glossary

What Is a Broadside? — Single-Sheet Printing in History and Collecting

Approx. 5 min read · 2 May 2026

A broadside (also called a broadsheet) is a large sheet of paper printed on one side only. The format is one of the oldest and most versatile in the history of printing, used for royal proclamations, acts of parliament, advertisements, political propaganda, ballads, poems, wanted posters, execution notices, religious declarations, and countless other purposes. Broadsides represent the mass communication medium of the handpress era — the equivalent of the poster, the pamphlet, and the social media post all rolled into one.

Historical Significance

The Age of the Broadside (1500s–1800s)

From the earliest days of printing through the 19th century, the broadside was the fastest and cheapest way to disseminate information to a wide audience. A single-sided printing required minimal paper, minimal press time, and could be produced quickly. Broadsides were posted on walls, nailed to church doors, distributed in streets, and read aloud in public spaces.

Political broadsides — Royal proclamations, parliamentary acts, and political arguments were disseminated as broadsides. The English Civil War (1640s) and the American Revolution (1770s–1780s) produced enormous quantities of political broadsides.

The Dunlap Broadside (1776) — The first printed version of the Declaration of Independence, printed by John Dunlap on the night of July 4, 1776. Approximately 200 copies were printed; 26 are known to survive. It is the most valuable broadside in existence and one of the most valuable printed documents of any kind. A copy sold at auction in 2000 for $8.14 million.

Broadside ballads — Popular songs and ballads printed on broadsides were a major form of popular entertainment in England from the 16th through the 19th century. The Bodleian Library at Oxford holds one of the largest collections of broadside ballads.

Wanted posters and execution broadsides — Notices related to crime, punishment, and public order were commonly printed as broadsides. These documents are collected for their historical interest and their vivid documentation of social history.

American Broadsides

Broadsides played a central role in American history:

Colonial and Revolutionary broadsides — Political arguments, military orders, and public notices from the colonial period through the Revolution.
Abolitionist broadsides — Anti-slavery arguments, reports of slave auctions, and calls to action.
Civil War broadsides — Military orders, recruitment notices, news bulletins, and political propaganda from both Union and Confederate sides.
Western expansion — Land sale notices, mining claims, and territorial proclamations.

Broadsides in Poetry and Literature

The Literary Broadside

Poets have used the broadside format since the earliest days of printing. The format is particularly suited to poetry because a single poem can occupy a single sheet, creating an object that is both literary work and visual artifact.

The Broadside Press — Founded by Dudley Randall in Detroit in 1965, the Broadside Press published individual poems by African American poets as broadsides. The press was instrumental in the Black Arts Movement, publishing early work by Nikki Giovanni, Sonia Sanchez, Etheridge Knight, and others. These broadsides are now collected both as literary documents and as artifacts of an important cultural movement.

Contemporary poetry broadsides — Many fine press printers and letterpress artists produce broadsides of individual poems, often with decorative typography and illustration. These are among the most affordable forms of fine press collecting.

First appearances — Some poems were first published as broadsides before appearing in collected volumes. These broadside first appearances are bibliographically significant and collected as the earliest printed form of the text.

Physical Characteristics

Format and Size

Broadsides vary enormously in size, from small handbills (roughly letter-size) to large sheets measuring two feet or more in each dimension. The Dunlap Broadside, for example, is approximately 14.5 × 18 inches.

Paper

Historical broadsides were typically printed on whatever paper was available — the quality ranges from fine rag paper to cheap newsprint. The paper quality significantly affects survival rates and condition.

Typography

Broadsides often feature bold display type for headlines and titles, with smaller type for the body text. The typographic design of historical broadsides is studied by graphic design historians.

Condition

Broadsides are inherently fragile because they are single sheets without the protective structure of a binding. Historical broadsides that survive in good condition are scarce — many show fold lines (from being folded for mailing or storage), tears, staining, and other damage. Broadsides that were posted on walls may show paste residue, pin holes, or nail holes.

Collecting Broadsides

What Makes a Broadside Collectible

Historical significance — Broadsides connected to major historical events (the American Revolution, the Civil War, abolition) are the most valued.

Literary significance — Broadsides containing first appearances of important poems or texts.

Visual quality — Broadsides with fine typography, illustration, or decorative elements.

Scarcity — Most broadsides were produced in small quantities and survive in even smaller numbers.

Condition — Broadsides in clean, unfolded condition are rare and command premiums.

Price Ranges

Contemporary poetry broadsides — $20–$200
19th-century historical broadsides — $100–$5,000
American Revolutionary broadsides — $1,000–$100,000+
The Dunlap Broadside (Declaration of Independence) — $2,000,000+

Storage and Display

Broadsides should be stored flat in acid-free folders or portfolios. If displayed, they should be framed under UV-protective glass and kept away from direct sunlight. Rotating displayed broadsides (alternating between display and dark storage) minimizes light exposure.

Broadside — Printed on one side only, typically a single large sheet.

Pamphlet — Multiple pages, usually stitched or stapled. Longer than a broadside.

Handbill — A small broadside, usually distributed by hand.

Poster — A modern term for a large printed sheet intended for display, but not used in historical bibliographic description.

Chapbook — A small, cheaply printed booklet, typically 8–24 pages, covering popular literature, ballads, or practical information.

The broadside format, despite its simplicity, has proven remarkably durable. From Gutenberg’s era to the present, the single printed sheet remains a powerful medium for communication, commemoration, and artistic expression.