Harper’s Weekly – October 3, 1868 – International Cricket Match • Prize Animals • Nast’s “Modern Samson” • South American Earthquake • Freed

Harper’s Weekly – October 3, 1868 – International Cricket Match • Prize Animals • Nast’s “Modern Samson” • South American Earthquake • Freedmen’s Schools

A wonderfully varied issue blending Reconstruction-era politics, early sports history, dramatic world events, and American agricultural life.

⭐ Highlights Inside This Issue

Front-page agriculture scene: Prize Animals at the New Hampshire Fair, Sept. 15–19, 1868 🐄🐐

Half-page portrait & article: Patrick J. Whelan, Condemned for the Murder of T. D’Arcy McGee

Half-page engraving: The Dead Soldier and His Faithful Dog 🐕

Full-page Thomas Nast illustration: “The Modern Samson” — a Black figure depicted as Samson in a Reconstruction-era political allegory

Full-page disaster scene: Earthquakes in South America — Plaza of Arequipa, Peru, Aug. 13, 1868 🌎

Cricket history:

The All-England Eleven Cricketers and Their Umpire (one-third page) 🏏

The International Cricket Match — 6-action-scene engravings with detailed article


Full-page set of 6 illustrations: The Freedmen’s Schools — education for emancipated African Americans during Reconstruction 📚


Complete in 16 pages, with additional news, literature, and period advertisements.

📚 Who Would Love This Issue

Appeals strongly to collectors of:

Thomas Nast political illustrations

Black Americana & Reconstruction history

Early cricket and sports engravings

19th-century crime & courtroom history

Agricultural fair / livestock imagery

South American earthquake reportage

Education history — Freedmen’s Schools

Antique illustrated newspapers 📰


A high-interest issue with excellent cross-collecting potential.

📏 Size

Approx. 11" × 16".

🧾 Condition

Good condition with expected light age toning and mild edge wear.
I photograph every page, so please review all images carefully and ask if you’d like clarification about any detail.

🖼️ Optional Archival Framing

Archival, acid-free matting and UV-protective acrylic available for any display page — perfect for home, office, or gallery settings. 🖼️✨

📦 Shipping

Ships flat, never rolled, and carefully packaged for preservation.

🏷️ SEO Tags

Harper’s Weekly 1868, Thomas Nast Modern Samson, International Cricket Match, All England Eleven cricket, Prize Animals New Hampshire Fair, Freedmen’s Schools engraving, South America earthquake Arequipa, Black Americana history, Reconstruction era print, antique newspaper, Patrick J Whelan D’Arcy McGee murder.