This sheet music was published in 1878 in The Musical Bouquet, a series of affordable piano music published weekly as individual pieces, and every six months as bound volumes. William Strange (1801-1871) and James Bingley started publishing The Musical Bouquet from the office in 192 High Holborn in January 1845, with their illustrator Alfred Ashley (1820-1897) and their editor Francis Lancelott, probably inspired by G.H. Davidson's similar publication The Musical Treasury launched in 1844. Bingley had previously collaborated with Ashley in 1843-1844 to publish the two-volume Bingley's Select Vocalist, an eclectic collection of songs, glees and duets engraved by Bingley from drawings by Ashley. In the hands of Strange and Davidson the pieces published by The Musical Bouquet were largely pirated from other publishers. Strange sold his publishing business to his son William Strange Junior on 18th February 1849, but after that date Charles Sheard Senior is associated with The Musical Bouquet. He soon became its proprietor, increased its production to two pieces a week, and by its height of popularity in the 1860s, to eight copies a week. On his death in 1873 his son Charles Sheard Junior took control of the firm as senior partner and The Musical Bouquet continued until 1898, after which Charles Sheard Junior continued publishing music sheets from 192 High Holborn.

The sheet music cover is illustrated by the lithographer Richard Childs taken from a photograph of the co-founder of the Moore & Burgess Minstrels George Washington Moore (1820-1909) playing the bones. The Moore & Burgess Minstrels performed at London's St. James's Hall with great success from their foundation in 1865 for more than thirty-five years.