THE NEW WORLD, Philadelphia, Jan. 30, 1797

• Rare 18th century short-lived publication

A quite scarce title, and until a recent find, the very first we have offered in our 44 years. It published for exactly one year. Various news reports and advertisements of the day.
Four pages, folio size, never-trimmed margins, very nice condition.

Background: Published in Philadelphia during its tenure as the nation's capital, this January 30, 1797 issue of The New World is an exceptionally scarce piece of early American journalism, preserved in unusually fine condition with full four-page folio dimensions and original, never-trimmed deckle margins. Printed by Samuel Harrison Smith—who would later found the prominent National Intelligencer in Washington, D.C., at the behest of Thomas Jefferson—the paper operated for only a single year (August 1796 to August 1797), making surviveable issues exceedingly rare, as reflected by premier dealers offering a specimen for the first time in over four decades of business. Its historical content captures a critical transition period in the young republic, published during the final weeks of George Washington's presidency and providing an authentic window into late 18th-century life through period political debates, international dispatches regarding the French Revolutionary Wars, shipping notices, and localized advertisements ranging from merchant goods to runaway apprentice notices.