"Hail Columbia" Joseph Hopkinson, 1838 HOPKINSON, Joseph (1770-1842). Autograph manuscript signed ("Jos: Hopkinson") being a fair copy of the lyrics to his 1798 song, "Hail Columbia," inscribed to George M. Kein, n.p., 22 February 1838. Three pages, 250 x 200mm laid into larger sheets (silked). Housed in a red cloth bound custom clamshell case, and red morocco slipcase. Joseph Hopkinson writes a rare copy of "Hail Columbia," his most famous song, "from memory." Hopkinson wrote the lyrics to the song in 1798, as the United States was preparing for war with France, and became the de facto national anthem of the United States through much of the nineteenth century and was the personal anthem of the President of the United States until it was replaced with "Hail to the Chief." In 1798 the actor Gilbert Fox asked Hopkinson to pen a set of lyrics to Philip Phile's 1789 song, "The President's March," originally composed for George Washington's inauguration. Hopkinson completed the lyrics overnight and the song became an instant sensation. Hopkinson presented a copy of the song to George Washington in May 1798, describing it as "hasty" in thought and composition, but admitting that "it's public reception has at least equaled by any thing of the kind," and believed it would help rally a nation bitterly divided over the possibility of war with France (Hopkinson to GW, 9 May 1798). Extremely rare. Neither American Book Prices Current nor Rare Book Hub identify any other fair copy appearing at auction. Provenance: George M. Kein, Reading, Pennsylvania – Moses Pollock (his sale, Davis & Harvey with San V. Henkels, Philadelphia, 9-10 March 1904)– John Gribbel (his sale, Park Bernet, 16-17 April 1945, lot 180) – Irving Berlin to his descendants. Exhibited at Independence Hall, Philadelphia, 1876 (Banks, Immortal Songs of Camp and Field… 1898, p. 74).
"Hail Columbia" Joseph Hopkinson, 1838 HOPKINSON, Joseph (1770-1842). Autograph manuscript signed ("Jos: Hopkinson") being a fair copy of the lyrics to his 1798 song, "Hail Columbia," inscribed to George M. Kein, n.p., 22 February 1838. Three pages, 250 x 200mm laid into larger sheets (silked). Housed in a red cloth bound custom clamshell case, and red morocco slipcase. Joseph Hopkinson writes a rare copy of "Hail Columbia," his most famous song, "from memory." Hopkinson wrote the lyrics to the song in 1798, as the United States was preparing for war with France, and became the de facto national anthem of the United States through much of the nineteenth century and was the personal anthem of the President of the United States until it was replaced with "Hail to the Chief." In 1798 the actor Gilbert Fox asked Hopkinson to pen a set of lyrics to Philip Phile's 1789 song, "The President's March," originally composed for George Washington's inauguration. Hopkinson completed the lyrics overnight and the song became an instant sensation. Hopkinson presented a copy of the song to George Washington in May 1798, describing it as "hasty" in thought and composition, but admitting that "it's public reception has at least equaled by any thing of the kind," and believed it would help rally a nation bitterly divided over the possibility of war with France (Hopkinson to GW, 9 May 1798). Extremely rare. Neither American Book Prices Current nor Rare Book Hub identify any other fair copy appearing at auction. Provenance: George M. Kein, Reading, Pennsylvania – Moses Pollock (his sale, Davis & Harvey with San V. Henkels, Philadelphia, 9-10 March 1904)– John Gribbel (his sale, Park Bernet, 16-17 April 1945, lot 180) – Irving Berlin to his descendants. Exhibited at Independence Hall, Philadelphia, 1876 (Banks, Immortal Songs of Camp and Field… 1898, p. 74).
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