Dec 27 1873 Harper's Weekly, Thomas Nast "Doomsday" Print, Ashantee War, Salmon Marking, English Troop-Ship

WITH RARE SUPPLEMENT

This December 27, 1873 issue of Harper’s Weekly is a powerful year-end edition featuring a masterwork by Thomas Nast, alongside significant coverage of British colonial warfare and natural history.
​As requested, here is the summary and highlight of the main issue and its accompanying Supplement.


​Title: Dec 27 1873 Harper's Weekly, Thomas Nast "Doomsday" Print, Ashantee War, Salmon Marking, English Troop-Ship


​Main Issue Highlights
​🎨 Thomas Nast Masterpiece: Features a striking full-page illustration by Nast titled "The World's Grown Honest: Then Is Doomsday Near." This complex allegory uses Shakespearean themes to satirize the political corruption of the Gilded Age, suggesting that universal honesty would be such a shock it would signal the end of the world.
​⚔️ The Ashantee War (Third Anglo-Ashanti War): This issue provides significant visual reporting on the conflict in West Africa (modern-day Ghana), including:
​"Fantees Performing 'Fetch' to Keep Away the Ashantee Invaders": A nearly full-page illustration of indigenous rituals during the war.
​"Attah, King of Akim": A half-page portrait of the African monarch alongside a Gordon Setter.
​🚢 Double-Page Centerfold: A grand nautical engraving, "The United Services—Scene on the Deck of an English Troop-Ship." This highly detailed panoramic view captures the organized chaos and life aboard a military vessel during the height of the British Empire.
​🐟 Nature & Industry: A full-page illustration of "Salmon-Marking on the Tweed," documenting the early scientific efforts of fish conservation and tagging in Scotland.
​📜 "Bond and Free": The front-page illustration serves as a poignant social commentary on the state of liberty and society as the year 1873 came to a close.
​Supplement Highlight: "The Bird-Song"
​The included Supplement significantly enhances the value of this issue. It features a stunning, large-scale wood engraving that serves as the visual centerpiece for the year-end "Holiday" atmosphere.
​Summary: The Supplement is dominated by a majestic, display-quality illustration titled "The Bird-Song." It depicts a serene, pastoral scene with a young woman or child interacting with nature.
​Historical Significance: In the 19th century, Harper's supplements were printed on slightly better stock or as "bonus" art pieces intended for readers to remove and frame.
​Visual Appeal: The engraving is rich in texture, showcasing the high-water mark of woodblock printing before the advent of photography. It provides a peaceful contrast to the political biting satire of Thomas Nast found in the main body of the paper.


​🔍 Condition
​This 152-year-old issue is complete in 16 pages plus the Supplement. The Thomas Nast print and the "Bird-Song" supplement are in excellent condition—dark, crisp, and ready for archival display. You will find uniform, light age-toning characteristic of late 19th-century newsprint.


​📦 Shipping & 🖼️ Archival Framing
​Professional Shipping: Your history will arrive flat, secure, and tracked. These delicate documents are protected by heavy-duty archival boards to prevent any rolling or folding during transit.
​Archival Framing Available: The Thomas Nast "Doomsday" print and the "Bird-Song" Supplement are both premier candidates for framing. I offer Custom Archival Framing upon request, using UV-protected glass and acid-free matting to preserve these prints for another century.


​💎 Why It’s Collectible
​Nast’s Peak Years: Thomas Nast was at the height of his cultural power in 1873; his allegorical works from this period are highly sought after.
​Colonial Military History: The Ashantee War illustrations are vital primary sources for those studying 19th-century African history and British military campaigns.
​The Bonus Supplement: Finding the original Supplement intact is rare, as most were removed for framing over the last 150 years.


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