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.

Use the form below to browse plays or visit the advanced search page for more options.

Lord Lindsay. "Mr. Bright and the Aristocracy." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-15).
"Art Items." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-15).
"The New Crystal Palace." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-15).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "Characteristics of the N. Y. Saturday Press." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-15).
"Political Music." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-15).
"A Bellicose Pamphlet." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-15).
"Rogers and Webster." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-15).
"Captain Page's La Plata." New York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
M. D.. "The Retired Physician." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"Our New Historian." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"[A correspondent of the Manchester (Eng.) Guardian]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"Important to Authors and Publishers." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.] and Quelqu'un [Winter, William]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"Lectures, Etc." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"How to Render Photographs Permanent." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "Characteristics of the N. Y. Saturday Press." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
Ewbank, Thomas. "Slavery: Ethnologically Considered." New York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"The Atlantic Telegraph Company." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"The Prize Authoress." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"Burns." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"[Notices]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
Quelqu'un [Winter, William]. "Domestic Affairs." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"New Publications." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"Mercantile Agencies; or, The Japanese Spy-System in New York. No. III." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
Hood, Thomas. "A Nocturnal Sketch." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"Private Libraries of New York. Collection of the Late Geo. P. Parker." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"Little Ella." New York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
Craig, Isa. "The English Prize Poem [Ode on the Centenary of Burns]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"Worth Looking Into." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"Literary Notes." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
Quelqu'un [Winter, William]. "Foreign Affairs." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"Was the Atlantic Cable a Humbug? [To the Editor of the Boston Courier]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-19).
"Patriotism." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
Tuckerman, H. T.. "Balzac." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
"Was the Atlantic Cable a Humbug?." New York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
"The New American Cyclopaedia on Bees [Am. Agriculturalist]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
"Balzac." New York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
"New Literary Style." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
"The Saturday Press Book List." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
"The Associated Press [from the Boston Courier]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
"[Notices]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
"The Home Journal and Mr. Thackeray." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
"[Notices]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
MacKay, Charles. "At the Grave of Robert Burns [An Address to his Biographers]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "Characteristics of the N. Y. Saturday Press." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
Giles, Henry. "Books in Boston." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
"An Apology for the Excellence of this Week's Saturday Press." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-2-26).
Herrick, Robert. "How to Keep Lent." Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
Kimble, Francis Ann. "Poems." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
Sweat, M. J. M.. "Drift Weed, Or, Common Thought Rendered into Words." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
"On the Town." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
"Difference Between Franklin and Everett." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
Clive. "Agatha at the Gate." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
"The Kabyls." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
"Wit on Tombstones." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
"Mercantile Agencies." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
Arnold, George. "The Heart's Rest: In Imitation of the German." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
"The Code of Honor." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
"One Thing and Another." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
Ticknor, George. "Lord Byron." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
[Boston Courier correspondent]. "Fry." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "Characteristics of the New York Saturday Press." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
"Was the Atlantic Cable a Humbug [from The Mad River Valley News]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
Giles, Henry. "Books in Boston." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
"$2,000 a Year." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
"Poor Cap-Makers and Cyclopedia-Writers." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
Fry, W. H. "Ode to Franklin." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
Farmenter, Fred A.. "Watching the Coals." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-12).
Stoddard, R. H.. "Tartar Songs." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-13).
Rodd, H. "[To the Editor of the Saturday Press]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
Price, Abby H.. "A Fragment." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
W. S. F. May---. "My Poets. A Fragment." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"A New Way to Wealth." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"[Notices]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"The Auctioneer and the Painter in Court." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"American Numismatic Society." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "Characteristics of the New York Saturday Press." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"[Notices]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
Sweat, Mrs. M. J. M.. "So Near, and Yet So Far!." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
Meredith, Owen. "The Chess-Board." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"Literary Notes." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"The Saturday Press Book-List." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
Flamingo. "The Vengeance of the Amazons. A Dream of Dr. Beverly Cole [from the San Francisco 'Golden Era']." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"[Notice]." New -York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"[Notices]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
Priest, Nancie A. W.. "Over the River." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"Reminiscences of Balzac." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
Shepherd, N. G.. "Is It Love? An After Dinner Song." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
K. S.. "Broken Hearted." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"The Sickles-Tragedy." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"Domestic Art Gossip." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"New Publications." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
A. B. C.. "Mercantile Agencies; or, The Japanese Spy-System in New York. No. IV." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"Art Treasures of New York." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"'Over the River' and its Author." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-15).
"Chemical Pathology of the Brain [Dr. Forbes Winslow on Insanity]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"Old William and Mary [from the Southern Literary Messenger]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"[The London Correspondent of the Boston Courier]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
Robinson, Jack. "Matters in Boston." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"One Thing and Another." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"New Publications." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
Clarke, Mary Cowden. "Keats's Sonnet to 'Alisa Craig,' Altered to Suit a Recent Occasion. To Isa Craig [from the Manchester Examiner and Times]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"History of British Journalism [from the London Correspondent of the State of Maine]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"Causes of Divorce [from the N. Y. Tribune]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"The Saturday Press Book-List." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
Brisbane, Albert. "The Five Senses." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
Lily L--. "The 'Love-Child'." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"Divorce Epidemic in Pittsburg." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
Shepherd, N. G.. "Asleep." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"Ourselves." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"Art Items." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"Black-Eyed Susan." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
Craig, Isa. "The Ballad of the Brides of Quair." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"George Augustus Sala [from the Boston Saturday Evening Gazette]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"Blackwood on Carlyle." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"The Vatican MS. of the New Testament [from the London Correspondent of the Christian Watchman]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"Collins and Cunard [from the N. Y. Herald]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"The Hungarian Academy [from the London Athenaeum]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"Portrait of Walter Scott." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
Ames, Mary Clemmer. "Something Beyond." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"Alarming." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"Literary Notes." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"[Notices]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
Brough, Robert B.. "Cats [from Shadow and Substance]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
Goethe. "The Treasure-Seeker. Translated by Professor Attous." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "Characteristics of the New York Saturday Press." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"Caloric Engines." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
Harris, Rev. Thaddeus Mason. "The Little Orator." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-19).
"A Hasty-Pudding Supper [from the Portland (Ma.) Transcript]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
Quelqu'un [Winter, William]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
"The Saturday Press Book-List." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
Hughes, John A. M.. "The Magic Lay of the One Horse Chay [from Blackwood, October, 1824]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
"Malicious Revenge." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
Whipple, Edwin P.. "The Literature of the Age of Elizabeth [from the Boston Courier]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
Brougham, John. "My Own Nelly." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
"The New York Athenaeum Club." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
"Contents of Magazines." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
"The Philanthropist, Sir Jamsetjce Jeejeebhoy [from the Boston Courier]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
"Paris Notabilities." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "Characteristics of the New York Saturday Press." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
[Whipple, Edwin P.]. "[The third lecture of Mr. Whipple was a continuation]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
"The New American Cyclopaedia." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
"One Thing and Another." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
"Literary Notes." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
Washington, George. "Unpublished Letter of Washington." New York Saturday Press. (1859-3-26).
Aldrich, T. B.. "Mr. Lothario's Apology." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1859-4-1).
"New Publications." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
Ditson, G. L.. "Horse-Racing in Algeria [from 'The Crescent and French Crusaders']." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
"A Mountain of Books [from the New York Tribune]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
Goldbeck, Robert. "Letter from Mr. Goldbeck." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
Edmonds, J. W.. "Judge Edmonds on Spiritualism." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
Farmenter, Fred'k A.. "The Holy Grail." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
De Kay, Joseph Rodman Drake. "Drake's Culprit Fay." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
"One Thing and Another." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
"Art Items." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
"The Woman Who Never Eats." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
"The Saturday Press Book-List." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "Characteristics of the New York Saturday Press." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
[Whipple, Edwin P.]. "Lowell Institute. Mr. Whipple's Fourth Lecture." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
Arnold, George. "Trailing Arbutus." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
"Spiritualism." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
"Employment for Women." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
Wallace, William Ross. "Weary Waiting for the Spring." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
"The Trans-Atlantic Balloon [from the Troy Whig]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
O'Brien, Fitz-James. "My First of April [from Harper's Magazine for April]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
Banks, A. F.. "John Tompkins Willaims." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
Brannan, William P.. "The Soul's Hermitage." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
"The 'Culprit Fay' Illustrations." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
"Literary Notes." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-12).
W. A.. "The Poor Little Maiden [from the London Athenaeum]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
Agassiz, L[ouis].. "[Professor Agassiz, in answer to certain questions]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
Farmenter, Fred A.. "Two Years Ago." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
"Sale of Valuable Books." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
Bonaparte, Napoleon Louis. "Letter of Louis Napoleon to President Van Buren." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
"International Relations on the Cities, Towns, Villages, Counties, and States of the Union; or, the Municipalist: a highly useful book for Voters, Taxpayers, Statesmen, Politicians, and Families." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
"New Publications." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
"[Notices]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
Chesebro, Caroline. "Richard Andersen: Man and Lover." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
"[Notices]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
Brannan, Wm. P. "Nature's Holiday." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
"National Academy of Design." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
Sutliffe, Albert. "Good Night!." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
Maclay, R. S.. "China." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
"The Saturday Press Book-List." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "Characteristics of the New York Saturday Press." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
"The Baby [from the Providence Journal]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
Arnold, George. "The Lily of the Nile." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
"Quimbo Appo and Daniel E. Sickles." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
"Pictorial Art." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
"Cry for Relief." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
Barker, David. "The Under Dog in the Fight [from the Evening Post]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
Edmonds, J. W.. "Judge Edmonds on Spiritualism-II." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-16).
Benson, Carl. "Tom Taylor, Author of 'Our American Cousin,' etc." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-19).
"The Cooper Institute." New York Saturday Press. (1859-4-19).