Memorabilia Collection: Series IX - XIII
 
SERIES IX.  MISCELLANEOUS

Series IX  (Box 1) contains miscellaneous objects of memorabilia relating to Lafayette, sometimes only in the most remote way, such as a dried rose bud plucked from a bush near Lafayette's grave in France (IX.6).  Despite some of the more obscure pieces in this series, there are several unique and interesting objects, including a supposed key to the Bastille and a pair of porcelain curtain stops.

curtain stop
SERIES X.  BROADSIDES AND PRINTED EPHEMERA [Inventory]
 
playing card The broadsides and printed ephemera relating to Lafayette in Series X date from 1780 to the present (Box 1-2).  This series is organized into five main categories: broadsides, cards, invitations, paper currency, and miscellaneous.  Broadsides include printed materials such as announcements, orders, and proclamations and are arranged chronologically.  Most broadsides in this collection deal with Lafayette's 1824-25 tour of America and his death in 1834. The cards of the collection include cards of admission to Lafayette balls, calling cards, and an early 19th-century American playing card.  Practically every card in this group dates ca. 1824-25.  Most invitations in this series date during this period as well.  Paper currency from various locations holds Lafayette's portrait and reflects his popularity after his death and through the mid-19th century in America. 
SERIES XI.  SHEET MUSIC  [Go To Complete Digitized Collection]

Approximately 20 pieces of music are included, all published in America and dating from 1824 to 1917.  The majority of pieces were composed especially to honor Lafayette during the Farewell Tour of 1824-25.  They include marches, waltzes, quick-steps, and an unusual precursor of minstrel song, "Massa Georgee Washington and General Lafayette" by Micah Hawkins.  Also included in the grouping is a requiem for Lafayette and two World War I songs making reference to him.

sheet music
SERIES XII.  STAMPS AND ENVELOPES
 
stamps Series XII (Box 1-2) is comprised of commemorative stamps, envelopes, and first day covers depicting Lafayette.  All pieces in this collection date from the 20th century and span the years 1932-1977.  Events honored by these postal materials include Lafayette's birth (1757) and death (1834).  Many copies of specific stamps remain intact in original issue sheets. 
SERIES XIII.  NEWSPAPERS

Series XIII (Box 1-4) contains an extensive collection of newspapers relating to Lafayette.  Newspapers are contemporary with Lafayette's lifetime (1757-1834) and contain articles which appeared in the American press.  For the most part, all the newspapers of this series are completely intact, although in some cases only the front page holding the Lafayette-related article has been retained.  Box 1 of the collection holds 27 issues of the New England Palladium & Commercial Advertiser dating April 22 to December 2, 1825.  The second box of the series contains two bound volumes of newspapers also dating from Lafayette's final tour of America. The first volume includes 84 issues of the New York Evening Post dating January 23 to December 31, 1824.  The second volume of Box 2 holds 67 issues of the National Gazette and Literary Register dating January 6 through December 22, 1825.  Box 3 contains 63 miscellaneous issues of American newspapers arranged chronologically and dating May 1, 1790 to July 5, 1831. newspaperNewspapers located in this miscellaneous group include the Gazette of the United States, National Intelligencer, Daily National Intelligencer, Berks and Schuylkill Journal, Chronicle of the Times, National Gazette & Literary Register, and The Reading Chronicle.  The bulk of the issues from this group date 1824-25 and contain articles describing Lafayette's tour of America.  Several other issues date ca. 1790 and 1830 and discuss Lafayette's political involvements in France. The newspapers of Boxes 1-3 were presented to Lafayette College by donors Allan P. Kirby, Jr. '53 and his sister, Mrs. John H. Culbertson.  These papers have been retained in their original order and have not been interspersed with other newspapers in the collection.
 Box 4 contains 96 issues from a very wide range of 18th and 19th-century American newspapers.  The papers have come from various donors and have been interfiled and arranged chronologically by date of issue, spanning the years 1793 to 1883.  As might be expected, the bulk of these articles date from 1824-25 and discuss Lafayette's tour of America.  Another large group of these newspapers date from 1834 and report on the death of Lafayette.

Back to Series III - VIII

Finding Aid Home  |  Memorabilia Collection Home  |  Manuscript Collection  |  Print Collection