Jerome H. Remick & Co
Cowboy Campfire Cover Art — 1907 “San Antonio Song” Sheet Music — Starmer Brothers Illustration
Cowboy Campfire Cover Art — 1907 “San Antonio Song” Sheet Music — Starmer Brothers Illustration
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AT A GLANCE
- Title:
- "San Antonio Song"
- Publisher:
- Jerome H. Remick and Co.
- Type:
- Sheet music
- Performance medium:
- Piano & voice
- Artist:
- Starmer Brothers
- Composer:
- Egbert Van-Alstyne (1878 – 1951)
- Lyricist:
- Harry Williams (1879 – 1922)
- Era:
- Ragtime (1895 - 1918)
- Date:
- 1907
- Origin:
- New York | Detroit
- Material:
- Paper
- Dimensions:
- 10 ½” x 13 ¾”
- Ephemera:
- Songbook
- Book genre:
- Sheet Music | Songbooks
Low stock: 1 left
A Romantic Western Campfire Scene from the Golden Age of Illustrated Sheet Music
Early sheet music with original Starmer Brothers artwork is highly sought after by collectors of Tin Pan Alley ephemera and illustrated music covers. This 1907 Remick edition stands out for its richly colored Western campfire scene and desirable transitional Whitney-Warner imprint. Today these covers are collected not only for the music but also for their role in documenting early American graphic design and popular culture.
Published in 1907, San Antonio Song reflects the flourishing Tin Pan Alley era, when popular music publishers competed for attention through dramatic illustrated covers designed to catch the eye in music shops. The song was written by composer Egbert Van Alstyne with lyrics by Harry Williams, a prolific songwriting partnership responsible for numerous early 20th-century hits, including the widely performed In the Shade of the Old Apple Tree.
This edition was published by Jerome H. Remick & Company, one of the most influential popular music publishers of the period. The imprint includes the transitional line “Successors of The Whitney-Warner Pub. Co., Detroit – New York,” placing the issue within Remick’s first decade of expansion as it competed with other major Tin Pan Alley firms.
The atmospheric cover illustration depicts two cowboys beside a glowing campfire beneath a star-filled sky, with a saddled horse resting nearby. Romanticized Western imagery like this was immensely popular in American entertainment during the early 1900s, appearing in vaudeville songs, stage productions, and illustrated sheet music.
The reverse cover advertises additional Remick publications and includes an excerpt from Why Don’t You Try (The Rolling Chair Song) along with a catalog of new marches, waltzes, and novelty songs available from the publisher.
The sheet music is in very good vintage condition for its age. The cover retains strong color with minimal edge wear and excellent surface preservation. A light beginning spine split—common for early Remick issues—is present but the cover remains securely attached. Bumped corners do not affect framing potential. Interior pages are clean and complete. The piece is stored in a protective sleeve.
With its dramatic night sky, glowing campfire, and classic Western imagery, this illustrated cover frames beautifully as wall art. The deep blues and warm firelight tones display especially well with a cream mat and a 16" × 20" frame. It makes a striking addition to Western décor, music rooms, libraries, or gallery walls featuring early American illustration.
The cover illustration is attributed to the Starmer Brothers, William Austin Starmer (1872–1961) and Frederick Waite Starmer (1878–1957). Born in Leeds, England, the brothers emigrated to the United States around the turn of the twentieth century and quickly became two of the most prolific illustrators working in the American sheet music industry. Signing many of their works simply as “Starmer,” they produced thousands of covers between roughly 1900 and the mid-1920s for major publishers including Remick, Witmark, and Feist.
We ask that when making your purchasing decision that you consider the photos as part of the item's description.
We ask that when making your purchasing decision that you consider the photos as part of the item's description.
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