eBay

 

Rare early Vaudeville  

 Songster

 of 1868

 

 

with hand colored title page/cover

  

 

The Captain Jinks of the Horse Marines, Songster :

 Containing the Great Lingard's Most Popular Songs …

In Addition to Other Capital Ballads, This Book Includes the Music Arranged for Voices, of 'captain De Wellington Boots' and 'Tommy Dodd'.

 

 

New York, Robert M. De Witt: c.1868. Small 16mo; 6" tall. 64 pp. Side sewn binding.

 

 

1868 [probably printed 1872]. Small 16mo softcover in handcolored illustrated wraps. Publisher's original 3 hole side sewn binding with pictorial wraps laid down with adhesive over spine. A splendid example of this very uncommon and formative mid 19th century songster. Vivid color illustrated front cover with De Witt's publishing house listed at base of title page as 33 Rose St., NY. Covers are bright and neat with the publisher's lettered spine intact, complete and legible. Total line of spine reads "No. 1(?)  // The Captain Jenks Songster // Price 10 cents // 1[?]59" An examination of the publisher's catalogs of titles at front and rear suggests that this example was probably printed circa 1872. The rear cover lists De Witt ten cent romances numbered to 96, "Commanche Bill" and inside rear cover catalog lists "Champion Novels" ending with No. 22 "Bowie-Knife Bill".

My research of records indicates that both of the titles were brought to print circa 1871/1872 by the publisher, De Witt. Contents are bright and neat, with no marks. Just mild rub to lettered spine with very good legibility of a feature often lost to wear in those few surviving copies known to exist. Just very mild toning to covers and page stock, much less so that would be expected. A superlative copy of the "songster" which record Lingard's signature vaudeville verses. Captain Jenks was indeed a capital American ballad, repeatedly refreshed and resung through the ages. It was the basis for the 1900 stage production by Ethel Fitch which made Ethel Barrymore famous and was remade as an opera in 1975 by Jack Beeson. A stellar copy of this scarce mid-19th century humor and song piece. NF

 Scarce; shown as held by only 8 institutions/special collections is a full search of World University Libraries via Worldcat. 

 

  Shipped with careful packaging and as always, insured.