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Original
Civil War Illustration of Mob Scene in St. Louis
You are viewing an
original 1861 illustration of the Mob incident in St. Louis that marked
one of the first armed conflicts of the Civil War. It is an original leaf
from an 1861 edition of Harper's Weekly, the most popular illustrated
newspaper of the day. Note that this is not a reprint, and I
absolutely guarantee its authenticity. The date is clearly marked on the
front of the leaf. On the day this leaf was printed Abraham Lincoln
was President of the United States, and the Civil War was in its opening
chapter.
This is a rare and
highly collectible illustration. While the attack on Ft. Sumter had
occurred just weeks earlier, there were no casualties. The conflict
represented in this scene was one of the very earliest Civil War
encounters in which people were killed. The image is captioned, "United
States Volunteers Attacked by the Mob, Corner of fifth and Walnut Streets,
St. Louis, Missouri". The illustration is a dramatic one, and shows the
crow firing into the troops on the street. Children are pictured throwing
rocks at the soldiers. Making this an even more collectible print is that
surrounding the images is a story entitled, "The Fight at Saint Louis",
and it gives incredible details on the conflict. It is amazing to be able
to read stories of the fight printed within days of the event, and not
digested or interpreted by historians. The story is a long one, and gives
a valuable first hand glimpse into the mood of the country at the start of
the war. |
This is a really
nice illustration, and one you will not want to miss. It would make an
excellent addition to your collection, or a wonderful gift for anyone
interested in the Civil War, or the History of St. Louis.
Unlike newsprint of
this century, these older, original pages do not yellow and fall apart.
The reason is that modern newspapers use an acid based process. Remnant
acid in the paper causes the paper to quickly yellow and deteriorate. A
different process was used in the mid-1800's which yielded an exceptional
quality paper that will last for centuries. Special acid free mats should
be used when you frame this piece to ensure that it will last another 150
years. Acid free mats are available at most better frame shops. If you
have any questions related to handling or framing this piece feel free to
email me. The print is approximately 10 3/4 X 16 inches. I have been
collecting Civil War Newspapers for over 10 years. It is a fascinating
hobby, and I assure you this piece will get noticed!
The leaf displays
the rich sepia toning that you expect in material from this period. It is
in excellent condition. It has several finger smudges in the margins, and
a few spots of light foxing. I offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee on all
my merchandise.
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