Boy do I learn a lot from these forums!

I posted my query, and Jon Pankake's response (above), to The Woodshed forum (http://www.hotboards.com/plus/plus.mirage?who=woodshed). No less an authority than Stefan Grossman replied:

Jon is spot on. The world of Parlor Guitar is often ignored by students of fingerstyle guitar. It was the rage in the USA from mid-1850s to the turn of the century. Lots of music survives from this era - though what I have seen little is of great interest - BUT it was fingerstyle and folk blues 'standards' such as Spanish Fandango and Vestapol (Sebastapol) are from this ear of Parlor Guitar Playing. Not to mention all those beautiful Martin Parlor Guitars!!!! In general this was a type of music played by women in their provebial parlors. Much of it sounds pseudo-classical. It is the missing link and unfortunately there seem to be no recorded examples from the 1910s-1920s. A very interesting area of musical development for the guitar.

Hey, getting the insights of Roy Book Binder, Stefan Grossman and Dick Waterman is pretty cool for a guy who regrets being too young for The Great Folk Scare! ;)