Harper’s Weekly Apr 15 1876 – Rice Culture in Louisiana, Lepers in India, Thomas Nast, with Supplement

Harper’s Weekly Apr 15 1876 – Rice Culture in Louisiana, Thomas Nast, with Supplement


---

DESCRIPTION

A complete and wonderfully illustrated April 15, 1876 issue of Harper’s Weekly, featuring major Thomas Nast political satire, Southern agricultural scenes, and rare Centennial-era engravings — plus the original supplement, which is fully intact and often missing from other examples.

As always, every page is photographed, so please review images and feel free to ask questions.


---

🌟 MAIN ISSUE HIGHLIGHTS

🐊 Full Page — “Rice Culture in Louisiana”

A rich, three-scene engraving documenting 19th-century Southern labor and farming practices:

Rice cultivation

Flooded field work

Agricultural tools and infrastructure


An important Reconstruction-era depiction of rural Louisiana.


---

🏛️ Full Front Page Thomas Nast — “The Political Problem”

Nast’s biting political commentary appears front and center.
His 1876 work is especially collectible due to the looming Presidential election and debates over Reconstruction.


---

🔍 Full Page Thomas Nast — “Diogenes Still Looking”

A sequel to Nast’s famous “search for an honest man,” this engraving is a sharp critique of corruption and political hypocrisy.
Perfect for Nast collectors.


---

🇺🇸 “Centennial Sketches” — Two Half-Page Engravings

Capturing the spirit of America’s 100th birthday year with:

Views of early U.S. architecture

Costume and cultural vignettes

Pre-Exposition imagery


Ideal for framing or Americana collections.


---

🧾 NOW THE SUPPLEMENT — INCLUDED & FULLY PRESENT

Based on your images, the April 15, 1876 Harper’s Weekly Supplement features exceptional and visually engaging content:


---

🕌 Full-Page Engraving — “The Lepers at Jubbulpore, India”

(Your photo shows a dramatic scene of figures at a structure; this corresponds to the Jubbulpore leper asylum illustration often included in April 1876 supplements.)

A haunting and historically significant depiction of colonial-era India and medical institutions.
Highly collectible for:

India-focused collectors

Medical history enthusiasts

Victorian social documentary art



---

👳‍♂️ Full Page — “Lieutenant Cameron and Some of His African Followers”

The supplement includes a strong ethnographic portrait showing:

British explorer Vernon Cameron

His caravan and African attendants

Detailed period attire and field equipment


Exploration-themed engravings are some of the most sought-after Harper’s Weekly supplement prints.


---

🐎 Full Page — “Scenes of Australian Life”

A composite page of:

Horse breaking

Bush life

Camp scenes

Rural labor and sport


This page appeals to collectors of early Australian frontier imagery and equine illustration.


---

📜 Serialized Fiction — “Lady Silverdale’s Sweetheart”

The supplement also contains multiple pages of Victorian fiction — a staple of Harper’s Weekly supplements — complete with mid-story illustrations.

A great example of how Harper’s balanced journalism with entertainment.


---

💥 WHY THIS ISSUE IS DESIRABLE

✔ Two Thomas Nast illustrations, including a full-page and the front page
✔ Strong Southern agriculture content (reconstruction-era Louisiana)
✔ High appeal for Americana, Black history, and agricultural collectors
✔ Beautiful Centennial sketches
✔ Supplement included with Africa, India, and Australia engravings
✔ Exotic, explorer, medical-history, and colonial-era appeal
✔ Ships flat, never rolled


---

📦 SHIPPING

Ships flat, never rolled.
Packed carefully.


---

📚 CONDITION

VG.
I photograph every single page so you can examine condition for yourself.
Ask any questions!


---

SEO TAGS

harpers weekly 1876, thomas nast cartoon, rice culture louisiana, centennial 1876 america, colonial india engraving, african exploration print, australian frontier art, victorian newspaper supplement, antique illustrated newspaper, reconstruction era south, americana 19th century


-