Harper’s Weekly – August 20, 1887 – Illinois Railroad Disaster, Cotton Picking in the South, Great Northern Views, Pears Soap Ad & More
$37.00
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✨ Description
HARPER’S WEEKLY, New York, August 20, 1887
A complete, richly illustrated 16-page issue capturing one of the major news events of the summer of 1887 — the Illinois Railroad Disaster — along with Southern agricultural scenes, Northern scenic engravings, portraits, and collectible advertising.
This issue contains multiple frame-ready prints, from dramatic disaster scenes to serene Southern landscapes.
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🌟 Highlights in This Issue
🚂 Full Front Page: “The Illinois Railroad Disaster—Views of the Wreck and the Broken Bridge”
A powerful two-part front-page engraving showing:
1. Side view of the collapsed bridge and forward sleeper
2. Rescue efforts among twisted debris and survivors
One of the more dramatic Harper’s Weekly disaster covers — very displayable and historically significant.
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🖼 Multiple Interior Views of the Disaster
Your photos confirm at least three additional engravings showing:
The ruined sleeper car
On-site recovery efforts
Survivors and rescuers in action
The collapsed trestle and wreckage
An exceptional grouping for railroad collectors.
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🌾 Full-Page Engraving: “Cotton Picking in the South”
A beautifully detailed full-page showing African American field workers picking cotton with wagons, baskets, and rural scenery.
Highly desirable for collectors of:
Southern history
19th-century agricultural art
African American studies
Americana wall décor
This is one of the most displayable prints in the issue.
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🛶 Great Northern / Canadian Scenes (full page & montage)
Your photos show:
Canoeing scenes
River views
Fishing camps
Logging and waterway activity
Winter cabins & shoreline imagery
These long horizontal and montage engravings are ideal for large-format framing.
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🖋 Portraits & Editorial Content
This issue includes:
A large engraved portrait of a statesman/administrator
Several smaller engraved portraits of contemporary figures
Rich columns of Gilded Age commentary, political news, and literary material
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🧼 Highly Collectible Advertising
Rear pages include excellent period ads such as:
Pears’ Soap (large illustrated advertisement)
Cashmere Bouquet Toilet Soap
Crosse & Blackwell’s Jams
Gillott’s Steel Pens
Opium Cure Ads
W.L. Douglas shoes
Numerous Victorian medical & household products
Great for lovers of antique advertising.
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🖼 Archival Framing Available
I offer museum-quality framing for any image in this issue, including:
Front-page railroad disaster
Cotton-picking full page
Northern scenic montage
Pears’ Soap ad
Includes:
✔ Acid-free mat
✔ UV-protective acrylic
✔ Archival backing
✔ Professional-grade finish
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📏 Condition
VG overall
Light age toning
Clean impressions
From a bound volume (binding marks present)
No major tears or losses visible
Strong contrasts on engravings
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📦 Shipping
Ships flat in archival materials — never rolled.
Rigid protective packaging
Archival board
Moisture barrier
Tracking included
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🎁 Ideal For Collectors Of:
Railroad history
Disaster & rescue engravings
Southern agricultural history
African American historic imagery
Maritime & wilderness art
Antique advertising
Harper’s Weekly originals
Frameable 19th-century prints
Harper’s Weekly – August 20, 1887 – Illinois Railroad Disaster, Cotton Picking in the South, Great Northern Views, Pears Soap Ad & More
$37.00