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The Pigeoncote cares for lost and injured pigeon, and is a non culling pigeon refuge, located in Olympia, WA USA. We have been in continuous service since 1993.

Not able to ship until the 17th of April

The Fancier

The Fancier is probably the first weekly magazine in America devoted to fancy pigeon breeding. By 1893, yes 1893, it was already in its seventh year and being published as a weekly of 24 pages. There are some fines woodcuts and many interesting articles and ads. It may be a surprise to some to see just how many breeds were in America by then and what they looked like and what they were selling for. We see articles and ads for Turbits, Pouters, Fantails, Trumpeters, Barbs, Carriers, Dragons, Owls, Jacobins, Magpies, Tumblers, Oriental Frills, Swallows, and many more. As you can see from the photographic images of the 22 weekly covers the issues are in very good shape. The light and dark shadows shown on the images are caused by lighting and are not on the issues. There is no real foxing. The pages of course have uniformly tanned with time.

It must have been well cared for. An owner's stamp is pasted onto the inside of the front board, noting that this belonged in the library of Chas. F. Bridge. This one is noted as Acq. 585, Class No. 6351, Book No. 12. Chas must have had an extensive library at one time. I wonder what happened to all the other volumes.

facsimile

When creating a facsimile, one attempts to make an exact copy or reproduction of an original. Direct copies of an old work, even when reproduced on high quality equipment, reproduce not only the original work, but also the damage caused by the ravages of time. A normal reproduction attempts to copy the content, but not necessarily the shape, size or format of the original. Some reproductions even edit the content slightly, often to remove objectionable passages. This facsimile is an exact copy of the original at the time it was printed, with only the damage caused by time removed. The paper quality is also higher than the original, since the original was printed on newsprint type of paper.

	$100 Entire printed facsimile set. All 22 issues.
	$25 Entire set on USB. All 22 issues in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	This facsimile of the fist issue of volume 7, published March 10, 1893 has a wonderful picture of a Dragon on the cover. The editorial of this issue, details the growth of the magazine from an irregular monthly seven years previous to the 24 page weekly is was then. Circulation had become very strong with subscribers in many other countries. It is interesting that a magazine with such a long run simply disappeared from site and knowledge from the hobby, only to reappear in this long lost volume. The layout is very much as pigeon magazines today, with short breed, show, club, and advice articles, along with a slew of interesting advertising for pigeons, medicines and other assorted sundry supplies. The most thorough article in this issue covers the New York Show.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the second issue of Volume 7 displays a pair of pouters being the specialties of George Foust of Rhinebeck New York. George's interest obviously extended beyond pouters as his full page ad in this issue illustrates. Not only did he have Pouters available, but Jacobins, Carriers, Turbits, Tumblers and Magpies fill out his loft. Need a cure for canker? He has that available too. There is also discussion about the fist adoption of bands. Some must have been rather fancy being made of enameled copper. I bet there are band collectors out there that would covet one of these. A few contributors also use pen names, and it appears that a pen name may have the same affect as a mask - the articles can be rather direct.
	$8 mintprinted facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the third issue of Volume 7 shows a Show Homer. Interesting what you can learn from these old magazines. This is even a bit earlier than I had previously believed that the Show Homer was created, and known about in America. Mr. Woodfield, of England, presented the picture and informative article about the new popular English breed to the publisher. He also melds both the Show Homer and Exhibition Homer as the same, although they are currently dealt with quite separately. Rollers are also provided a lengthier article by W. Stevens, as he describes what constitutes the roller, apart and distinct from tumblers.
	$8 mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the fourth issue of volume 7 shows some paraphernalia of a standard pigeon loft. The perch design is rather unique with a sloped board beneath the perch to deflect feces. There are a lot of club reports included in this issue, with the editor reporting on and promoting the formation of new breed clubs. He laments that the American Columbarian Association has discontinued the use of point cards at their last meeting in Louisville, but is happy to see that the chief of the World's Fair exhibition department has consented to reduce the time for the pigeon exhibit from two weeks to just one. I wonder what he would think today, when the World's Fair has reduced the time of the pigeon exhibit to none. But then, we are still debating the merits of point cards, nearly one hundred and fifty years late.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the fifth issue of volume 7, published April 7, 1893 displays Frank Gilbert's champion of Nashville, along with a more in depth piece about fantails in general and the movement to create a national Fantail Club. Of course national in 1893, really went everything east of the Mississippi. There is also a piece about trumpeters, where one would swear it was written yesterday in the way of description with statement like the rose covering the entire skull in a downward directions, its back and breast are so broad and stalwart in proportion and on and on. There is also a short piece on Owls, and of course the weekly Homing and Tippler updates as well.
	$8 mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the six issue of volume 7 published April 14, 1893 "Princess" Gilbert's 92 hatch white fantail champion being a cross of both the English and Scottish type, Magpie, Owl, Barb information notes as well as many other short articles. A very interesting copy of a piece of pigeon history.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the seventh issue of volume 7 published April 21, 1893 has a picture on the cover of the famous pigeon fancier C. E. Twombly who breed Swallows at the time . The issue also covers, also includes wonderful pictures of "Ben Hur" Gilbert's winning two year old Fantail cock and of Ryan & Gould's winning blue Turbit. There are many small articles providing a diverse amount of information including Fantails being shipped to Besey in CA, Fick's Swallows, Jacobin, Owl, Homer, and Tippler, club's notes, as well as dozens of very interesting ads.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the eight issue of volume 7 published April 28, 1893 sports a picture of "Queen" Gilbert's 1892 white Fantail hen on the cover. "At Philadelphia she was in the pink of condition and showed up in great shape, having the same 'wavy' motion as her father 'Derby'." Articles about the starting days of the American Pigeon Club and their effort to get pigeon only shows established in the U.S., birds being shipped between Australia and New Zealand, which included Jacobins, Swallows, Turbits, Owls and others. A short article about Levering's Turbits, including a picture of his 1892 hen that took first in New York. There are many small articles providing a diverse amount of information about various club activities, as well as dozens of very interesting ads.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the ninth issue of volume 7 published May 5, 1893 displays a picture of Rommel's mottled Trumpeter hen that took first at New York on the cover. She was imported by Rommel from Smyth of Ireland. There is a very nice article and picture of the Nun included in the article. Nuns of yesterday certainly are different than those we see in the show rooms today. Curious what the Turbit Standard said back in 1893, well this issue will inform you. There is also a nice article about Long-faced Tumblers and Swallows with the Swallow article providing a drawing depicting what a Swallow should look like. There are many small articles providing a diverse amount of information about various club activities, as well as dozens of very interesting ads.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the tenth issue of volume 7 published May 12, 1893 shows a picture of a pair of yellow Turbits owned by William Levering of Baltimore, buy were bred by Thomas LeCuyer. They won first in New York and were considered by the editor to be the finest Turbits in America. He provides more descriptive information on the birds and the persons involved in part of his editorial. There is also a nice article by Hepworth about exporting Tipplers to Australia, as well as many small articles providing a diverse amount of information about various club activities, as well as dozens of very interesting ads.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the eleventh issue of volume 7, published May 19, 1893 presents us a picture of a almond Tumbler owned by T. S. Gaddes of Baltimore, considers by the editor to be the best in the country. Included within the cover is a request from the Inspector General of the War Department seeking information on racing homer clubs. While this is well before WWI, it is obvious from this request that the value of homing pigeons for communication purposes was known to the U.S. military even then. It appears that shipping had its difficulties at the time as well. There are also many small articles providing a diverse amount of information about various breed club activities, as well as dozens of very interesting ads.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the twelfth issue of volume 7, published May 26, 1893 provides sports a picture of Barb from England. Along with the many small articles providing a diverse amount of information about various breed club activities and dozens of very interesting ads, this issue has a lengthier article about long face tumblers. There is quite a bit of discussion about balds and beards. The editorial deals with the establishment of the first ever exclusive pigeon show being promoted by the American Pigeon Club. Other shorter pieces include among others, The Turbit Scale, An Archangel Club Budding, Korb's Fantail.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the thirteenth issue of volume 7, published June 2, 1893 editorial provides additional information about the champion Barb gracing the cover. This red Barb, owned by Mr. W. White of Baltimore, won at New York is the sire of a family of champions, including his yellow son that won best Barb in both 1889 and 1890. The yellow son has the distinction of being the first ever Barb crossing back to England and did well at the Crystal Palace. Much more information is provided, not only about this particular breed, but others as well, including a fairly in depth article about Magpies.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the fourteenth issue of volume 7, published editorial provides us with a defense of the honorable Mr. Gilbert. Evidently acrimony is not a new element of the game. He goes on to tell us Mr. Gilbert quite unwarrantedly is "... subjected to a most vigorous fusillade of personal attacks, biting sarcasm and insulting slurs." Not having seen the other publication, we have no way of knowing what these attacks and insults were, but it does provide one with a broader understanding of our hobby, both good and bad. But the article I found the most interesting in the particular issue is about Pouter classification. The author of this article actually visited Robert Fulton of London just after he sold out his first printing of his book. He notes in part "... I shall never forget the beautiful collection of Pouters he showed us. These birds were very evenly marked..."
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
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	This facsimile of the fifteenth issue of volume 7, published June 16, 1893 editorial is most optimistic, foreseeing a future where pigeons periodicals, such as this one, come out not only weekly, periodicals devoted solely to each of the many popular varieties of the pigeon family. Well as we now know it was not to pass. What did come to pass though was the creation of sound and enduring specialty clubs, which then were only barely starting to form, and a lot of space is devoted to that effort in nearly every issue. There is also a featured piece on Long Faced Tumblers by Richard Woods, the author of Pigeons and all about them that goes into some length explaining the colors and color depth. But I found a small piece on Smerles most intriguing. Here in the beginning days of long races, the author tells us about his pure bred Smerles from Belgium and how well they are performing.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the sixteenth issue of volume 7, published June 23, 1893 editorial provides more information about the Red Rose Wing Tumbler found on the cover. This specimen, winning at both New York and Philadelphia, was bred by Mr. F. S. Walton, the secretary and treasurer of the American Tumbler Club, and is undoubtedly the finest Tumbler in America. The editor is not enamored with the artist's rendition, and finds that we have a dearth of artist's than can accurately show a pigeon to its best. I don't share his sentiments in this particular instance, but you are the judge.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the seventeenth issue of volume 7, published June 30, 1893 editorial provides us with a resume of Mr. Sinnette a popular travel writer and bird fancier now residing in England but also having been employed in Paris. In the pigeon world Turbits have gained his heart and he has become quite the authority on that breed. The article I found most interesting from this issue was that of John Kuhn's wild two week vacation visiting fanciers around the country. Remember now this was 1893 and travel was not just filling up the car and running off to another state.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the eighteenth issue of volume 7, published July 7, 1893 editorial is a hodgepodge of issues, but the one I found entertaining was that of a proposal by the American Pigeon Club to have a champion section in their shows. Only birds that had won champion class at local shows would have the right to compete in this class, and it was viewed as a way to encourage large range participation and a setting for regional comparisons. It is hard for me to pick another favorite article from this issue, because there are so many I enjoyed. The Fantail, Homer, Pouter, Pedigree, and the continuation of the two week whirl wind tour all vied for my favorite. At the end, I just could not decide.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the nineteenth issue of volume 7, published July 14, 1893 editorial is perhaps providing the first hint of financial difficulty. He reprints, in total, an article about the wisdom of paying even small bills in a timely manner. John Kuhn completes his series of visiting pigeon fanciers around the country in this issue with so many breeders and breeds that it is just impossible to name them all in this short space. There is also an in depth article this issues cover breed - the Trumpeter, tracing the breeds development in general and voice in particular. But being an Owl breeder myself, the article detailing the head of the Turbit was the jewel in this issue. Learning first hand the when and where and how the Owl/Turbit breed separated was fascinating indeed.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the twentieth issue of volume 7, published August 18, 1893 editorial explains why there had been a month delay in issuing the "weekly" magazine. It appears that pigeon magazines had trouble then as well as now. A landlord had seized the property and a court order was needed to put the magazine back into business. It must have been hectic and troublesome time. An astute visitor to the page will notice that the same cover picture graces the fourteenth issue as well. I do not know how much longer The Fancier stayed viable, as I only have two more issues. The issue itself though is of the same high quality. A featured article about the Magpie is most illustrative. We also see here the beginning of a standard with a point system for the various desired features of the Magpie.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the twenty-first issue of volume 7, published August 25, 1893 editorial covers what all editors must do from time to time - that of self promotion, particularly advertising. So many things stay the same. But he does not belabor the points and he provides snapshots of success that other are making in the hobby. As one would suspect from the cover, there is an in-depth article about them by their leading promoter at the time, F. M. Gilbert. But the one that caught my attention most was the article about Owls, not Turbits. Owls and Turbits up until this time are often seen more as a related breed rather than distinct. Here we start leering about when, why and where they became distinct breeds rather than two varieties within the single breed family.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!
	This facsimile of the twenty second issue of volume 7, published September 1, 1893 editorial provides a resume of George Ewald in his continuation of who's who in the pigeon world. He was secretary of the Columbarian Association in America at the time. The Columbarian Association is most probably the very first club devoted exclusively to pigeons in America. He was instrumental in creating the exclusive pigeon show, which is common now in America, rather than the more common birds shows found elsewhere. I guess it is debatable if this really worked for the benefit of the hobby or not. There is strength in numbers and separating pigeon breeders out from other birds fanciers may not really have been in the best interest of all bird fanciers. While there are two featured articles about Long Faced Tumblers and Rollers, I found the piece by Richard Woods about Ornithosis (one eyed cold) most illuminating. We have struggled for over a century now with this ailment, and I am very glad for modern medicines contribution to our hobby.
	$8 Mint printed facsimile
	$6 on DVD in Adobe Acrobat© and MS Word© formats.
	Free downloaded as a Adobe PDF file. These files are large!

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The Fancier 1893

The Fancier