Aikin, J. B. The Christian Minstrel: A New System of Musical Notation; with a collection of Psalm Tunes, Anthems, and Chants, selected from the Most Popular Works in Europe and America. Designed for the use of Churches, Singing-Schools, and Societies. Philadelphia: T. K. Collins, ca. 1848. [8768]
Lacks the title page, title taken from cover, back cover recommendations dated 1846. Leather spine with printed paper over card, covers quite worn with some loss of paper, firmly attached. Oblong 15 cm (6 x 9 3/4 inches), several names, scribbles, markings on the end papers, including one of a large cent piece. DEFECTIVE: lacking title page, 2 leaves, and rear free end papers. Pages run (3)-230, 235-416. Fair. Hardcover.
Seven-shape shape-note system.
Jesse Bowman Aikin (1808–1900), b. Chester Co., PA, a farmer by trade and a member of the Church of the Brethren. He became a "singing master" and was the first person to produce a successful song book in the seven-shape note system, entitled The Christian Minstrel. The book went through as many as 171 editions (Jackson, White Spirituals, p. 320).
"He vigorously defended his 'invention' and his patent, which included the elimination of bass and treble clefs and the simplification of time signatures. After the influential Ruebush & Kieffer Publishing Company began using his notehead shapes around 1876 (previously they used Funk's shapes), the Aikin shapes eventually became the prevailing standard in shape note and gospel music publication, although few other compilers adopted his other innovations." - wikipedia.
With a signed provenance card from the collection of A. Merril Smoak, Jr., DWS.