Old English Ditties, Selected from W. Chappell's "Popular Music of the Olden Time;" With a New Introduction: The Long Ballads Compressed, and Occasionally New Words Written, by J. Oxenford; The Symphonies and Accompaniments by G.A. Macfarren

London: Chappel & Co., 50, New Bond Street, W. Also to be had of Cramer & Co., 201, Regent Street, W., 1870. Quarto. Original publisher's dark green cloth with titling gilt within decorative blindstamped border, titling to spine gilt, light yellow endpapers. 1f. (recto title, verso printer's note), [iii]-xiii, [iv] (Index to Vol. I), 2-241, [i] (printer's note) pp.

With a signed autograph inscription "To Mrs. Ginsburg from Wm. Chappell" to upper outer corner of title.

Binding slightly worn, soiled, rubbed, and bumped; endpapers soiled. Light uniform browning; some signatures loose. Chappell was a noted English music publishing firm founded by Samuel Chappell in 1813. His eldest son, William, "was noted for his interest in early music. In 1840, with Rimbault, Macfarren and others, he founded the Musical Antiquarian Society, which met at his firm's premises; he edited Dowland's songs for the society (1843). He had earlier published his A Collection of National English Airs (1838-40), copiously annotated with historical details, and this was subsequently expanded into his major work, Popular Music of the Olden Time (2 vols., 1855-9). William Chappell left the family firm in about 1843 and in 1844 went into partnership with Cramer and Beale, as Cramer, Beale & Chappell, remaining until his retirement in 1861." W.H. Husk, revised by Margaret Cranmer, Peter Ward Jones, and Kenneth R. Snell in Grove Music Online.