Rare collection of late 19th and early 20th century Yiddish/ Jewish-American Sheet Music, issued by the Hebrew Publishing Co. and much of it from the vaudevilles and operettas of the Yiddish Theatre in New York's Lower East Side. Group of 22 volumes of sheet music published in New York. New York: Hebrew Publishing Company, various; ca. 1908-1919. Mostly measuring about 10.5"' x 13.5" (27cm x 34cm). Most volumes very well-preserved, very bright and clean, with no markings, occasional closed tear or marginal chip, generally fine. 

From approximately 1870 onwards, Jews were emigrating to America in large numbers so that by 1900, nearly half a million European Jews had settled in North America, many in New York's Lower East Side. It was there that the Yiddish theatre emerged and "by 1910 there were thirteen theatres in the Lower East Side, most of them vaudeville houses." (Sapoznik, "Klezmer," p. 44). This collection includes works by some of the most significant composers of early Yiddish theatre and while a number of these songs are somewhat lighthearted, a few have political or cultural themes that would have resonated deeply with the audience, including "Litwak un Galizianer," an instrumental which evokes the cultural differences between Lithuanian and Polish Jews; while "Mameniu" memorializes the victims of the Triangle Fire, many of whom were young Jewish women. There is also an arrangement of "Hatikvoh" [Hatikvah], which includes a portrait of Theodor Herzl on the front wrap.

Many of the "instrumental" songs have lyrics in Yiddish on the rear wrap; some are only in Hebrew characters. OCLC records as few as zero or one or two copies of each title, or as many as about a dozen. There are collections held at NYPL, Florida Atlantic University, The National Library of Israel, and a few other places. No institution had all of these volumes. Commercial listings are minimal; nearly all are unavailable as of this listing. A rich group of early-20th century Jewish-American cultural production.

Titles included:

"Mameniu" by 4. Schorr and J. M. Rumshisky

"Mit Geld Tor Men Nit Shtoltziren" by D. Myerowitz and D. Hornstein

"Hatikooh" arranged by Henry Russotto

"Lacht Benshen" by H. A. Russotto

"Dos Bissele Erd" by Perlmuter & Wohl

"The Favorite Songs from the Musical Drama Ner Tomid: The Eternal Light" by A. Shor and Rumshishy

"Litwak un Galizianer from The Girl From the West

"Heilige Korbones and Zwei Troikes" by S. H. Frug and H. A. Russotto

"A Brivele Von Chosen" by D. Meyerowitz and J. M. Rumshisky

"A Yid Zu Sein is Gut" by J. & J. Kammen

"A Brivele Dem Taten" by S. Smulewitz and J. M. Rumshisky

"Aufn Pripechock" by J. Rumshisky

"25 Jewish Songs for Violin" (various composers and arrangers)

"As Du Kenst Nit Un Weist Nit Nemt Men Sich Nit Unter" by H. Altman, Perlmutter & Wohl

"Zores is Kein Daige Nit" from Yzias Mizrajum by Prof. Horowitz and Perlmutter & Wohl

"Men Shart Gold in America" by A. Schor and Perlmutter and Wohl

"Columbus, ich hob zu dir gor nit" by D. Meyerowitz and Louis Friedsell

"Yente Telebende: Washington Lincoln und Moishe Rabeiny (etc.)" by B. Thomashevsky and M. Rumshisky

"Shalach Monos" by S. Mogulesco and J. M. Rumshisky

"A Brivele Der Kale" by M. Aronson and J. M. Rumshisky (2 copies)

"Raisins and Almonds" (From the opera "Shulamit") by A. Goldfaden and H. A. Russotto

"Shmendrig" by 1. Goldfaden and J. M. Rumshisky