Oh! down in Alabama (3 vs. and chor.), Variant: a. Music published and sold by Robinson and Son; publ. Andrews; with Astley's imprint added. T. o. border. 24 x 14.9 cm., Variant: b. With comma after "Up" and exclamation point after title. A-J border. 20.1 x 13.1 cm. (cropped)
An ice skater kicks out one leg and holds a cigarette and a "prize medal." The sender suggests that the recipient deserves a kick in the rear instead of a medal. The border features a woman embracing a man; the pair resemble Commedia dell'arte characters. At the bottom is a pack of matches marked "Lucifer's matches.", Text: With your kicks and your capers, / You are very small papers-- / The prize-medal you've taken, I find; / I'm in great doubt, whether / A medal of leather, / Wouldn't suit you far better behind-- / If you think it would suit, / From the toe of a boot, / You can have it, whenever your mind., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
Samuel McClay, born about 1840 in Pennsylvania to Irish-born parents, worked as a lithographer in Philadelphia in the 1860s. Older brother Andrew J. Clay (b. ca. 1836) was also involved in the printing trade as a printer., Samuel resided in Ward 13 for most of the 1860s, including the rear of 467 Franklin Street in 1863 and 3 Franklin Street in 1867. By the 1880 census, he was listed as "married" and a boarder at 401 North Twelfth Street (Ward 14).
Date
b. ca. 1840
Location
Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers
The "contemptible man" wears a blue coat, red waistcoat, yellow trousers, and a black top hat, all of which appear too large for him. His fingers and eyebrows are sharply pointed. He stands by a table where yellow items are for sale (butter?). The text mocks him for his penny-pinching nature., Text: You're really so mean in all you attempt, / That failing, you meet with nought but contempt; / I really believe 'tis your constant endeavor / To make yourself small and meet scorn forever., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
Oh! Hibernia, green Gem of the Ocean (3 vs.) Air: Red, White, and Blue. Dedicated to the "Sullivan Boys" of Company A., Variant: a. Publ. De Marsan (3). De Marsan border with eagle, drapery with stars and stripes, col. 21 x 14.2 cm., Variant: b. [Publ.] De Marsan (3). De Marsan kissing cupids border. 26 x 16.5 cm., Variant: c. With single quotes around "Sullivan Boys" in dedica- tion; sheet no. 861; sold by Partridge (2). T. o. border. 19.5 x 12.6 cm., Variant: d. By Ned Kirby; sheet no. 808; worded: "And dedicated to the Sullivan Boys of Company A."; publ. Wrigley (1). Wrigley kissing cupids border. 25 x 15.5 cm.
Sample image scanned from: Wolf 2568a, One of 297 song sheet headpiece designs identified by Edwin Wolf in his bibliography, American Song Sheets, Slip Ballads and Poetical Broadsides Collection, 1850-1870: A Catalogue of the Collection of the Library Company of Philadelphia (Philadelphia: Library Company of Philadelphia, 1963).
Sample image scanned from: Wolf 912h, One of 297 song sheet headpiece designs identified by Edwin Wolf in his bibliography, American Song Sheets, Slip Ballads and Poetical Broadsides Collection, 1850-1870: A Catalogue of the Collection of the Library Company of Philadelphia (Philadelphia: Library Company of Philadelphia, 1963).
What a charm has the drum, with its tanarantan (2 vs. and chor.) Words by C. Jeffreys; music by C. W. Glover; adv. Prof. Brooks' Ball Room Monitor., Variant: a. Publ. Johnson (2); imprint: "No. 7 N. 10th St., Phila." A-J border. 24 x 15.2 cm., Variant: b. [As above;] imprint: "7 N. 10th St., Philadelphia." A-J border. 21.2 x 12.6 cm., Variant: c. [Without word "Chorus".] A-J border. 20 x 12.8 cm. (cropped)
Block numbered in two places: 1976., Image of a hawk and its three chicks. The hawk is in flight with one of its chicks, and the other two are in the nest.
Interior view showing two women spinning wool. Also shows a large spinning wheel, two chairs, a desk with a plant and teacup. A clock, framed pictures, two silhouettes are mounted on the wall.
They made her a grave, too cold and damp (8 vs.), Variant: a. Title: "Dismal Swamp!"; 8 vs. in 4 vs.; slight varia- tions in text. A-J border. 20.3 x 13.5 cm., Variant: ab. Title: "Dismal Swamp;" 4 vs.; publ. Johnson (2). A-J border. 21.1 x 12.8 cm. (cropped), Variant: b. With narrative at top beginning: '' They tell of a young man who lost his mind upon the death of a girl he loved . . ."; footnote at bottom beginning: "The great Dismal Swamp is ten or twelve miles distant from Norfolk . . ."; publ. De Marsan (2). De M
A Union soldier runs from a bullet. He carries an empty sword sheath. He has a long white beard, many wrinkles, and open mouth. The term "Zoo Zoo" refers to the Zouave regiments in the Civil War., Text: Behold your coward self from bullets flying, / No fear that you in battle will be dying; / Your large mouth open, and teeth clattering with fear, / As the spent shots come whistling through the air. / Such cowardice friend Zoo Zoo, is a very sure sign, / That you cannot have me for your own Valentine., "510", Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
Come, rise up! William Reily, and come along with me (12 vs.) Sheet no. 1008; publ. Wrigley (1) [printed upside- down] . Wrigley horned imp border. 24.4 x 15.4 cm.
A man with a pumpkin for a head holds a paper that reads "Some Pumpkin Esquire." "Pumpkin" is a derogatory term for an important person. The border features a woman embracing a man; the pair resemble Commedia dell'arte characters. At the bottom is a pack of matches marked "Lucifer's matches.", Text: Gentle Squash-head, (don't be shocked), / Mind your eye, / Else some day you may be knocked / Into a pie., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
Block numbered in one place: 3476, also 620 on small adhesive label on back of block., Image of a hand inserting a rectangular envelope into a slot with a sign that says “Letter Box”; the part of the block where the letter should be is cut out of the block completely from front to back, suggesting that there may be multiple replaceable blocks that fit into this block for different uses.
The tinker holds tools and stands by a work bench. "Soft sawder" [i.e. solder ] is a slang term for manipulative flattery and originates from a cheap, easy, and less-durable form of joining metal., Text: RAGGEd wretch! of base-born metal-- / Filthy maker of the kettle, / You I can very plainly see / Can't come soft sawder over me. / Pipe-smoking, filthy, dirty sot, / Black as the kettle or the pot; / Most noisy slave, most tinkering brute, / My taste you surely ne'er will suit. / Go, go, you beast, and howl and whin[e]/ You ne'er will be my Valentine., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector.
Old Fogies oft sigh for the good old times flown (10 vs. and chor.) Air. - What I Don't Like to see. By John L. Zieber; publ. Johnson (2). 25.1 x 14.6 cm.
Meet me to-night, dearest, down by the gate (2 vs. and chors.) 2nd song: "The Rover's Grave"; publ. De Marsan (4). De Marsan military cupid border. 25 x 15.9 cm.
Blue Violets, blue violets, beautiful blue violets (2 vs.), Variant: a. As sung by Charles Melville, the celebrated Balladist and Tenor vocalist; publ. De Marsan (1). T. o. border. 24.4 x 15.1 cm., Variant: b. Sheet no. 304; publ. Wrigley (1); [with THE FLAG OF THE REPUBLIC on verso.] Wrigley horned imp border. 24.5 x 15.6 cm.
William F. Murphy, born in New York in 1800, was the proprietor of William F. Murphy & Sons, the blank book manufactory, stationery, and lithographic printing establishment in operation in Philadelphia from 1820 until after 1945. Murphy, originally trained at a blank book manufactory in New York established his business in Philadelphia in 1820. By the late 1850s, the manufactory included printing services and Murphy's sons Henry F. (b. ca. 1836) and Charles S. (ca. 1829) were partners in the firm located on the 300 block of Chestnut Street (320, later 339 Chestnut Street). The elder Murphy died ca. 1863 and his sons assumed the business as William F. Murphy's Sons., In 1872, the firm relocated to 509 Chestnut Street, which was commemorated in a series of stereographs by James Cremer showing interior views of the firm's new site. The Murphy firm also often exhibited at local, state, and international exhibitions, including the Paris Exposition of 1867 and the Centennial Exhibition of 1876 as well as at the Franklin Institute. The firm withstood a fire in 1881 and remained in operation into the twentieth century (until at least 1945) with William H. Brooks serving as president by the 1920s., Murphy was married to Ann (b. ca. 1815) with whom he had five children as listed in the 1860 census. In 1860, Murphy also owned personal estate worth $10,000 and resided at 916 Morgan Street. At the time of his death ca. 1863, Murphy resided at 1103 Callowhill Street.
Date
1800-ca. 1863
Location
Philadelphia on Stone Biographical Dictionary of Lithographers
As I was walking out, one day (3 vs. and chor.) As sung by Ben Cotton., Variant: a. Varying: "Sung by W. N. Smith, the great bone-player, of Bailey's Circus; publ. De Marsan (4). De Marsan trapper border. 25.5 x 16.3 cm., Variant: b. [Without "THE" in title, comma in first line, and singer's name;] music publ. by Ditson and Co. (1); publ. Johnson (2). A-J border. 25 x 15.4 cm., Variant: c. Adv: 500 Illustrated Ballads [publ.] Magnus (2). Letter paper; blue ink; hdpc. Magnus 226, col.; publ. Magnus (1). 20.3 x 12.7 cm., Variant: d. [As above;] hdpc. in bronze ink. 20.5 x 12.5 cm., Variant: e. Sheet no. 952; publ. Wrigley (1). Wrigley kissing cupids border. 24 x 15.5 cm.
U soldier of the Legion lay dying in Algiers (7 vs.), Variant: a. Publ. Auner (4). A-J border. 21.1 x 12.8 cm. b. Sheet no. 1097; [without imprint.] Wrigley horned imp border. 24 x 15 cm.
Block numbered in two places: 3643., Image of a rabbit in a natural setting, and a man with a gun in the background., Tape (inscribed “629”) on obverse., Back of block partially obscured by pasted-down paper.
Image: A zouave, dressed in a red and blue uniform, holds a Union flag in his right hand and a bayonet in his left hand., Provenance: McAllister, John A. (John Allister), 1822-1896, collector
Come all, ye Union Heroes, I pray you lend your ears (6 vs.), Variant: a. Publ. De Marsan (2). De Marsan horned imp border. 25.5 x 16.5 cm., Variant: b. Sheet no. 1037; publ. Wrigley (1) [imprint upside down]. Wrigley horned imp border. 22.3 x 13.6 cm.
When I lib'd in Tennessee, U li a li o la e (4 vs.), Variant: a. Publ. De Marsan (2). De Marsan horned imp border, col. 24.5 x 16.2 cm., Variant: b. Sheet no. 457; publ. Wrigley (1); [with SLEEP DEAR ELLA SLEEP on verso.] Wrigley kissing cupids border. 24.2 x 15.5 cm., Variant: c. [As above; with OH, WILT THOU BE MY BRIDE, KATHLEEN on recto.] 25 x 15.5 cm., Variant: d. Short lines; Price One Cent; adv: All the New Songs constantly on Hand. T. o. border. 22.5 x 13.8 cm.