The reward posters are from 1792 in New York, and 1860 in Missouri. John Quackenbos offered $5 for "a Negro Fellow, named TOM, about twenty-two years of age" who had run away from his master in New York. John S. Majors of Missouri offered between $25 and $100 for Noel, depending on how far away he was apprehended. This poster includes a woodcut image of a runaway slave. $15,000 each.

Halley's Meteor? In the March-May 1719 issue of Philosophical Transactions, Edmund Halley published an article entitled An account of an extraordinary meteor seen all over England. Halley reported the similarities between it and the one observed by Kepler years earlier. Of course, Halley is most associated with the comet that returns every 75 years and bears his name. This item is bound with two other issues of Philosophical Transactions, one with an article by Halley expressing the view that a hollow earth contains a luminous magnetic fluid, which escapes at the poles, creating the Aurora Borealis. You don't get them all right. $2,800.

This just covers a few of the items available in this catalogue, but should provide a good idea of the importance of the material offered. The 19th Century Shop may be reached at 410-602-3002 or info@19thcenturyshop.com. Their website is found at www.19thcenturyshop.com.