Please Say 
You Will

A Picture of 
Her Face

We're seeking this version.

We're seeking this version.

We have this version.

We have this version

Thanks to Perfessor Bill for the image of the Joplin photo-cover.  Be sure to visit www.perfessorbill.com! I believe this is the 2nd edition cover.
 
  

 Also shown is an early leaf version, but with a black leaf.  Thanks to Keith Schubert for the photo!

Appearing here and below are the two more common editions. The one above, which bears the dedication to the Maple Leaf Club, is slightly older and more rare.

BTW, here's one more interesting Maple Leaf variation:  Look how "Stark" is misspelled!  

We're seeking this version.

We're seeking this version.

We have this version.

We're seeking this version.

We're seeking this version. 

The top three covers pictured here, I think?, are the original covers.  The question is:  Which one is the first edition???  Frankly, I don't know.  I suspect that they were published in the order shown:  Black copy first, white with red type next, and then the one with Joplin and Marshall's photos.  My only reasoning for this is that the one with the photos doesn't appear to have been designed (i.e., it looks like the photos were just thrown on at the last minute).

On the other hand, notice that the last one has no publisher (Stark) listed.  We all know that Stark was a master marketer, and surely wouldn't have been too likely to release a sheet without his name or logo.   So, maybe my theory is completely backwards.  Perhaps the one with the photos was the first edition, and then Stark "fixed" the problem by adding his name -- and possibly also decided at this point to remove the composer photos.  

This one is a recent addition to our online collection. Must be highly uncommon, as we never saw it until 2007!

Feb. 2009: Wow, it's unusual that I get to update this site anymore, as we've seen just about every Joplin variation in existence. However, here's a strange one. The inset photo is the same odd one that appears in a 1902 variation  of A Breeze from Alabama (scroll down to see it a bit larger)!

Joplin's first collaboration with Scott Hayden.  This is one of the more common Joplin publications.

We do not have the alt cover.

The alternate version shown below was unearthed by Paul Riseman (a sheet music and memorabilia dealer from Springfield, IL.  I believe I acquired our copy of Augustan (top photo) from Paul many years ago. He's a great source for rag collectors!  (Paul's site.) Here's a closer look at that alternate cover:

I'm sorry to have passed on this sheet so many times years back, as it just doesn't surface as much.  At one time, I probably could have picked it up for $150 or so. Sounds cheap, of course. But, when you don't have an extra $150...

SJ

Shattinger

Stark
variation1

Stark
variation2

Unusual
variations...

We're seeking the 1st edition.

We have this version.

We're seeking the other versions.

Pictures show the 1st edition, published by Joplin, then the Shattinger Music Co. version, and then two different Stark versions.  The Shattinger version has the inset drawings in all red.  Stark put them in black, and reversed them from left to right.  If you want to see a closer comparison, click here.

The two Stark versions seem to differ only in the Stark logo. See bottom center of each photo.

The bottom one is apparently an unusual variation that appeared on eBay.  Kind of interesting in that it had a photo of Joplin. 

I haven't seen this variation before.  The auction described it as large format, so it dates back to at least 1920, but little other information was offered.

And, here's yet another variation.  Same as above except there's no inset photo of Joplin -- just a strange symbol in its place.  Looks like something straight out of The Da Vinci Code.  Anyway, this sheet is dated 1912. 

Almost won this one once on eBay. Someone sniped it from me.  But, hey, I can't complain, as I've sniped my share of sheets as well! 

If you're unfamiliar with early music, you may be somewhat shocked at the title of this piece (the term pickaninny being widely known today as disparaging and offensive). However, please understand the context here: This site is meant as a historical reference. To state the obvious: Times were different 100 years ago. This cover is actually extremely mild as compared with hundreds of others published during that era. 

We have this version.

By the way, here's another piece of sheet music entitled Strenuous Life. I'm not sure of the publication date, but it's probably from around the same time.  This one's by William J. Short, I believe published in Massachusetts.

We're seeking this version.

We have this version.

Here's another more usual version, printed in yellow.

Our version is an unusual dark blue.

We do not own the small format version.

A few years ago, another collector (much more experienced than I am) told me that, as far as she knew, no one's ever found a 1902 large format version, let alone one in full color.  She said it was thought that the song was never really issued in 1902. 

Well, folks, as far as I'm concerned, we can with reasonable confidence, now be assured that this piece indeed was published in 1902.  Perhaps it had a particularly small press run or something.  Who knows!  Our copy is large format, authentic/vintage, and bears the expected 1902 date.  I'd always thought and hoped that one existed!  In the future, maybe I'll post a better scan since apparently few have ever seen this in its true full-color form.

Joplin's second collaboration with Scott Hayden

July 07:  The brown copy shown at bottom appears on eBay.  I'm kind of holding out for an earlier edition. (Well, that and I'm broke now.)

Success Music used this cover design on other pieces as well.  The one shown below, for example (from our collection), is dated 1904.  However, elements of the design point to a use of this cover design prior to the publication of Little Black Baby (LBB) in 1903. For one, the outline of the composer's credit is more ornate on the cover below.  And, the inset photo is circular rather than square. It would probably be easier to go from the below cover to the LBB one than it would in the reverse direction.

Another relatively common Joplin sheet.  At least, it used to be relatively common.  It hasn't surfaced much in the past few years.

Happened by this on eBay recently... another example of a rag named after the Sycamore tree. This one's by Theron C. Bennett, published by Remick in 1910:

The Cascades

We have this version.

We're seeking this version.

Original cover has Joplin's picture:

The more common version is green, as pictured.

 
 
Also shown is a variation of the usual green cover, this time printed in red ink on white paper.  

Take a
look at a real T. Bahnsen piano!

Take a
look at a real T. Bahnsen piano!

Take a
look at a real T. Bahnsen piano!

Judging from eBay and from various mail auctions we participate in, there were at least two or three other pieces (by other composers) with the words ragtime dance in the title.  I have some pictures to post in the future of a few of these.

Not sure if the two fellows pictured
are (1) Taylor and Darden, the composers, or (2) Foster and
Calhoun, the publishers.

Found that image at the Library of Congress site.  I suspect it's some kind of black and white copy. Never seen an original copy.

(Owen Spendthrift)

Someone recently offered to sell us a copy of this -- with a missing middle page.  We declined the offer.  It's rare, but it's not THAT rare.  Another better one will come along.

We're seeking the rest.

Also shown is a green version...  

... a black version ...

... and even a red one!

We're seeking  other colored versions.

Shown below-left is another variation -- the purple cover, but the woman's hair inked in red. This rare pressing is from Perfessor Bill's collection.

Finally, here's a black & white version found in New Hampshire, from the collection of Alan, Phyllis & Jonathan Carifio

Also, check this out... Here's a song from 5 years later, "Moving Picture Rag" by Al Dubin And Jos. A. Burke, published by Weymann & Son out of Philadelphia. Too bad the original Stern cover didn't look that vibrant!

Another "Gladiolus" sheet,
this one from 1906:

Question:  Is Lily Queen really as rare as everyone thinks it is???  Well, it certainly does command a premium every time it surfaces.  But, I've personally seen this title more than I've seen, say, Kismet Rag.  It's tough to gauge rarity, though. The observations I'm making on this page really only cover about 8 years of active collecting.  Many others have been collecting and researching Joplin ever since "The Sting" made him famous again.

Interesting note:  Here are two other 1907 sheets with the same cover.  The one on the left is a song called "California" - words & music by Bertie Frye. Published by Bertie Frye, Mcleansboro, IL.  The one on the right is a Stark publication called "Calla Lily Rag" by Logan Thane.

In 1909, there was another Fig Leaf Rag. Take a look:

One of the few pieces with Joplin's photo on the cover.

BTW, here's another instrumental "Stop Time" rag; it came out two years later, by Ernie Erdman.

Joplin's final collaboration with Scott Hayden.

Anyone out there have a color photo of this?  I'd love to post it here.

Anyone out there have a color photo of this?  I'd love to post it here.

Frolic of
The Bears

Some earlier sheets bearing the same Starmer cover:
   

	"Sunburst Rag" by James Scott © 1909, Stark Music Co.
	"Cleopatra Rag" by Joseph Lamb © 1915 by Stark Music Co.
	"Egyptian Maid"  words: Robert Winter, music: Chas. Soutiea © 1915 Syndicate Music Co., St. Louis