1896 Castle Garden New Aquarium, Pacific Squadron, After Horse Show — Nov 21

🗞️ HARPER'S WEEKLY · November 21, 1896
Complete Issue · New York

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A historically varied Gilded Age issue — Castle Garden in its new incarnation as the New York Aquarium, the Pacific Squadron at Port Angeles Washington, a double-page centerfold of the Horse Show's social aftermath, Ellen Terry portraits, and the President of the Royal Academy. Strong content for New York City history collectors, naval history enthusiasts, and Victorian theatrical history buffs.

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🐟 THE NEW AQUARIUM — HISTORIC CASTLE GARDEN
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🏛️ FULL PAGE — "THE NEW AQUARIUM IN HISTORIC CASTLE GARDEN, NEW YORK"
A full-page illustration of the New York Aquarium at Castle Garden — documenting one of the most historically layered buildings in New York City at a pivotal moment of transformation. Castle Garden — the circular fortification at the Battery's tip that had been built in 1811 as a harbor defense, converted into an entertainment venue where Jenny Lind sang and Louis Kossuth spoke, and then served as America's first major immigration station from 1855 to 1890 — had just been converted into the New York Aquarium when this issue was published, opening to the public on December 10, 1896. The aquarium occupied the historic building until 1941, when it moved to Coney Island. Today the building is preserved as Castle Clinton National Monument, the only surviving remnant of New York's early 19th-century harbor defenses. This Harper's Weekly illustration documents the aquarium at the very moment of its transformation — a primary document of one of New York City's most historically significant buildings in one of its most dramatic reinventions. A significant piece of New York City history spanning three centuries.

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⚓ THE PACIFIC SQUADRON — PORT ANGELES
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🚢 FULL PAGE — "OUR PACIFIC SQUADRON AT PORT ANGELES, WASHINGTON"
A full-page illustration of the U.S. Navy's Pacific Squadron assembled at Port Angeles, Washington — a significant piece of American naval history on the Pacific coast, published two years before the Spanish-American War would test these vessels in combat. Port Angeles on the Strait of Juan de Fuca was one of the key Pacific naval anchorages, and the assembled squadron is a primary document of American Pacific naval power at the end of the 19th century.

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🐎 AFTER THE HORSE SHOW
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🎊 DOUBLE-PAGE CENTERFOLD — "AFTER THE HORSE SHOW"
A double-page centerfold of the social scene following the National Horse Show at Madison Square Garden — the grand dinners, receptions, and social gatherings that the show generated among New York's wealthiest families. A vivid and very frameable piece of Gilded Age New York social history.

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🖼️ INSIDE THE ISSUE
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🎭 TWO QUARTER PAGES — "MISS ELLEN TERRY"
Two quarter-page portraits of Ellen Terry — the most celebrated actress on the English-speaking stage, who had been performing with Henry Irving at the Lyceum Theatre in London for two decades and was one of the most admired women in the world. A significant piece of Victorian theatrical history.

🎨 QUARTER PAGE — "EDWARD JOHN POYNTER, PRESIDENT OF THE ROYAL ACADEMY"
A portrait of Sir Edward John Poynter — the newly elected President of the Royal Academy, one of the leading Victorian painters known for his classical and biblical subjects. A significant piece of Victorian British art history.

🪖 FULL FRONT PAGE — "THE RECALL — 'MAKE THE BEST OF YOUR WAY TO THE SHIP'"
A full front-page illustration — a military or naval scene of a recall order, capturing the drama of soldiers or sailors being called back to their vessel. A vivid piece of Gilded Age military imagery.

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📋 CONDITION
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I photograph every page of every issue so you can inspect the condition closely before purchasing. Please review all images carefully and don't hesitate to ask any questions — I'm happy to provide additional detail or close-up shots of any page, illustration, or area of concern before you buy.

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📌 DETAILS
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Publication ········ Harper's Weekly
Date ··············· November 21, 1896
City ··············· New York
Format ············· Complete issue

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📦 SHIPPING & PRESERVATION
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• Stored in an acid-free protective bag and flat-shipped in a padded envelope with heavy cardboard reinforcement
• Fully tracked for your peace of mind

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🔍 SEO TAGS
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