Rare Original “Massachusetts Spy” Revolutionary War Newspaper~April 26 1776 for Sale

Rare Original “Massachusetts Spy” Revolutionary War Newspaper~April 26 1776 For Sale

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Rare Original “Massachusetts Spy” Revolutionary War Newspaper~April 26 1776:
$1250.00

Original rare April 26 1776 American Revolutionary War newspaper, “Thomas's Massachusetts Spy.” Its four pages on two sheets tell of sea battles and surprise raids on British forts, and the capture of British ships.

It was printed on a hand-operated, one-page-at-a-time press, by publisher Isaiah Thomas, a central figure in early American printing and support of the colonies gaining independence from Britain. The Spy was one of the top two papers of the American Revolution. Thomas himself was present at the battle of Lexington, the first battle of the revolution, and was the first to write about it. He was also the first to do a public reading of the Declaration of Independence—just two months after these pages were published. He collected newspapers and documents from all the colonies and was the leading authority on early American printing, so much that his authorative book, “The History of Printing in America,” is still in print.

This issue is printed on “rag paper,” which is likely mostly cotton fiber, and which makes it durable and supple, able to stand the test of time. As paper was in short supply, there is even an ad in this “Spy” issue for people to bring in rags, like the more recent appeals for aluminum in World War II. John Hancock, lead signer of the Declaration of Independence and president of the Continental Congress, personally saw to it that adequate paper stocks were procured for the Spy to continue printing, as attested to in these pages.

More fascinating facts about the Massachusetts Spy newspaper:

Paul Revere himself carved the metal plate for printing the masthead, the large title at the top of the first page (according to the American Antiquarian Society, which, with his vast collection of documents, Isaiah Thomas himself had founded.)

In 1775, Thomas secretively moved his whole printing operation in the night from Boston to Worcester, Massachusetts—40 miles west—to prevent it being seized by the British troops, who were cracking down on any suspected revolutionary activity.

These pages tell of the proceedings of the Continental Congress at the time, as reported to the paper by John Hancock himself. They also tell of battles and skirmishes at sea, and a spectacular surprise naval raid on two British forts in the Bahamas, a thousand miles distant, replenishing the Continental military with desperately needed armaments and supplies.

As contraband, this paper appears to have traveled the circuit of the colonies hidden under someone’s saddle, and may have. Tattered and stained, it stands as testament to the efforts of our forebears who risked everything to gain independence and build a democracy, still standing as a resolute beacon to those the world over struggling to form their own.

The founders would certainly not want to see their efforts go to waste.

The masthead can be read as Massachusetts Spy, or Sun. But the name really was Massachusetts Spy, having reported the news of the revolution right under the noses of the British.

Practically every word can still be read. Another archived original exists In Worcester, Massachusetts, at the American Antiquarian Society. There visitors can see the hand operated screw press, imported from England, on which these pages were printed.

This original newspaper will be packaged in a sealed ziplock bag. The sale additionally includes full size photocopies for display, and plexiglass panels.

Sale also includes the hardcover books shown in the photos, in good condition: Prelude to Independence by Arthur Schlesinger, and The History of Printing in America, by Isaiah Thomas.

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