Product Description
W.C. Handy, “Blues – An Anthology” 1926
W.C. HANDY ed. (1973-1958) USA
“Blues – An Anthology” 1926
180pp. bound in blue cloth with original dust jacket. Very scarce work, considered the most famous blues collection in history, it includes historical notes, tunes and arrangements, notes for each song, a bibliography, and a chart of guitar chords.
With an introduction and notes by Abbe Niles
Illustrations by Miguel Covarrubias
Published by Albert & Charles Boni, New York
Dimensions:
Book: H: 11 ¾” x W: 9 1/8” x D: 1”
Custom leather box 2008: H: 13 13/16” x W: 10 3/8” x D: 2 7/16”
Custom silk slipcase: H: 15” x W: 11 1/8” x D: 3 3/8”
William Christopher Handy was a composer, musician and a music publisher. He was sometimes called the “Father of the Blues” and was credited with helping popularize blues music. Handy was a seminal figure in the development of American songwriting. His compositions assimilated folk tunes, blues, spirituals, minstrel songs, and elements of European music and forged a new sound in American popular commercial music. Born in Florence, Alabama, Handy began arranging music when in grade school. By the turn of the century, he had toured or was touring with a number of minstrel acts and bands. He became a leading bandleader in Memphis, Tennessee, and eventually wrote such classics as “The Memphis Blues” (1912), “The St. Louis Blues” (1914), and “Beale Street Blues” (1916). In addition to his songwriting, Handy also founded an important and influential music publishing concern, the Pace and Handy Music Company, in 1913. Finally, Handy’s books and writings, such as his autobiography, Father of the Blues (1941), and Blues: An Anthology (1926), comprise an important contribution to American culture. In 1979, New York City joined the list of institutions and municipalities to honor Handy by naming a stretch of West 52nd Street in Manhattan “W.C. Handy Place.”
W.C. Handy, “Blues – An Anthology” 1926
MASSACHUSETTS IRON WORKS Saugus area
Pine Tree and Shaker Style House andirons c. 1920’s
Cast and hand finished iron with a natural black/brown patina.
H: 22 1/2″ x W: 20 1/2″ x D: 16″
This pair of extraordinary andirons are a unique expression of American Folk Art at it’s best. The tall tree form resembles a towering carved wood version of a pine tree in 1 1/2″ thick cast iron and the Shaker Style house with a classic pitched roof and chimney has four “windows” that light up when the fire is roaring from behind. These are a substantial and gutsy design and are a very rare find in the world of Americana.
The firm of Dreicer & Co. was one of the top luxury jewelry retailers in America during the first quarter of the 20th century. The firm is believed to have originated as J. Dreicer & Son representing the Parisian firm A. Eknayan and displaying an extensive array of diamond jewelry during the 1904 Louisiana Purchase Exposition. The emphasis on diamonds at the St. Louis exposition would characterize the firm’s production and resulting strong reputation from about 1910 through the 1920’s. Though it is not clear in what year the firm opened its boutique in New York City at 560 Fifth Avenue, the luxurious jewels in platinum and diamonds as well as pearls within were comparable with Cartier’s luxurious designs. The firm maintained a branch at the Blackstone Hotel in Chicago. Dreicer & Co. is credited as the first company to introduce in New York many of the latest diamond cuts from Paris. The shop was liquidated in 1923 following the death of Michael Dreicer, the founder’s son, in 1921. Cartier bought Dreicer’s stock of jewels for $2.5 million