Serpent engraving in the masthead...
Item # 214347Sorry, but this item is no longer available. Please be in touch at info@rarenewspapers.com if you would like to be placed on a want list or are interested in a potential alternate issue.
June 07, 1775
THE PENNSYLVANIA JOURNAL; AND THE WEEKLY ADVERTISER, Philadelphia, June 7, 1775.
* The desired "Unite Or Die" masthead
If there was a graphic which represented the spirit of the Revolutionary War it would have to be the ubiquitous segmented snake with the famous "Unite Or Die" caption. The engraving shows a snake cut into various pieces, each with a label of a colony (see photo) with the implied message that only by each of the separate colonies uniting under a single cause could the country--the snake--hope to strike back & be successful in defeating the British. This engraving is found in most history books, but very rarely is it found on a period newspaper and available on the open market. Here is a genuine issue of this Philadelphia newspaper which incorporated this engraving into its masthead for a short period during the beginning months of the Revolutionary War. A piece from the masthead was lost but has been expertly and archivally repaired with actual 18th century newsprint with the lost type replaced as well (for pg. 1 only), making this repair somewhat unnoticeable at a distance (see photos). The original loss did not touch the snake but rather a corner of the border and four of the letters in the title. Two-thirds of the front page are taken up with: "The Act of Parliament for restraining the Trade of all the Colonies except Nantucket, Nova-Scotia, St. Lawrence, New-York, North Carolina and Georgia." With the conclusion on pg. 4, affected by the loss of type due to the back leaf repair.
Although the text within would seem to have a minor affect on the desirability of this issue, there is some nice content on page 3. Included is a Resolve from the Provincial Congress at New York which includes: "...to furnish themselves with necessary arms & ammunition; to use all diligence to perfect themselves in the military art, and if necessary, to form themselves into companies for that purpose, until the further orders of this Congress." And this is followed by a very nice & detailed: "Circumstantial Account of the late Battle at Chelsea, Hogsland, etc. in Massachusetts" (see photos).There is other war-related content on page 3 as well, as seen in the photos below.
* The desired "Unite Or Die" masthead
If there was a graphic which represented the spirit of the Revolutionary War it would have to be the ubiquitous segmented snake with the famous "Unite Or Die" caption. The engraving shows a snake cut into various pieces, each with a label of a colony (see photo) with the implied message that only by each of the separate colonies uniting under a single cause could the country--the snake--hope to strike back & be successful in defeating the British. This engraving is found in most history books, but very rarely is it found on a period newspaper and available on the open market. Here is a genuine issue of this Philadelphia newspaper which incorporated this engraving into its masthead for a short period during the beginning months of the Revolutionary War. A piece from the masthead was lost but has been expertly and archivally repaired with actual 18th century newsprint with the lost type replaced as well (for pg. 1 only), making this repair somewhat unnoticeable at a distance (see photos). The original loss did not touch the snake but rather a corner of the border and four of the letters in the title. Two-thirds of the front page are taken up with: "The Act of Parliament for restraining the Trade of all the Colonies except Nantucket, Nova-Scotia, St. Lawrence, New-York, North Carolina and Georgia." With the conclusion on pg. 4, affected by the loss of type due to the back leaf repair.
Although the text within would seem to have a minor affect on the desirability of this issue, there is some nice content on page 3. Included is a Resolve from the Provincial Congress at New York which includes: "...to furnish themselves with necessary arms & ammunition; to use all diligence to perfect themselves in the military art, and if necessary, to form themselves into companies for that purpose, until the further orders of this Congress." And this is followed by a very nice & detailed: "Circumstantial Account of the late Battle at Chelsea, Hogsland, etc. in Massachusetts" (see photos).There is other war-related content on page 3 as well, as seen in the photos below.
Complete in four pages save for the loss & repair at the top of both leaves as shown in the photos. Some archival mends at the blank inside spine, two small red wax spots at the bottom of the front page. Although offered and priced as a damaged issue, save for the loss, the issue is otherwise rather nice.
An exceedingly rare opportunity for a most desirable, displayable, and uncommon item.
This item has already sold!
It is shown for research/viewing purposes only. Please enjoy !!!
Category: Revolutionary War
