137. [Key, Francis Scott.] “The Star Spangled Banner.” New York : Geib & Co. No. 23 Maiden Lane [1816-1817], 2 pages quarto; leather and cloth presentation binding in red white and blue flag motif.

The first New York edition and third printing of “The Star Spangled Banner.”

Francis Scott Key conceived the text of “The Star Spangled Banner” during the critical battle of Fort McHenry on 14 September 1814, during the War of 1812. Key, moved by what he saw, was simply recalling a popular melody to which he could set his now famous words, an act of appropriation that was by and large practiced freely during that time. The melody that Key chose for his stirring words was the English tune “The Anacreonic Song,” or “To Anacreon in Heaven,” composed by John Stafford Smith for the Anacreonic Society, whose President, Ralph Tomlinson provided the song’s original words. The Society was formed around 1766 and met regularly, first at The London Coffeehouse on Ludgate Hill, then in larger quarters at the Crown and Anchor Tavern in the Strand until the Society’s demise in 1792. Considered by history to be a drinking song, it was originally intended as the Society’s signature ballad whose qualities elicited both cultivation and entertainment, thus arising henceforth as a popular tune that was certainly known and sung by many.
While it is hardly possible that the tune would be reminiscent as a drinking song in Key’s mind under those horrific war-time circumstances, the melody served as a perfect means of conveyance for Key’s vivid description of the battle and its resultant victory. Key immediately had broadsides of the words printed up, and because the tune was already well known, the song quickly became popular. Key had the first sheet music produced in Baltimore by Carr’s Music Store sometime in October, 1814. A. Bacon printed the second edition, also dating from late 1814, in Philadelphia. The third edition was the first to be printed in New York by Geib of Maiden Lane. Interesting to note the firm of Geib & Company started their business as organ makers in 1797. All early editions of the “The Star Spangled Banner” are extremely rare. The present third printing is one of the very few in private hands.

References: Muller page 64, Sonneck, Plate XXV, Wolfe 8346 (listing ten copies, all in institutional collections), Filby and Howard page 135. $40,000 - $60,000

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