Dear Sir/Ma'am,
I would like to throw my hat into the ring for this project. I feel I have some unique traits that would lend to a successful creation of a masthead for your newspaper.
1) I am a native Texan, although my current residence is Cyprus. I left the states in 2011.
2) I have over 20+ years of experience in the graphics and printing industry.
3) I have actually worked for one company that had a Heidelberg Letterpress, which is the type of printing press used during that time period. Yes, the press was actually used, mainly for letterheads and business cards, which allowed for an embossed feel. Another had an original Lintotype machine, which actually produced the slugs with hot lead, which were then placed into gallies for printing.
I mention the above, because having seen and watched the process, I have a unique perspective for this project.
4) I have prepress experience, so, I can produce a piece that will print well, without being too dark.
My process would entail creating the entire piece in Adobe Illustrator, which would give you the flexibility to use it anywhere, and would insure that the resulting image is crisp and not a raster image, which would not have been available during the period. Most images used in that period would have been carved into wood, as blocks, or cut into metal. Hence, there were would be sharp edges, not fuzzy, raster edges.
Let me know how I can help you in this project.
Thank You,
Marc