This one's from 1922:
And this is dated 1938:
I adore the typography, the shapes, the flat colours. Must get them framed.
Thursday, 4 July 2013
Sheet music
I love the graphics on these two pieces of sheet music, picked up from a second-hand bookshop in Cornwall some years ago - one of those places where you get sore knees from looking through boxes on the floor, a cricked neck from trying to see what's on the unfeasibly high top shelves, then come out covered in dust, sneezing and coughing and with that damp smell still lingering in your nostrils for the next week. But it's worth it.
This one's from 1922:
This one's from 1922:
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Fabulous. With Elmer and Fisher collaborating !
ReplyDeleteSheet music artwork was the LP sleeve of its day and would often, I'm guessing, be better than the dots contained within; I don't know your two tunes but I'm intrigued by the 'novelty' strapline.
ReplyDeleteThey're great, aren't they?
ReplyDeleteJohn, I agree, and as for the 'Novelty' element, maybe it has something to do with the lyrics:
Down in the hall the old oak clock
Fills the house with its tic-a-tic tock
All through the night the hands go round
While everyone is sleeping safe and sound.
In the hall at midnight nobody's about
All the doors are bolted and the lights are out
Not a single sound but tic-a-tic-a-tock
All the house resounds to the the RHYTHM OF THE CLOCK
Soon there comes a rumble underneath the floor
Squeaking up the chimney and scratching at the door
Crowds of little mice are running in a flock
Dancing up and down to the RHYTHM OF THE CLOCK
On the mantle shelf they romp around
Till all the pretty knick-knacks are on the ground,
On the curtain pole they hop and run
And scramble up the bannisters to join the fun.
All at once the cat comes creeping down the stairs
Sees the mice parading and takes them unawares
Little mice and big mice scatter at the shock
Not a sound again but the RHYTHM OF THE CLOCK.
Come and watch the mice at play,
You have never seen such a fine array
Soldiers answering the call
Marching in a troop round and round the hall
First to left and then to right
On and on they go till they're out of sight
Like an army in the night
To the swinging of the pendulum they're marching.
(It kind of tailed off at the end, did they run out of rhymes?!)
Love 'em
ReplyDeleteI don't think the inter-war years, especially the 20's, can be beat for style and design.
ReplyDeleteGlad you guys like them too. Yeah, I agree about 20s style.
ReplyDeleteLove those kind of Aladdin's Cave shops. These are wonderful.
ReplyDeleteYes I love those shops but they have to be messy and disorganised for the full effect, don't they?!
DeleteSounds like my kind of shop! I've picked up a few pieces of sheet music along the way, for reasons similar to your own - they just look great. I'm a bit of an ephemera sucker though. I have a steadily increasing pile of antique adverts, flyers, photos and other bits & bobs that I plan to get framed....one day!
ReplyDeleteWow, the ephemera you have sounds great.
DeleteIt sounds as if you're a bit like me though with the "must... one day" thing...?
Yep, I have a lot of things I must get around to...one day!
DeleteWonderful.
ReplyDeleteThanks :-)
Delete