Value, 18th Century Ballad Books

Subject: Value, 18th Century Ballad Books
From: Uncle_DaveO
Date: 28 Jul 00 - 09:57 PM

I'm not a bibliophile, and so don't have any idea how to check this out on my own. Maybe somebody here knows or can help me find out something about the value of a set of three OLD ballad books I've had for years.

I have three volumes of what was apparently a four volume set, entitled _Evans's Old Ballads_. Two of the volumes are in satisfactory though worn shape, and one has the front cover present but separate.

The title page bears the following:

OLD BALLADS
Historical and Narrative
With Some of Modern [sic] Date
AND SEVERAL ORIGINALS
None of Which Are Inserted In
Dr. PERCY's COLLECTION
Second Edition
IN FOUR VOLUMES

Another page states, in part:
Printed for T. Evans, in the Strand
M DCC LXXXIV
The bindings appear to have been real quality leather work of their time, although of course much worn, repaired in places with egg white, etc.

What I have are volumes I, III, and IV. Volume IV is the one with a torn-off cover.

I picked these up at a used-book store probably fifty years ago.

Anybody have any input on this?

Dave Oesterreich

Subject: RE: Value, 18th Century Ballad Books
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 28 Jul 00 - 10:57 PM

A complete set in good condition would be worth # 375 up., but some single volumes are listed at $42.50 at www.bibliofind.com.

Someone interested in collecting old books might want such, but ballad scholarship has come a long way since then, and most of the 16th and 17th century broadside ballads are available in later more scholarly editions, or on the Bodley Ballads website. Steve Roud's broadside ballad index covers a lot of 18th century ones, as does the Bodley Ballads website. I have the reprint of the c 1725 'Old Ballads' and have listed all in them in the broadside ballad index on my website, but they really add up to very little, because imprints of the broadsides are missing, as is any licensing information. In short, we don't know when or where they come from. [A few in these 3 volumes come from early 17th century garlands, and were never actually published as broadside ballads.]

Subject: RE: Value, 18th Century Ballad Books
From: SINSULL
Date: 29 Jul 00 - 03:27 PM

BruceO,
How do we get to your website?
Mary

Subject: RE: Value, 18th Century Ballad Books
From: GUEST,Bruce O.
Date: 29 Jul 00 - 03:35 PM

Sorry, www.erols.com/olsonw

I rent space from a com server, but there's no spam, advs, pop-ups, etc.