Sherman William T. Sherman Wanted Poster

War Horse

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A friend of mine purchased this poster at a flea market. The paper is very old and could be of value. I was wondering if any of our more knowledgable members could tell us whether or not these wanted posters actually existed and how to tell if it’s authentic. Thank you in advance.
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Very cool. I've never seen a "wanted" poster before. I'm interested to see if this is authentic. And if it's not... I'd still hang it on my wall. Nice find.
There are so many hidden treasures here in the south. The hard part is having the knowledge to tell the difference between junk and treasure.
 
You do know that Mosby had a dead-or-alive warrant, as well as Forrest, both being preferably shot dead as to captured. I mention this as to what @War Horse first mentioned. Were any of these poster print-outs run and distributed? Butler may have had one too, after New Orleans was captured.
Lubliner.
Thank you. Sherman was and is still so hated here in the south. I have no problem believing they existed.
 
They did not have the capability of printing photos on paper like that.
That makes sense. I don’t believe wanted posters with photos were distributed until the turn of the century but I’m not sure. In Sherman’s case, if they could have they would have.
 
I just saw the thread. It is not genuine as has been stated by others. For some reason these types of “souvenirs” seem to have been extensively fabricated from say 1900 to 1930 and the high acid paper they are printed on is the easiest tell. The fonts used can also date things accurately if not reproduced photographically.

In my study of the Pony Express the number of different “fraudulent” posters out there is amazing. Recruiting posters seem especially popular and I still see new ones showing up.
 
The O.P. poster is modern. Similar ones in style, paper, text are available in many places on the web. Just google "Wanted Dead or Alive" poster for many similar examples.

1860 broadsides and posters are always on white paper usually a fairly thin rag paper.

Finally big clues the O.P. poster is modern is in the text itself: 1. the term "Wanted Dead or Alive" originated post-Civil War; 2. there is a blantant omission of any numeric reward; 3. the term "war crimes" was not commonly in use in the north or south during the war; 4. the poster directs anyone who is able to capture or kill Sherman to bring him/his body for no reward (or any other stated reason) to a "Confederate States Army Post". Impossible to do as there were no places designated as "army posts".
 
I just saw the thread. It is not genuine as has been stated by others. For some reason these types of “souvenirs” seem to have been extensively fabricated from say 1900 to 1930 and the high acid paper they are printed on is the easiest tell. The fonts used can also date things accurately if not reproduced photographically.

In my study of the Pony Express the number of different “fraudulent” posters out there is amazing. Recruiting posters seem especially popular and I still see new ones showing up.
Is the 36K poster a fraud?
 
The O.P. poster is modern. Similar ones in style, paper, text are available in many places on the web. Just google "Wanted Dead or Alive" poster for many similar examples.

1860 broadsides and posters are always on white paper usually a fairly thin rag paper.

Finally big clues the O.P. poster is modern is in the text itself: 1. the term "Wanted Dead or Alive" originated post-Civil War; 2. there is a blantant omission of any numeric reward; 3. the term "war crimes" was not commonly in use in the north or south during the war; 4. the poster directs anyone who is able to capture or kill Sherman to bring him/his body for no reward (or any other stated reason) to a "Confederate States Army Post". Impossible to do as there were no places designated as "army posts".
I thought Stanton put out a reward on 'Extra Billy' soon after Lincoln was shot.
 
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