2 7/8" x 7" ribbon issued in honor of the successful laying of the first transatlantic telegraph cable that occurred in August 1858. On August 16, 1858, Queen Victoria and President James Buchanan exchanged the first official transatlantic telegram. Unfortunately the line speed was very poor, and repairs caused it to stop working after 3 weeks, with new cable not being completed in July 1866. Due to the slow transmission of the news across the country (transcontinental telegraph did not exist until 1861) San Francisco had not heard the news. The area had a massive celebration of this wondrous feat on September 27, 1858. Companies printed broadsides, there were parades, parties, etc. One such company, the Alta Newspaper, a Gold - Rush era news paper in San Francisco, had these ribbons made. In the center is a printing press and "Telegraph Cable Celebration Sept. 27, 1858 Alta California NEWSPAPER 1849".

This the first example of this silk ribbon we have encountered, and is quite rare.

Scattered age. No tears or separations.