The Details:
“Songs, Ballads, &c. In Three Volumes. Purchased from a Ballad Printer and Seller in Boston.” Volume 1 of 3. Boston: various printers, 1811-1814. [catalog record 1] [catalog record 2]
Gift of Isaiah Thomas, 1814.
The Story:
Isaiah Thomas well understood the significance of ephemeral publications like street ballads, which few in his day considered worth preserving. At Thomas’s request, Boston publisher Nathaniel Coverly gathered broadside ballads from local shops, selling Thomas over 300 examples. Topics include executions, political events, and bawdy songs, many of which are unique or only known copies.
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>> Related item:
Watt's Divine Songs, Coverly in Case 8
