Periodicals

The bohemians of antebellum New York published regularly in the daily newspapers, literary weeklies, and monthly magazines that proliferated throughout the United States in the years leading up to the Civil War. Writers and artists at the beginnings of their careers published in periodicals as a way to build their reputations and attract the attention of book publishers. A number of the periodicals that began during this period, such as The New York Tribune and Harper's Monthly, became very successful and continued to be published well into the twentieth century. Many other periodicals, however, lasted only for a few years. Two such periodicals, The New York Saturday Press and Vanity Fair, began around the tables at Pfaff's bar. The Saturday Press ran from October 1858 until December 1860, and was briefly revived in August 1865 only to cease publication again in June 1866. Similarly, Vanity Fair began publishing in December 1859 and ended its run in July 1863. During that brief window, however, the two periodicals were a showcase for a variety of irreverent, playful, and socially savvy literary and artistic productions. Vanity Fair regularly featured illustrations and was primarily a humor magazine with a strong political bent; the Saturday Press was text-only and focused on literary and theatrical arts, as well as commentary on current events. When the Pfaff's bohemians no longer had Vanity Fair and the Saturday Press available to them as publication venues, many of them began contributing to The New York Leader, a weekly that ran from 1856 to 1871.

The Vault at Pfaff's provides scanned page images of the Saturday Press, Vanity Fair, and the Leader in an Islandora viewer. Poems, illustrations, and articles from the Saturday Press and Vanity Fair have been indexed, with metadata and abstracts searchable on the site. Selections from the Leader will be indexed at a later date. In addition, many pieces by and about the Pfaff's bohemians that appeared in periodicals such as Harper's, Putnam's, The Knickerbocker, and Frank Leslie's Paper have been indexed for searching and, where available, links have been provided to external websites that house scanned page images or transcriptions.

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Taylor, Bayard. "Norwegian Physique." The Living Age. (1857-11-17).
Halleck, Fitz-Greene. "Jackson's Gold Snuff Box." The Living Age. (1857-12-12).
[O'Brien, Fitz-James]. "The Diamond Lens." The Atlantic Monthly. (1858-1-1).
"Bohemian Walks and Talks." Harper's Weekly. (1858-1-1).
Stoddard, R. H.. "Books and Man." The United States Democratic Review. New York: J. and H. G. Langley. (1858-1-1).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "Jubal, the Ringer." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-1-1).
"The New York Times." The New York Times. (1858-1-16).
"The Artists' Building in Tenth Street." The Crayon. (1858-2-1).
"'The Diamond Lens'--A Literary Controversy." New York Times. (1858-2-26).
Picton, Thomas. "The Diamond Lens Controversy." New York Times. (1858-2-27).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "A Paper of All Sorts." Harper's New Monthly Magazine. (1858-3-1).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "Note from Mr. Fitz-James O'Brien." New York Times. (1858-3-11).
"Literary Intelligence: Literary Conflict - Rejoinder." American Publishers' Circular and Literary Gazette. (1858-3-13).
"The Diamond Lens Controversy." New York Times. (1858-3-15).
"Literary Intelligence: Literary Conflict." American Publishers' Circular and Literary Gazette. (1858-3-16).
"Last Words on the Diamond Lens Controversy." New York Times. (1858-3-19).
Stoddard, R. H.. "The Lost Soul." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-4-1).
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Persian Poetry." The Atlantic Monthly. Boston: Atlantic Monthly Co. (1858-4-1).
Wilkins, Edward G. P.. "Untitled." New York Herald. (1858-4-16).
Clare, Ada. "Letter from Ada Clare [Paris, April 6, 1858]." Spirit of the Times: A Chronicle of the Turf, Agriculture, Field Sports, Literature, and the Stage. New York. (1858-5-18).
Aldrich, T. B.. "Lines to June." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-7-1).
Stoddard, R. H.. "The Messenger at Night." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-7-1).
Freeman, Anna Mary. "Night Song." Living Age. (1858-7-31).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "The Song of the Worldling." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-8-1).
Aldrich, T. B.. "The Blue-Bells of New-England." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-8-1).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "The Boatman of Whitehall." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-8-1).
Stoddard, R. H.. "The Death of Virgil." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-9-1).
Emerson, Ralph Waldo. "Eloquence." The Atlantic Monthly. Boston: Atlantic Monthly Co. (1858-9-1).
Whitman, Walt. "The Brooklyn Daily Times." The Brooklyn Daily Times. (1858-9-1).
Aldrich, T. B.. "The Bridal." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-9-1).
Stoddard, R. H.. "The Jasper Signet." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-10-1).
Stoddard, Richard Henry. "Mare Victum." Harper's New Monthly Magazine. New York: Harper and Bros. (1858-10-1).
Clare, Ada. "Our Paris Correspondence." Spirit of the Times: A Chronicle of the Turf, Agriculture, Field Sports, Literature, and the Stage. New York. (1858-10-19).
"Adam's Fall; or, the First Marriage." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
"A Very Pretty Quarrel as It Stands." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
"[Notices]." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
"Literary Items." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
Broadfellow. "A Psalm of Life." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
"George Sand [from the Paris Correspondent of the N. Y. Times]." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
[Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "The Shadow on the Wall." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
"[The Rev. Mr. Bowen, in his third and last lecture]." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
"The Great Fight." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
A Bohemian. "Sixes and Sevens." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
"The Magazines and their Contents." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
"Time-Keeping: Watch-Making and American Watches [from the Knickerbocker]." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
"On Marriage." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
"Editorial." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
"Mackay on Spittoons." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
Dodo [O'Brien, Fitz-James]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
North, William. "The Living Corpse." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
"Tremendous Fight!." Saturday Press. (1858-10-23).
"Books in Press." New York Saturday Press. (1858-10-29).
Frothingham, N. L.. "The Last Poet." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
"To Our Portuguese Readers." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
Aldrich, T. B.. "My North and South." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
"A Gift Enterprise." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
"Miss Virginia Vaughan." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "A Night with a Mosquito." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
"Aurelie de Soubiran [from the N. Y. Times]." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
North, William. "The Magnetic Portraits." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
B.. "Beside-Besides." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
"The Courtship of Miles Standish." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
"[Notices]." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
"Literary Items." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
"The Copyright Question." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
"Diary of Washington." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
"[Notices]." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
"Bentley on Milton." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "Dramatic Feuilleton." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
"From Day to Day." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
"The American Eagle." Saturday Press. (1858-10-30).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "The Little Giant." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-11-1).
Arnold, George. "The Gift of Love." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-11-1).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "The Old Gambrel Roof." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-11-1).
[Ludlow, Fitz Hugh]. "Our Queer Papa." Harper's New Monthly Magazine. New York: Harper and Bros. (1858-11-1).
"One Thing and Another." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
"Notices of Books." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
"Thomas Carlyle [from the London Illustrated News]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
"Splendid Description of Alisa Craig." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
"[The latest novelty from Germany is a musical]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
"Literary Pay." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
"Literary Intelligence." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "Dramatic Feuilleton." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
"New Books." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
"Woman, Spare that Tea." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
"[We have received several very mysterious communications]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
"Editorial Correspondence." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
Nesmith, G. W.. "Memoir of Ebenezer Webster, Father of Daniel Webster [from Historical Magazine]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
"Books in Press." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "A New Portrait of Paris: Painted from Life." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
"A New Religious Sect." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
[Morris, George Pope]. "Woodman, Spare that Tree." Saturday Press. (1858-11-13).
Rev. John Pierpont. "The Slaveholder's Address to the North Star." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"A Chapter on Angling." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
A. B. T.. "My East and West." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"'Two Millions' and 'Aquarelle'." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"An Hour with a Compendium." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"One Thing and Another." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
N. P. W. [Willis, Nathaniel Parker]. "Willis on Piccolomini [from Home Journal]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"[In the Gentleman's Magazine, for 1770, are found]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
North, William. "The Magnetic Portraits." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"The American Flag." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"[Editorial Comments]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"[Notices]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
Spriggs. "An Evening with Myself." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"[Ollendorff's New Method of Learning to Read, Write]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"From Bay to Bay." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"Book-Making in America." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"The Right of Speech." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"Greeley vs. Cushing [from the N. Y. Tribune]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"To Whom it May Concern." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"'From New York to Delhi'." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
"Correspondence." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "Dramatic Feuilleton." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "Love Experiences of an Impressible Man." Saturday Press. (1858-11-16).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "The Prize-Fight [from Harper's Monthly for December]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"An Englishman's Opinion of the Courtship of Miles Standish." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"At the Dead-House." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"The New Godiva." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"Literary Intelligence." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"[Notices]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"Ice, Etc." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "A New Portrait of Paris: Painted from Life." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"The Pantheon." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"Tiger-Lilies." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"Great Writers and Great Talkers." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"Notices of Books." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"The Clown to his Betters. A Zong O' Zocial Zience [from Punch]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"New Books." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
Farmenter, Frederick A.. "Dream-Built." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"Tribune Lunatics." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"A Strange Piece of History." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"Odds and Ends." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "Dramatic Feuilleton." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"Punch." Saturday Press. (1858-11-20).
"Notices of Books." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"The First of the Mount Vernon Papers." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "A New Portrait of Paris: Painted from Life." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"Farewell to the Comet [from Dickens' Household Words]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
Cromwell, Ruth N.. "Say You Like Me." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"American Books." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"Odds and Ends." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"Very Like Free Love." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "Dramatic Feuilleton." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"New Books." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"Take Care of the Fence and the Pounds Will Take Care of Themselves." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
Southey. "Grammatical Hints [from The Doctor]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"The Palace and Princes of the Press." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"The Household Book of Poetry." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"A Lady's Lecture on Social Science [from the London Dispatch]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"Literary Items." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"Pleasantries." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"Books in Press." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"From the Village of 'Modern Times' [from 'Lucy Fir' in the Sunday Dispatch]." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"The Haunted House in Astoria." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"Mr. Ehninger's Illustrations of Miles Standish." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
"Miles Standish's Courtship." Saturday Press. (1858-11-27).
[Ludlow, Fitz Hugh]. "Loan of a Lyre." Harper's New Monthly Magazine. New York: Harper and Bros. (1858-12-1).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "Homeless." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1858-12-1).
"A Man of Fashion Eighty Years Ago." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
Winchell, Prof. A.. "Numerical Relations of Nature." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"On the Death of the Temperance Movement." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"Gasometrical." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"Harmony in the Kitchen." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
Smith, Barton. "A Western Linguist." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"Elegant Butchers." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"New Books." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "Characteristics of the New York Saturday Press." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"Skipper George's Story." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
Cromwell, Ruth N.. "The Accepted Lover." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"A Thought or Two for the American People." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
R. O. S.. "Matrimony (With a Pipe in it)." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"Notices of Books." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "Dramatic Feuilleton." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"Mr. Thackeray, Mr. Yates, and the Garrick Club [from the London Morning Post]." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"Books in Press." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "A New Portrait of Paris: Painted from Life." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"Blowing Hot and Cold." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"Of the Beauty and the Necessity of Having Governors." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"New English Books." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"Literary Items." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"The Salaries of Musical Artists." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"Pipes." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"A Pattern to Her Sex." Saturday Press. (1858-12-11).
"Dr. Hawks's History of North Carolina." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
"Proposal for a New Series of Lectures." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
J. C.. "Shakespeare's Idiosyncrasy." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "Dramatic Feuilleton." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
"On the Uses of Camels." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
Goodrich, Frank B.. "Nell Gwynn." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
Laighton, Albert. "In the Woods." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
"The Tribune's Views of Turkey." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
"Literary Items." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
"The Third Person vs. The First." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
"Important Reform Among the Israelites." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "A New Portrait of Paris: Painted from Life." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
"Declaration of Independence." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
"Odds and Ends." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
"Notices of Books." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).
"Ode to M. Jullien [from Punch]." Saturday Press. (1858-12-14).