Projected but Apparently Unpublished Songbooks
IN THE COPYRIGHT FILES of the Library of Congress, there are proof sheets of
the wrappers of two types of songbooks, which appear never to have been issued.
The Half-Dime Song Book † (Fig. 127) is represented
by ten wrappers, numbered respectively 1 to 10, but all printed from the same
form, for the letter "I" of the publisher's imprint, "I. P. Beadle, 137 William
Street," was reversed in the chase and the bottom appears in all of the impressions.
The paper on which the proofs are printed is buff, and presumably that was the
color intended to be used when the booklets were issued. The box around the
printed matter is 4 ½ by 2 ¾ inches. Written on No. 1 is the date of filing,
February 17, 1860, and on Nos. 2 to 10, February 18, 1860. The signature of
E. F. Beadle would seem to indicate that these proof sheets were sent to Washington
about the time that the firm name was changed from Irwin P. Beadle to Irwin
P. Beadle & Co., a change which came late in 1859.
The proof sheet of the Five Cent Song Book † (Fig.
126) is also on buff paper. It was filed for copyright September 10, 1863,
and has for the publishers' imprint, Beadle & Co., 118 William Street. The box
around the printed matter is 5 ¼ by 3 inches. Like the preceding, only a proof
of the title is known, and it may, likewise, never have been issued.
† Correction made as per Volume 3.
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