 |
 |
| Sheet music collectors favor |
| In the days before families gathered around the television set for the evening, the family piano was often the center of fellowship and entertainment. A sing-along when guests stopped by was as American as the apple pie that might have been served for dessert. Large music publishing houses produced attractive sheet music for this market, and today many of these song sheets are favorites of collectors. "Although many of the songs families played were religious in nature, families also enjoyed popular songs that reflected what was happening in people's lives." said Kerra Davis, a writer for the magazine Warman's Today's Collector. "with this in mind, the development of patriotic sheet music came as no surprise." Colorful images of Uncle Sam, Old Glory and political candidates are among the vintage sheet music covers sought by today's collectors. The song itself is rarely the inspiration for a purchase; instead, interesting cover pictures for display or to complement another collection are the driving force behind many purchasing decisions. Before the advent of boom boxes and MP3 files, political campaign songs were often issued on sheet music. During the presidential campaign of 1840, supporters of William Henry Harrison belted out the song "Tippecanoe Log Cabin Quick Step." Mint condition sheet music from Abraham Lincoln's presidential campaign has a collector value of $200. Common presidential campaign music can generally be found in mint condition for $35 to $50. "A number of presidential campaigns yielded sheet music, including those for Ulysses S. Grant, Teddy and Franklin D. Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Wendell Wilke, and even Jimmie Carter," Davis said. When considering campaign music, look for a picture of the canidate on the cover. Those are the most in demand and therefore most valuable. Uncle Sam is an image that many collectors find appealing. The 1905 piece "Yankee Boy" features a full-length view of the kindly old gentleman and is valued at $15 to $25. Irving Berlin's "Any Bonds Today?" also features the nation's uncle and carries a value of $20 to $25. Song sheets were produced in a variety of sizes. In addition to the familiar standard size, a large format was published before 1917 and a minature format is also available. Minature sheet music was the result of resource conservation during times of conflict with other nations. During World War I, these pieces were distributed to the nation's military men. They make interesting additions to any collection of sheet music. Wartime music was often more than mere entertainment. It was created to bolster morale both overseas and on the homefront. "A nation that sings can never be beaten. Each song is a milestone on the road to victory," said Leo Feist, whose company zeroed in on war songs during World War I. "Where Do We Go From Here," a popular Feist song published in 1917, is valued at $20 to $25. The song "So Long, Mother," popularized by Al Jolson during World War I, can be worth up to $22. Values for World War II material are also strong. "Cheer Up, Uncle Sam!" from Patriotic Music Publishing is valued at $30 to $35 by Martin Jacobs, author of the book World War II Homefont Collectibles. The 1943 song "Here Comes the Navy," adapted to the melody of "The Beer Barrel Polka," carries a collector value of $15 to $20. Its cover features a naval war ship cutting through the surf. The popular tune "Praise the Lord and Pass the Ammunition," written by Frank Loesser, can command up to $25. Sheet music for "It's VVV For Victory," published in 1942, is valued at up to $38. Donald Duck is shown throwing a tomato into Adolph Hitler's eye on the cover of sheet music for "Der Fuehrer's Face," a song from the walt Disney movie "Donald Duck in Nutzi Land." This piece has cross-over collector interest. "Prices for patriotic sheet music vary greatly, but the key to value is condition," said Davis. "Tears, stains and creases reduce a piece's value. Even having the owner's name neatly written on the piece brings the piece down. |
| For a free catalog of Krause Publications books or periodicals on collectibles, write Public Relations, Dept. IC, Krause Publications. 700 E. State St., Iola, WI 54990-0001, or visit www.krause.com on the worldwide web, or e-mail info@krause.com |
| Copyright 2000 by Krause Publications |
| Uncle Sam and Old Glory |
 |
 |