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Old Bob Ridley
Sheet Music
ca.1860 (published)
ca.1860 (published)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Music sheet for Marriott's Old Bob Ridley, a polka, published by J. Williams, London ca. 1860
As the lyrics of the song and the illustrations on this music sheet demonstrate this sheet music dates from an era in which 'Blackface Minstrelsy' was considered a fashionable and acceptable form of theatrical costume. This style of theatrical makeup originated in the United States around 1830 and was based on racist stereotypes of African Americans. It was most commonly used in the minstrel performance tradition. White performers (and sometimes black) used burnt cork, greasepaint or shoe polish to blacken their skin and exaggerate their features. The look was completed with ‘woolly’ wigs, gloves, tailcoats and/or ragged clothes. Blackface was a performance tradition in American theatre for over 100 years and was also popular overseas. Stereotypes embodied in the stock characters of blackface minstrelsy played a significant role in cementing and proliferating racist attitudes.
As the lyrics of the song and the illustrations on this music sheet demonstrate this sheet music dates from an era in which 'Blackface Minstrelsy' was considered a fashionable and acceptable form of theatrical costume. This style of theatrical makeup originated in the United States around 1830 and was based on racist stereotypes of African Americans. It was most commonly used in the minstrel performance tradition. White performers (and sometimes black) used burnt cork, greasepaint or shoe polish to blacken their skin and exaggerate their features. The look was completed with ‘woolly’ wigs, gloves, tailcoats and/or ragged clothes. Blackface was a performance tradition in American theatre for over 100 years and was also popular overseas. Stereotypes embodied in the stock characters of blackface minstrelsy played a significant role in cementing and proliferating racist attitudes.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Title | Old Bob Ridley (published title) |
| Materials and techniques | Chromolithograph, Intermediate pages composed of printed text. |
| Brief description | Music sheet for Marriott's Old Bob Ridley, a polka. Lithograph by Concanen & Lee, print by F. Platts, published by J. Williams, London ca. 1860 |
| Physical description | Music sheet for Marriott's Old Bob Ridley, a polka, published by J. Williams, London ca. mid to late nineteenth century. |
| Dimensions |
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| Marks and inscriptions |
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| Credit line | Gabrielle Enthoven Collection |
| Association | |
| Literary reference | Old Bob Ridley |
| Summary | Music sheet for Marriott's Old Bob Ridley, a polka, published by J. Williams, London ca. 1860 As the lyrics of the song and the illustrations on this music sheet demonstrate this sheet music dates from an era in which 'Blackface Minstrelsy' was considered a fashionable and acceptable form of theatrical costume. This style of theatrical makeup originated in the United States around 1830 and was based on racist stereotypes of African Americans. It was most commonly used in the minstrel performance tradition. White performers (and sometimes black) used burnt cork, greasepaint or shoe polish to blacken their skin and exaggerate their features. The look was completed with ‘woolly’ wigs, gloves, tailcoats and/or ragged clothes. Blackface was a performance tradition in American theatre for over 100 years and was also popular overseas. Stereotypes embodied in the stock characters of blackface minstrelsy played a significant role in cementing and proliferating racist attitudes. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | S.740-2014 |
About this object record
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| Record created | April 10, 2014 |
| Record URL |
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