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.

"Love-Matters." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"Literature in Prussia [Correspondence of the N. Y. Times]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"Theta Delta Chi [Correspondence of the New York Evening Post]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
Praed. "Bagatelles." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"The Saturday Press Book-List." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
Howells, W. D.. "Under the Locust." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
Pastel, Don. "My First Comedy." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"Enlightened Journalism." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"American Photographical Society." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"Able Editors in Council." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"[Notices]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"Literary Notes." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"Personal Appearance of Literary People." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"Biblical Knowledge." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"[Notices]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
Gill, Alice. "The Rejected Poems." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"War [from the Southern Literary Messenger]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"One Thing and Another." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"The Greek Testament." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
Gray, Barry. "Lost." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"Elmira Collegians." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"John Miller and 'Junius'." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"The Boston Museum of Comparative Zoology." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
Beach, Juliette H.. "A Sketch." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
Banks, A. F.. "To a Faithless Hope." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
P. R. S.. "Where Shall I Go." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"Mr. Dickens." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"New Publications." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
A.. "Letter from Owego." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-18).
"The Compleat Susquehanna Angler or, The Lazy Man's Recreation." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"Torture in New York Prison [from the N. Y. Evening Post]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"Literary Notes." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"Love-Matters." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"Art Items." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
Student. "Large Sale of Books [Correspondence of the Boston Transcript]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
Arnold, George. "Meadow-Sweet." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"New Museum at Cambridge." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"[Notices]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"Contents of Magazines." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"One Thing and Another." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"[Willis' Current Notes, for May, 1857 (London), has]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"The Saturday Press Book-List." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
Aldrich, T. B.. "La Senora Bonita." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"[Notices]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"Mrs. Partington and Ike [from the Boston Transcript]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"War." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
"New Publications." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
Bartlett, Rev. William Alvin. "War." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
Winter, William. "Not Lost Forever." New York Saturday Press. (1859-6-25).
Watters, A.. "The Whippoorwill." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
"Flunkeyism." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
"Literary Notes." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
"The Last Ledger Story." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
"One Thing and Another." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
Hatch, Rev. J. L.. "Keep it Before the People." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
"The Saturday Press Book-List." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
H. C. Jr. [Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "Fourth of July." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
Mc Dermott, Hugh F.. "The Guitar." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
"The Late Railroad Slaughter." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
"New Publications." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
Pierpoint, John. "Not on the Battle-Field." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
"A Gentleman of the Old School [from the N.Y. Evening Post]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
Farmenter, Fred A.. "Sub Rosa." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
"Newspaper Strategists [from the N. Y. Evening Post]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
N.. "A Trip to Cuba." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
Warren. "Correspondence. Almost a Panther-Hunt." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
"Love-Matters." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
"War of the Dictionaries [from the Boston Courier]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
"The Boston Trade-Sale." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-12).
[Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "[Editorial Comments]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"No Dramatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"Love-Matters." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
Barker, David. "The Under Dog in the Fight." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
Allingham, William. "The Touchstone." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"[Notices]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
Alger, Horatio Jr.. "As You Cross the Street." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
Case, Marie Stevens. "Hascheesh or, How Dora and I Spent the Fourth." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"The War." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"The Sickles-Denouement." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"The Two Paths." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"Literary Notes." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
Smith, John. "The Upper Dog in the Fight." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
Edmonds, J. W.. "Judge Edmonds on Spiritualism-VII." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"The Saturday Press Book-List." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
Farmenter, Fred A.. "The Heart's Jubilee." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"One Thing and Another." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"Puritanism in New York." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"The Sabbath." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"The American Photographical Society." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"New Publications." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
Jones, John. "The Outside Dog in the Fight." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"Rogers." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
Chesebro, Caroline. "Debtors for Life." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"Correspondence." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-16).
"Man." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
Niles, Nathaniel. "The American Hero." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
"The Saturday Press Book-List." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
Watson, Henry C.. "The Lapse of a Hundred Years." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
"Explanation." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
"[Notices]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
"New Publications." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
Cone, Spencer W.. "Your Baby." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
"Woman." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
"[Notices]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
"A Good Thing or Two from the N.Y. Tribune." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
"Rambles Among Words." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
Warren. "Correspondence. My First and Last Panther Hunt." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
"Love-Matters." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
"Song of a Family. Translated from the German by Rev. C. T. Brooks." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
Edmonds, J. W.. "Judge Edmonds on Spiritualism-VI." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
"Art Items." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
H. C. Jr. [Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "Gold." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
"[Editorial Comments]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
K. E.. "A Bogus-Dickens." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
P.. "Letter from Boston." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
"Literary Notes." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-19).
Farmenter, Fred A.. "Madge Before the Bridal." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-20).
Dollope. "A Letter from Saratoga." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "How I Came to Be Married [From Harper's Weekly]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
"[Papa, said a little boy to his parent, one day]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
"Romance and Reality [from the Knickerbocker]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
Perry, Nora. "After the Ball [From the Atlantic Monthly]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
T.B.A [Aldrich, Thomas Bailey]. "Piscataquaria." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Dramatic Feuilleton." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
S.. "Letters From a Dishonored Wife [To the Editor of the N.Y. Herald]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
Jones. "A Reminiscence done into Rhyme [From the Knickerbocker]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
E.. "Brazilian Customs [Or What Was Said at An Antiquarian Meeting]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
Watters, A.. "Midsummer Night." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
"[A notion seller was offering Yankee clocks, finely]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
Tennyson, Alfred. "Idylls of the King." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
Edmonds, J. W.. "Judge Edmonds on Spiritualism-VIII: Speaking in Many Tongues [To the Editor of the N.Y. Tribune]." New-York Saturday Press. (1859-7-23).
"A Chapter on Slang." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"Braintown." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"Apology." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"A Sensible Law." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"New Publications." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"Is Italy Free? [from the London Times, July 16]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
Smith, John. "Hors de Combat." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
Thackeray, [William Makepeace]. "A Tragic Story. Translated from the German of Chamisso." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"From Troy to Alban-y." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"Dr. Bellows and the New Catholic Church [from the Evening Post]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"How They Fooled Greeley." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
Chispa. "A Book Read Yesterday." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"Literary Notes." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"Love-Matters." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
Whittier, J. G.. "In Remembrance of Joseph Sturge." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"Medical." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"One Thing and Another." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
Clapp, Henry Jr.. "An Old Bachelor's Last Love." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
Hatch, Rev. J. L.. "The Dog that Goes in for the Right." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"Correspondence." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
D-D. "Letter from Cambridge." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"Dr. Bellows' Position Defined [from the Evening Post]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"The Modern Spyhnx [from the London Times, July 15]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"Model Article on Strategy." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"A Female in Male Clothing." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
"The Saturday Press Book-List." New York Saturday Press. (1859-7-30).
Aldrich, T. B.. "Marcus Antonius." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1859-8-1).
Aldrich, T. B.. "Metaphor of Birth and Death." The Knickerbocker, or New-York Monthly Magazine. New York: John A. Gray. (1859-8-1).
Moses, Abigail. "Letter from a Recent Convert to Free-Love." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
"Official Report of the Emperor's Address." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
"The Saturday Press Book-List." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
Houdin, Robert. "The Automaton Chess-Player [from the Memoirs of Robert Houdin, Ambassador, Author, and Conjurer]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
"[Notices]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
"American Photographical Society." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
Personne [Wilkins, Edward G. P.]. "Aquatic Feuilleton." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
"The High Church-The Low Church-The Hard Church The Broad Church [from the Westminster Review]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
Arnold, George. "Foul Weather." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
"A Young Girl in Boy's Clothes [from the Detroit Free Press]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
Joseph, Francis. "Manifesto of Austria." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
Gay, Getty. "A City Sketch." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
"Disreputable Journalistic Practices [from the N. Y. Albion]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
"The Other Side." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
Flora. "Vos Excuses." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
G. A. [Arnold, George]. "Correspondence: A Letter from Long Shore." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
A. F. B.. "Pillsbury's Hymn." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
Flash, H. L.. "Haunted." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
"Love-Matters." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
Curtiss, Mrs. D. S.. "Thirty-Five." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
"A Sharp Criticism on Tennyson's New Poem [from the London Illustrated News]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
"New American Tragedy at Wallack's." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
[Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "[Bon Mots]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
H. C. Jr. [Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "Song About Nothing." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-13).
J. W. C.. "Catskill." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).
Winter, William. "In the Soul's Temple." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).
"A Recommendation." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).
Dollope. "Letter from Saratoga." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).
"Literary Notes." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).
Tennyson, Alfred. "The Grandmother's Apology [from Once-a-Week]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).
"Art Items." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).
H. C. Jr. [Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "Mes Adieux." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).
"My Forenoon with the Baby [from Harper's Monthly]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).
Banks, A. F.. "Matrimonial Philosophics." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).
H. C. Jr. [Clapp, Henry Jr.]. "Letter from the Editor." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).
"One Thing and Another." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).
"The Pennsylvania Germans." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).
"The Washington Monument [from the N. Y. Tribune]." New York Saturday Press. (1859-8-16).