Impressions: 250 Years of Printing in the Lives of Canadians

Impressions: 250 Years of Printing in the Lives of Canadians

These races involving a man against a horse had been made popular by the famous runner nicknamed "Alexis le Trotteur."
	Événement extraordinaire: grand course sensationnelle, dimanche 4 juillet 1909 à St. Celestin, au rond des courses du club, à 3 1/2 hrs. p.m.: cheval de M. Pental Vincent et Beaudet, le fameux coureur de fond de Victoriaville. Victoriaville [Quebec]: Imp. l'Écho des Bois-Francs, [1909].

One of the first philatelic periodicals to be published in British North America. George Stewart Jr. edited this periodical when he was only 16 years of age. The Stamp Collector's Monthly Gazette also included political commentaries and poetry. Stewart enjoyed a long career as journalist, editor and writer.

George Stewart, 1848-1906
The Stamp Collector's Monthly Gazette.
St. John, N.B., [1865-1867].

One of the great coin dealers in Canada, P.N. Breton established a numerical system of classification for Canadian tokens which is still in use today.

Pierre Napoléon Breton, 1858-1917
Histoire illustrée des monnaies et jetons du Canada... / Illustrated History of Coins and Tokens Relating to Canada...
Montreal: P.N. Breton, 1894. 239 p.

The author was an artist-photographer in Montreal.

Henry Napoléon Grenier, fl.1864-1880
Leçons de photographie: description de procédés simples et faciles au moyen desquels on obtient presque infailliblement des épreuves sur papier.
Montréal: En vente chez tous les principaux libraires, 1864. 27 p.

Lottery ticket signed by James McGill (1744-1813), Edward William Gray (1742-1810) and Pierre Guy (1738-1812). Following an ordinance by the governor and legislative council, a lottery was organized to raise funds for the construction of a prison in Montreal. The prison, erected on the site of the old court house on St. James Street, was destroyed by fire in 1803.
	Lottery for Building a Prison, for the Town and District of Montreal / Lotterie [sic] pour bâtir des [sic] prisons, pour la ville & district de Montréal. [Montreal: F. Mesplet, 1783].

Broadside announcing a lottery in New Brunswick with a grand prize of $50 000 and a total of prizes of $128 500. Shown here is an unsold ticket of 50 cents for the draw of April 15, 1884. "There is at least one chance in every man's life to secure a fortune; this may be yours." Doesn't this remind you of a current slogan?

Royal New Brunswick Lottery
Grand Single Number Drawing: Royal New Brunswick Cash Distribution Will Take Place at St. Stephen, N.B., Canada, on the 15th April 1884.
[St. Stephen?, N.B.: W.D. Simpson & Co., 1884].

One of the few Canadian reprints of a work of popular French literature. This Histoire de Jean de Calais had been published during the 18th century in the "Bibliothèque bleue de Troyes," a famous collection of "dime novels."

Madame de Gomez, 1684-1770
Histoire de Jean de Calais, roi de [sic] Portugal ou La vertu recompensee.
Québec, 1810. 72 p.

Lives of criminals and descriptions of public executions were always popular with the public, and continue to be well into the 20th century.
	William H. Jackson Life and Confession of Sophia Hamilton, Who Was Tried, Condemned, and Sentenced to Be Hung, at Montreal, L.C., on the 4th of August, 1845, for the Perpetration of the Most Shocking Murders and Daring Robberies Perhaps Recorded in the Annals of Crime. Montreal: Printed for the publisher, 1845. 31 p.

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Created: 2001-03-05 Updated: 2001-04-09	Top of Page	Important Notices