1881 Garfield Assassination Special Edition, Nast "At Liberty's Door," Lincoln — Jul 23
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1881 Garfield Assassination Special Edition, Nast "At Liberty's Door," Lincoln — Jul 23
📜 ABOUT THIS PIECE OF HISTORY 📜
This July 23, 1881 Special Edition of Harper's Weekly is one of the rarest and most historically significant issues in the entire publication's run — and considerably more scarce than the regular edition of the same date. Seldom found even in complete sets of Harper's Weekly, this Special Edition delivers Thomas Nast's most profound and moving response to the Garfield crisis, linking the wounded president's fate directly to the martyrdom of Abraham Lincoln in one of the most powerful political illustrations of the 19th century. For collectors of presidential assassination history, Thomas Nast, Lincoln history, Garfield history, and Gilded Age Americana, this issue is simply irreplaceable.
⚠️ A RARE SPECIAL EDITION — SCARCER THAN THE REGULAR ISSUE
This is the Special Edition of July 23, 1881 — entirely different from and considerably more rare than the regular Harper's Weekly of the same date. Special Editions were published outside the normal weekly schedule only in response to events of the most extraordinary national significance, and this one is seldom found even in complete bound sets of Harper's Weekly when they come to market. Serious collectors of the Garfield assassination sequence will recognize this as the crown jewel of the series.
🎖️ FULL FRONT PAGE — PORTRAIT OF "JAMES A. GARFIELD"
The entire front page is devoted to a cameo-like engraving portrait of President James A. Garfield — a formal and dignified presidential likeness published as the nation held its breath over his survival, three weeks after the shooting. Rendered with the care and gravity befitting a presidential portrait at a moment of national crisis, this front page is a primary source document of the Garfield presidency at its most precarious and poignant moment.
🗽 DOUBLE-PAGE CENTERFOLD — THOMAS NAST: "AT LIBERTY'S DOOR"
The crown jewel of this issue — and one of the most historically significant and emotionally powerful Thomas Nast illustrations ever published — is the double-page centerfold: "At Liberty's Door," a profound allegorical commentary linking the shooting of President Garfield directly to the assassination of President Abraham Lincoln. Nast draws the explicit parallel between America's two most beloved martyred presidents — Lincoln, already dead, and Garfield, still fighting for his life — in an image of devastating emotional force. The Statue of Liberty — not yet completed and not yet standing in New York Harbor — serves as the symbolic threshold, and the two presidents are united in their sacrifice at the altar of American democracy.
This centerfold is among the most historically resonant Thomas Nast illustrations in the entire Harper's Weekly run. It captures the moment when the American public began to truly fear they would lose their second president to an assassin's bullet — and draws the terrible line of continuity from Ford's Theatre to the Baltimore and Potomac Railroad Station. A fully displayable masterpiece of American political illustration and an exceptional primary source document for collectors of Lincoln history, Garfield history, presidential assassination history, and Thomas Nast.
📋 ADDITIONAL ILLUSTRATIONS
"Around a Bulletin Board, Richmond, Virginia" — a half-page illustration capturing citizens in the former Confederate capital gathered around a public bulletin board reading the latest dispatches on the President's condition — a vivid and historically significant image of a reunited nation sharing in its grief and anxiety, North and South together watching for news of the wounded president
"The Tragedy at Washington — Encampment of Soldiers on the White House Lawn" — a half-page illustration of soldiers encamped on the White House grounds in the wake of the assassination attempt, documenting the military presence and heightened security that surrounded the wounded president's residence through the summer of 1881
📰 RELATED ARTICLES
The balance of this special issue is devoted to related articles and editorial coverage of the assassination attempt, the president's medical condition, and the national response — making this a comprehensive documentary record of the Garfield crisis at its most acute moment.
🔍 CONDITION & TRANSPARENCY 🔍
Completeness: Complete 16-page Special Edition as issued.
Authenticity: Guaranteed original woodblock printing from July 23, 1881 — not a reproduction.
Condition Report: Good condition for its 144-year age. Natural toning to the newsprint consistent with age. The Garfield portrait front page, the Nast "At Liberty's Door" centerfold, the Richmond bulletin board illustration, and the White House encampment print are all clear and displayable.
I photograph every page of every issue so you can inspect the condition closely before purchasing. Please review all images carefully and don't hesitate to ask any questions — I'm happy to provide additional detail or close-up shots of any page, illustration, or area of concern before you buy.
📦 SHIPPING & PRESERVATION 📦
Housed in an acid-free archival folder with Mylar overlay to protect the 144-year-old newsprint
Flat-shipped with heavy-duty reinforcement to ensure safe arrival of the centerfold
Fully tracked for your peace of mind
🏷️ TAGS
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1881 Garfield Assassination Special Edition, Nast "At Liberty's Door," Lincoln — Jul 23
$49.49