Harper’s Weekly December 31 1887 – New Year’s Eve Cover, Steel Cruiser Chicago, New England Coast, NYC Architecture

---

Harper’s Weekly Dec 31 1887 – New Year’s Eve Cover, Steel Cruiser Chicago, New England Coast, NYC Architecture


---

DESCRIPTION

This is an original Harper’s Weekly issue dated December 31, 1887, featuring a beautiful New Year’s Eve cover by W. A. Rogers and several exceptional full-page engravings. This end-of-year issue captures American life, architecture, and naval power during the Gilded Age.

A complete and clean 16-page issue with excellent display pieces — ideal for collectors of Americana, maritime history, New England art, and Victorian illustration.


---

⭐ Key Illustrations & Highlights

• Full Front Page – “Watch-Night—New Year’s Eve” (W. A. Rogers)

A serene and atmospheric winter scene of parishioners leaving a church on New Year’s Eve. Perfect for holiday framing.


---

• Full Page – “The New Steel Cruiser ‘Chicago’”

A dramatic naval engraving showing the early U.S. Navy’s imposing steel cruiser. Excellent for maritime or military collectors.


---

• Full Page – “On the Coast of New England”

A sweeping coastal landscape with strong detail — a classic New England scene with winter atmosphere and dramatic shoreline.


---

• Full Page – “Miles Standish’s Challenge”

A richly rendered historical engraving referencing early Pilgrim lore and colonial Massachusetts.


---

• Full Page – “Recent and Pending Architectural Additions to New York City”

Features five major Gilded Age buildings, including:

New churches

New commercial buildings

Manhattan streetscapes

Detailed architectural elevations


Strong interest for NYC history collectors.


---

Additional Interior Content:

Your images also show:

Portrait engravings

Illustrated humor and cartoons

Engraved book advertisements

Serialized Victorian literature

Departmental news columns

Fashion sketches and figure studies

Engravings related to clergy and public figures

Numerous late-Gilded Age illustrated advertisements


This is a very full issue with excellent variety.


---

📜 Condition

Very good overall:

Light expected toning consistent with age

Clean interiors with strong impressions

Tight center fold

Minor edge wear and binding holes from original stitching

No major tears or losses

Plates and full-page engravings are crisp and display beautifully


A well-preserved 137-year-old issue.


---

📏 Size

Approx. 16 x 11 inches (Harper’s Weekly folio format)


---

🖼️ Archival Framing Available

I offer museum-quality custom framing for any page or engraving in this issue, including:

The New Year’s Eve cover

The steel cruiser “Chicago”

New England Coast full page

NYC architecture page

Miles Standish engraving


Framing options include:

Acid-free matting

UV-protective acrylic

Float mounting

Black, walnut, gold, or custom frame profiles


Message me for pricing and mockups.


---

📦 Shipping

Ships FLAT, never rolled.

---

🎁 Perfect For Collectors Of:

New England art
W.A. Rogers illustrations
New Year’s holiday prints
Naval and maritime history
NYC architecture
Gilded Age Americana
Colonial and Pilgrim history
Harper’s Weekly completists


---


---

🖼️ Framing Services

I offer archival-quality framing, including:

Acid-free matting

UV-protective acrylic

Custom moulding options


Perfect for ready-to-hang office décor, nautical spaces, or historical wall displays.


---

📏 Size

Approx. 16 x 11 inches (standard Harper’s Weekly folio).


---