1723 newspaper

[mojjax]

My father gave this to me a few years ago - he found it in my great grandmothers attic many years earlier . Ben was 17 years old in 1723 . I remember the movie 'National Treasure ' with Nicolas Cage had several references to 'The New England Courant '
It's framed - sandwiched between 2 pieces of glass , so you can read both sides .

mojjax

 

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[Diggincoinz]

Wow that's cool! It definately has some value to it, especially to a very interested bidder.

"Printed and folded by Benjamin Franklin" is a key feature even if it's not a whole newspaper but I don't think newspapers back then were anymore than a page or two anyway weren't they?

A good named auction company that offers good advertising will probably do this selling price for this extremely well but with their fee in it too.

Being it's a family heirloom.... PRICELESS !!!!!!!


Here's a historical info on Ben and The New Englan Courant.
http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/courant/index.htm

The New-England Courant, founded in 1721, was the creation of James Franklin, Benjamin's big brother. The 15-year-old Benjamin was a printer's apprentice for the Courant, Boston's third newspaper. Never content simply to set type, young Benjamin Franklin invented Silence Dogood, a fictional widow of a country minister who held strong opinions. Silence contributed 14 pieces to the Courant, which were well received.

During Benjamin's apprenticeship, he was mistreated and beaten by James. Yet, James must be recognized, too, as one of the first to suffer a jail sentence for "libel" — which in his day meant printing anything that was not popular with the government. Benjamin fled to Philadelphia to escape his brother's abuse.

Printing was Franklin's trade for life, and he prospered. In the Silence Dogood pieces you will enjoy the wit, wisdom and world view that today is so strongly associated with Benjamin Franklin.


This link shows a timeline, in 1723 Ben takes ove the publishing of The Courant when his brother is jailed. This is a nice timeline link.
http://www.ushistory.org/franklin/info/timeline.htm

 

[haboo]

If i owned that, the only way someone would get it, would be to kill me... lol.....

 

[bearbqd]

That is unbelievably cool. What a piece of history. I would never sell that.

 

[ClonedSIM]

The most important thing, at least to me, is to realize that this document was once handled by Ben himself. Now that's history!

 

[lucky1777]

Very nice Newspaper. I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I am 99.9% sure that is a reprint. That date was reprinted at least 9 times. The paper does not look correct for a 1700s newsprint. This issue was the first Ben did on his own.I think there are only 4 or 5 originals known to exist. If I was to guess when this one was reprinted I would say between 1880-1900. Hard to be sure without seeing it in person. It still has a collector value or between $15-$50. depending on condition. If you are going to display this paper, make sure you get some UV blocker for the glass.

 

[imafishingnutt]

I HOPE THAT GLASS YOU HAVE IT SANDWICHED IN IS NOT GLASS BUT PLEXI IF IT EVER GOT DROPPED THE PAPPER WOULD BE SHREDDED

 

[Quester]

Printed and SOLD by Benjamin Franklin, not Fold. lol

Old English has those particular characters that look like another letter. Read some of the print so you can identify them.

 

[Charlie P. (NY)]

I did a search of "New England Courant, Reprint" and the date of February 11, 1723. The bold is mine. At the bottom it tells you how to spot the reprints. Good luck.

http://www.loc.gov/rr/news/circulars/necourant.txt

INFORMATION CIRCULAR 9
(Revised 1955)


THE LIBRARY OF CONGRESS

CONSTITUENT SERVICES
SERIAL & GOVERNMENT PUBLICATIONS DIVISION


The New-England Courant, Boston

February 11, 1723

The New-England Courant, No. 80, February 11, 1723, was the first
publication issued under the imprint of Benjamin Franklin. The date
line reads "From Monday February 4.to Monday February ll.l723."
The Courant was established by James Franklin on August 7, 1721, as
the third regularly issued newspaper in Boston. In its columns
James Franklin gave offense to the Massachusetts General Court,
which ordered his imprisonment and the suppression of the paper.
To avoid this censorship, Benjamin Franklin, who had been his older
brother's apprentice, was released from his indenture and the paper
was printed thereafter under his name.
Only four copies of the original issue of February 11, 1723, are
known to exist. They are in the following: the American
Antiquarian Society (Worcester, Massachusetts), the British Museum,
the Massachusetts Historical Society (Boston), and Rutgers
University Library (New Brunswick, New Jersey). This issue,
however, has been reprinted nine or more times. Several of the
reprints carry the notice "Fac-Simile of the first Paper ever
issued by Franklin...". Such reprints were printed in 1856, 1876,
1888, and 1896, and still others have no date and no notice. The
Library of Congress does not have an original of this issue.
A comparison of the several reprints in the Library of
Congress with a photostat copy from the original belonging to the
Massachusetts Historical Society shows that they differ in various
details. The text of the original reads as follows:
Page 1, column 1, line 1: "The late Publishcr of this Paper,
finding so many".
Page 1, column 1, last line: "his Face, which splits it from
his Forehead in a".
Page 1, column 2, last line: "Body of Forces in readiness to
embark on the first No"; and below this at the right lower corner
is the catchword "tice" to show the beginning of the first
line at the top of page 2.
Copies that do not agree in these details are reprints and have
little monetary value.



U S GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE: 1955

 

[cival war hunter 2 !]

With fram it would me 900- 1,000 dollars. Maybe .

 

[lucky1777]

With fram it would me 900- 1,000 dollars. Maybe .

If you have an original, heck I would give you 1000 without a frame.

 

[toolman61]

I would think that even if a reprint could and should fetch more than50.00 if printed in 1800s. I have three confederate bills (diff, denom,s) that even though counterfit are counterfit in 1800s on antique paper and they would fetch at least 100.00 each or so I've been told. Don't know I hope yours is the real MCcoy!!!! Good luck Tom

 

[ClonedSIM]

With fram it would me 900- 1,000 dollars. Maybe .

I'm curious where you got this estimate from, drummer.

 

[cival war hunter 2 !]

My head.

With fram it would me 900- 1,000 dollars. Maybe .

I'm curious where you got this estimate from, drummer.

 

[ClonedSIM]

My head.

With fram it would me 900- 1,000 dollars. Maybe .

I'm curious where you got this estimate from, drummer.

Ahhh, I see.....

 

[richm]

This is one of my original cartoons, sorry, I couldn't resist....Rich