Not currently on display at the V&A

Perverted Proverbs or Tupperny Philosphy

Sheet Music
ca. 19th century (published)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

The music hall singer Fred Albert (1845-1886) specialised in topical songs and gave up a career in a City merchants' office to go on the halls. Some of his earliest appearances were at Hoxton Hall, probably in the 1860s.

This music sheet was for the satirical song Perverted Proverbs or Tupperny Philosphy that satirised the book Proverbial Philosphy by Martin Tupper (1810-1889) that contained moralising aphorisms such as: 'Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech'. The book was first published in 1837, went through forty large editions by 1867 and nearly a million copies in the United States.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitlePerverted Proverbs or Tupperny Philosphy (published title)
Materials and techniques
Chromolithograph. Intermediate pages composed of printed text.
Brief description
Music sheet cover for Perverted Proverbs or Tupperny Philosphy, written, composed and sung by Fred Albert (1845-1886). Illustration by Alfred Bryan (1852-1899), colour lithograph by by W. Spalding, printed by Thomas Packer, published by Edwin Ashdown, Harry Beard Collection.
Physical description
Music sheet cover and music for Perverted Proverbs.

Dimensions
  • Front cover height: 34.5cm (approx)
  • Front cover width: 26.5cm
Credit line
Gabrielle Enthoven Collection
Association
Summary
The music hall singer Fred Albert (1845-1886) specialised in topical songs and gave up a career in a City merchants' office to go on the halls. Some of his earliest appearances were at Hoxton Hall, probably in the 1860s.

This music sheet was for the satirical song Perverted Proverbs or Tupperny Philosphy that satirised the book Proverbial Philosphy by Martin Tupper (1810-1889) that contained moralising aphorisms such as: 'Well-timed silence hath more eloquence than speech'. The book was first published in 1837, went through forty large editions by 1867 and nearly a million copies in the United States.
Associated objects
Collection
Accession number
S.828-2013

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Record createdNovember 25, 2013
Record URL
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