Not on display

Song sheet

Song Sheet
19th century (printed)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

This song sheet is an example of a 'broadside ballad', a cheaply printed single sheet of paper with song lyrics. These were produced from as early as the 15th century, alternatively providing news, prophecies, histories, moral advice and jokes, often accompanied by woodcut illustrations.

'Broadside' or 'broadsheet' ballads were sold on street corners, town squares and at printers. They were pinned on walls, shared in alehouses, passed on by hand and due to their cheapness, were available to a wide audience. The survival of these sheets provides an invaluable record of Britain’s folk music and ballad history.

Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleSong sheet (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Printed paper glued on one side to backing sheet
Brief description
Song sheet for The Fox Chase and The Lost Lady Found, 19th century
Physical description
Printed paper song sheet for two ballads: The Fox Chase and The Lost Lady Found, illustrated with the images of a fox hunt and a sphinx. The sheet has been glued on the left side to a piece of lined paper.
Dimensions
  • Height: 25.4cm
  • Width: 18.9cm
Credit line
Given by Mr and Mrs J. Hill
Summary
This song sheet is an example of a 'broadside ballad', a cheaply printed single sheet of paper with song lyrics. These were produced from as early as the 15th century, alternatively providing news, prophecies, histories, moral advice and jokes, often accompanied by woodcut illustrations.

'Broadside' or 'broadsheet' ballads were sold on street corners, town squares and at printers. They were pinned on walls, shared in alehouses, passed on by hand and due to their cheapness, were available to a wide audience. The survival of these sheets provides an invaluable record of Britain’s folk music and ballad history.
Collection
Accession number
S.578-2017

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Record createdApril 4, 2017
Record URL
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest