Mathews & Bulger presenting rag time opera By the sad sea waves – Historic Poster Reproduction

(Originally scanned by the Library of Congress. Each image is professionally and digitally cleaned of artifacts such as color bars and extra borders prior to printing.)
Description
Few images capture their era like this vintage poster of Mathews & Bulger presenting rag time opera By the sad sea waves. An authentic image from the Library of Congress, it carries the weight of the real historical record.
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Mathews & Bulger presenting rag time opera By the sad sea waves
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Few posters from 1898 advertise a "rag time opera," and this one puts the comedy team of Mathews & Bulger front and center under the title *By the Sad Sea Waves*. The color lithograph was produced by the Strobridge Lithographing Company of Cincinnati and New York, one of the leading American poster printers of the period, and the show was directed by Dunne & Ryley. Ragtime was then at the height of its popularity, and the production shows how theatrical managers borrowed the syncopated style to sell comic entertainment. The caption, "Playing to beat the band!", points to the lively, crowd-pleasing tone the advertisers hoped to convey.
| Created / published | 1898 |
|---|---|
| Medium | 1 print (poster) : lithograph color ; 72 x 48 cm. |
| Notes | 45216 U.S. Copyright Office Created and copyright 1898 by The Strobridge Lith. Co. Cincinnati & New York. Direction of Dunne & Ryley. Caption: Playing to beat the band! N.Y. no. 8165. · Mathews & Bulger. Dunne & Ryley. |
| Source | Library of Congress, Performing Arts Posters |
| Original scan | 2,005 × 3,019 px · prints to 7 × 10 in at 300 dpi |
| Reference | AMZ-SOTP-THR-272933 |
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