Description:

Joseph Pulitzer
St. Louis, MO, May 22, 1882
Joseph Pulitzer Signed Check
DS

A handsome and ornately engraved check, issued by the State Savings Association in St. Louis, May 22, 1882. Pulitzer orders a payment to "Drs. Hodgen and Mudd" in the amount of $230.00. Boldly signed at conclusion. Two cut cancels lightly affect engrossment but are clear of signature. Very good. 8" x 3".

One of Pulitzer's payees may be Dr. John Thompson Hodgen (1826-1882) a professor of anatomy and Civil War surgeon who did much to improve sanitary protocols in hospitals. His obituary apparently likened his importance in this realm of medicine to that of bacteriologist Joseph Lister, inventor of antiseptic medicine and preventative medicine.

Joseph Pulitzer (1847-1911) was an American newspaper publisher and founder of the Columbia School of Journalism. He introduced the techniques of "yellow journalism," a sensationalist way of reporting news events aimed to increase circulation and sales, and paved the way to mass circulation newspapers.

In 1883, Pulitzer purchased the failing New York World newspaper from financier Jay Gould for over 8 million dollars in today's money. This purchase marked Pulitzer's transition from a regional newspaper publisher to a national publishing magnate, and precipitated the newspaper circulation war of the 1880s. At the same time, Pulitzer was a leading national figure in the Democratic Party and was elected Congressman from New York. He crusaded against big business and corruption. Today he is known for the Pulitzer Prize which recognizes artistic and journalistic achievements.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

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  • Dimensions: 8" x 3"
  • Medium: DS

Accepted Forms of Payment:

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Shipping

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Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

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April 23, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

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Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000