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War Memorial of the Cincinnati Weekly Times. Dedicated to the Soldiers of the Union Army, who so Nobly volunteered their services to their country in its hour of peril, crushing out the greatest Rebellion of modern times…

[Cincinnati: Cincinnati Weekly Times, 1869]. Illustrated broadside printed in black, red and blue, 28.5” x 20.75” plus margins.

A striking patriotic broadside combining a delightful blend of typography with numerous wood engravings, issued in part as a tribute to those who fought and died for the Union during the Civil War.

An illustration extending across the top depicts, on the left, Union soldiers going to war in 1861, and, on the right, their triumphant return. Between these two scenes Lady Liberty stands atop half a globe on a plinth bearing an inscription reading “A Tribute to the Memory of the Brave Men Who Fell While Nobly Battling for the Union.” Forming the side borders are vignettes of Civil War scenes, portraits of four generals, and quotations from General Grant (I will fight it out on this line if it takes all summer”); General Thomas at Chattanoga “I will hold the place until I starve”); and General Dix (”If anyone attempts to take down the flag shoot him on the spot”). An illustration of the Battle of Murfreesboro appears at the bottom.

The text notes that the Cincinnati Weekly Times is “one of the best family journals in the country” and has a circulation of 70,000. Of particular interest here are the two premiums advertised, the Union Hand Book published annually by the Weekly Times and a folio view of the mammoth trees of California. The typeface employed for the title of the hand book is especially appealing, consisting of letters printed in red, black, and blue, draped in flags and bearing federal shields. The view of the mammoth trees is described as “a very handsome, colored picture, twenty-one by twenty-seven inches in size, which thousands of our patrons have said is worth at least half the subscription price of the Weekly Times.” This promotion was likely not an exaggeration, as a fair number of copies of this print have survived, judging from various examples we’ve handled or encountered over the years.

No copies recorded in OCLC.

A scarce and engaging example of nineteenth-century newspaper advertising, appealing to public sentiment regarding the preservation of the Union and the sacrifice it entailed.

CONDITION: Old repairs on verso to separation at folds, small bit of facsimile work to loss along juncture of folds on eagle’s neck.

Item #6039

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