1881 Ice Yachting Hudson River, Chichester Cathedral, Stranded Steamship, Lima Peru — Feb 19
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1881 Ice Yachting Hudson River, Chichester Cathedral, Stranded Steamship, Lima Peru — Feb 19
📜 ABOUT THIS PIECE OF HISTORY 📜
This February 19, 1881 issue of Harper's Weekly is a beautifully varied winter number — the thrilling speed of ice yachting on the frozen Hudson, the soaring Gothic grandeur of Chichester Cathedral, the drama of a stranded steamship, the exotic faces of Lima, and the elegance of New York's newly completed Union League Club House. For collectors of American sporting history, Victorian architecture, maritime history, South American culture, and Gilded Age New York, this issue delivers on every page.
⛵ FULL PAGE — "ICE YACHTING ON THE HUDSON"
A fine full-page illustration of ice yachting on the Hudson River — one of the most thrilling and visually spectacular winter sports of the Gilded Age, in which sleek ice yachts mounted on steel runners raced across the frozen river at speeds that astonished and terrified observers. The Hudson Valley ice yacht clubs attracted the wealthiest sporting men of New York society, and their races drew crowds of thousands to the riverbanks in winter. This engraving captures the speed, elegance, and cold drama of the sport with vivid woodblock detail — a fully displayable piece of exceptional appeal to collectors of American sporting history, Hudson River history, Victorian winter sports, and Gilded Age leisure culture.
⛪ DOUBLE-PAGE CENTERFOLD — "ENGLISH CHURCH ARCHITECTURE: CHICHESTER CATHEDRAL"
The visual centerpiece of the issue is a sweeping double-page centerfold devoted to the magnificent Chichester Cathedral in West Sussex — one of England's most beloved medieval cathedrals, renowned for its unique detached bell tower and its harmonious blend of Norman and Gothic architecture. Rendered in meticulous woodblock detail, this centerfold captures the cathedral's soaring nave, elaborate stonework, and centuries of accumulated grandeur. A fully displayable architectural masterpiece for collectors of Victorian ecclesiastical illustration, British history, and religious art.
🏛️ "THE NEW UNION LEAGUE CLUB HOUSE"
A full page containing two prints of the newly completed Union League Club House — one of the most prestigious social institutions of Gilded Age New York, whose membership had included some of the city's most powerful Republican businessmen, politicians, and cultural figures since its founding during the Civil War. The new clubhouse represented the confidence and ambition of Gilded Age New York at its peak — a primary source document of New York City architectural and social history.
🚢 "THE STRANDED STEAM-SHIP 'RORAIMA'"
A dramatic half-page print documenting the stranding of the steamship Roraima — a vivid maritime disaster image capturing the helpless bulk of a grounded vessel, the efforts of rescue crews, and the precarious drama of 19th-century ocean travel. A prized piece for collectors of maritime history and Victorian seafaring life.
🌎 "LIMA TYPES" — PERU
Five small prints presenting "Lima Types" — a series of character portraits depicting the diverse people of Lima, Peru, from street vendors and tradespeople to elegantly dressed society figures — a rare and visually rich document of South American urban life as seen through Victorian eyes. Of exceptional interest to collectors of South American history, Latin American cultural history, and 19th-century world travel illustration.
🔍 CONDITION & TRANSPARENCY 🔍
Completeness: Complete 16-page issue.
Authenticity: Guaranteed original woodblock printing from February 19, 1881 — not a reproduction.
Condition Report: Presents well for its 144-year age. Natural toning to the newsprint consistent with age. The ice yachting full page, the Chichester Cathedral centerfold, the Union League Club House prints, and the Roraima steamship illustration 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
1881 Harpers Weekly, Ice Yachting Hudson River, Chichester Cathedral Architecture, Union League Club House New York, Stranded Steamship Roraima, Lima Peru Types 1881, Victorian Winter Sports, Gilded Age Hudson River, Victorian Church Architecture Engraving, Maritime Disaster 1881, South American History Victorian Press, New York City History 1881, Antique Newspaper 1881, 19th Century Americana, Victorian Travel Illustration Peru Sonnet 4.6
1881 Ice Yachting Hudson River, Chichester Cathedral, Stranded Steamship, Lima Peru — Feb 19
$38.98