Learn about antiques and collectibles orgia Caraway

years ago he gave me my first piece of sheet music that has the name “Georgia” in the title Isn’t that how it happens? You see something you like, or someone gives you something they think you will like, and the next thing you know, you are merrily searching for more of that object Herbert innocently gave me that 1921 piece from his own burgeoning sheet music collection as a birthday gift I had it framed and hung it on a wall in my home office

While lecturing in one of my antique classes on collecting ephemera (paper goods), I showed that piece of sheet music as an example Another friend who attended the next class presented me with a second sheet called “Georgia On My Mind.” I wondered how many pieces of sheet music had my name in the title. Hmmm . . . . let’s see. . . .

“Rainy Night in Georgia,” “The Devil Went Down to Georgia,” “Sweet Georgia Brown, “The Night the Lights Went out in Georgia” .

That set me off on an eBay quest to see just how many pieces I could find OMG There were more than 100 of them A collector’s dream Oh joy, fresh fodder for a new collection And so I bid on a few And won them all It was fun going to the mailbox and opening each envelope with a new treasure bearing my name Some of them were corny (“Way Down in Macon Georgia rgia Mine” and “When a Peach s a Rose from Alabam’”), some for their home state (“I Want to My Dear Old Home in Georgia When It’s Cherry Blossom Time for a sweetheart named You Georgia,” and “You Sweet d others that would not be ay (the “Georgia Giggle,” the “Georgia Grind,” and “Dear my”) depicting stereotyped caricatures of African Americans Herbert taught me about the different artists, lyricists, composers, and publishers involved in the world of sheet music Some music featured historical themes such as in “Marching Through Georgia” whi h was printed shortly after the Civil War until t mid-1920s with numerous different covers showing William Tecumseh Sherman and hi soldiers cutting a swath from Atlanta to Sava It must have been a popular ballad even thou was an unpopular historical event in the sout have four different covers of that ballad and seen several more for sale that I have not acq . . . yet. Others were written as lullabies for mothers to sing to their babies (“Georgia Lul and “Georgia Baby”). Most date from the 18 through the 1930s.

Of the 112 covers in my collection, none are repeats Of course, I subscribe to the idea th the artwork, the photographs of the singer, or publisher are different, then the piece is fair g for my collection What do you do with mo than 100 pieces of sheet music if you don’t w to just file them? My solution was to frame each piece in a matching black frame and cover a bathroom’s walls with them There was not enough room on the walls, so I covered the ceiling too I can assure you that guests don’t require any additional reading materials when they use the facilities

We have a large collection of sheet music at Howe Mercantile with people’s names on them; and states and countries of the world, too. Come have fun hunting for your or your spouse’s or a friend’s name and favorite places. They make thoughtful presents; and are a great way to acknowledge a “Hallmark” moment.

Georgia Caraway, former director of Denton County Museums, and her friends operate Howe Mercantile at 107-109 E Haning Store hours are Thursday through Saturday – noon to 8 p m She is a member of the Howe Chamber and Keep Howe Beautiful and serves on the S th Ch h itt