTICE” (Pottstown, [Penn.], 18 April 1865). An announcement of a memorial service to be held in honor of the recently slain Lincoln: “Agreeably to the request of the Acting Secretary of State, there will be RELIGIOUS SERVICES IN THE German Reformed Church, ON WEDNESDAY, AT 12 M., To commemorate the untimely death of the President of the United States. The members of the congregation, and the public generally, are invited to attend. By order of the CONSISTORY.”

Fine condition. Simply matted in a period frame.

(EXA 4278) $750

Lindbergh Baby “Wanted” Poster

(Lindbergh Baby) Broadside, 10 x 8 1/2 in. (Trenton, N.J.: 11 March 1932): “WANTED INFORMATION AS TO THE WHEREABOUTS OF CHAS. A. LINDBERGH, Jr. OF HOPEWELL, N.J. SON OF COL. CHAS. A. LINDBERGH World-Famous Aviator. This child was kidnaped from his home in Hopewel, N.J.,between 8 and 10 p.m. on Tuesday, March 1, 1932.” Printed 11 March 1932.

Minor marginal chipping at top, usual folds, else fine.

(EXA 4294) $650

Spanish American War recruiting broadside produced by the Selectmen of Marblehead, MASS

(Spanish-American War) Rare broadside, 14 x 7 in. headed “RALLY ROUND THE FLAG, BOYS! – RECRUITS Wanted.” ([Marblehead, Mass., 1898]).

A hastily printed broadside produced by the Selectmen of Marblehead, “In order to fill up the quota of Company C, 8th Regiment, Twenty Recruits are wanted this noon at Abbot Hall.” The appeal closes with the slogan: “LET THERE BE NO FALLING OFF IN THE PATRIOTISM OF OLD MARBLEHEAD. ‘ON TO CUBA.’”

Contemporary ink smudges, light soiling, else very good.

(EXA 4292) $600

Rare early printing of Zachary Taylor’s Inaugural Address

(Zachary TAYLOR) Broadside, “BY EXTRAORDINARY EXPRESS & TELEGRAPH FOR THE MINERS’ JOURNAL ONLY. GEN. TAYLOR’S INAUGURAL ADDRESS DELIVERED AT WASHINGTON, March 5th, at 12 O’clock, M. [Pottsville, Penn.] (24 x 7 1/4 in.).

Rare. An extremely early printing of Zachary Taylor’s brief inaugural address transcribed from the telegraph: “We have at considerable expense procured a Copy of Gen. Taylor’s Inaugural Address, by Telegraph in advance of our Contemporaries, and hasten to lay it before our readers.” An early telegraphic ‘scoop’ of the larger publications in the region as noted in the postscript notice at the bottom of the sheet: “IN ORDER to furnish our readers with Gen. Taylor’s Inaugural Address in advance of the Philadelphia papers, we have gone to much trouble and expense. Therefore those who purchase, we hope, will not loan it immediately.”

Creases, light wear to margins, else fine condition overall.

(EXA 3907) $1,500

Dry goods store advertising broadside

(Early Advertising) Broadside, 37 x 23 1/2 in. (New York: Baker, Godwin & Co. Steam Printers, 1855). A wonderful illustrated advertisement promoting William Snider’s dry goods store in Vergil, N.Y. and announcing the wares he purchased during his recent trip to New York City with “DRY GOODS! Ladies’ Dress Goods! BONNETS! RIBBONS!! SHAWLS!!! Silks, Lawns, READY-MADE CLOTHING! BOOTS & SHOES, HATS & CAPS, Groceries, Hardware, Crockery, Drugs and Medicines, PAINTS, OILS, DYE STUFFS, FISH, SALT, LUMBER, SHINGLES, STOVES…” Well, you get the idea – this is a big deal upstate.

Minor faults including light creases and wrinkles together with a few minor holes that don’t detract from the overall presentation, matted and framed and in very good to fine condition overall.

(EXA 4317) $1,200

Unusual Civil War Broadside

(Civil War) An unusual broadside, 18 1/4 x 12 in. (sight) titled “GLORIOUS PATRIOTISM – Unbounded Liberality! – Generosity and Humanity UNPARALLELED!” (Camp Banks [Springfield, Mass.], 29 October [1862]).

The broadside protests alleged shoddy overcoats provided to members of the 46th Massachusetts that was raised in September 1862 in response to Lincoln’s call for additional troops. Appealing to the pervasive racism of the day, the broadside asks: “Are Soldiers dogs, that they should be clothed in Rags that the ‘Darkest colored black person’ from the dismal swamp would to scorn to look at? Are Men, White Men, who leave their Homes, friends and loved ones, to lay down their lives if need be to go forth with $1,87 1-2 Cents Worth of SHODDY to protect them from Winter storms in a hostile country?” Placing matters into perspective, the next line compares the bounty of $150 paid to new recruits to the $1.87 price tag of their shoddy overcoats and sarcastically closes with a slogan:“‘GOD SAVE THE COMMONWEALTH.’ And common $1,87 1-2 Cent Overcoats.” We do not know if the 46th, a nine-month regiment which departed Springfield on 5 November to North Carolina via Boston, ever received better clothing.

Highly unusual. This is the only example of this broadside we have ever encountered.

Loss at bottom right night obscuring text, usual folds, else very good. Housed in a simple black wood frame.

(EXA 4274) $3,000

Broadsides