Item #652 I’m Off for Charleston. African Americana.
“MY MASSA AND MY MISSUS DEY BOTH AM GONE AWAY”

I’m Off for Charleston.

Philadelphia: T. M. Scroggy, Publisher No. 443 Vine Street, ca. 1853-58. Item #652

Broadside.  8vo.  210 x 155 mm., [8 x 6 inches].  Lyrics only printed in five stanzas with chorus, enclosed within a decorative printed border.  Small stain to upper right corner, corners with slight folds, otherwise an excellent copy.


Rare song sheet written in Negro dialect, telling the story a young man and his true love Nell and his all the girls he met on his way to Charleston.  Lyrics by S. W. Auner who was the author of the song “My Country ‘Tis of Thee” first printed in 1861.


I’m off to Charleston was published in a number of editions in the 1850’s, apparently the first was in 1853, printed in Philadelphia by Eckel and Johnson.  This issue published by T. M. Scroggy appeared between 1853 and 1858.  A number of editions also appeared in New York.  All editions are rare.


OCLC cites copies of the 1853 edition at New York Historical Society and our copy printed by T. M. Scroggy only at AAS.  No copy was located at the Library Company of Philadelphia

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Price: $750.00

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