Mar 21, 2013 - Sale 2308

Sale 2308 - Lot 452

Price Realized: $ 281
?Final Price Realized includes Buyer’s Premium added to Hammer Price
Estimate: $ 400 - $ 600
(MUSIC.) BALMER, J.H. J.H. Balmer F.R.G.S. England and his Company Africa in song and Story. halftone photogravure, mounted on a stiff card with caption. signed on the reverse by every member of the choral group with their african and christian names Africa, circa 1900.
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signed by elsie clark and all of the boys, with each indicating his tribal group and his given name. For example "Bushman-Gert Besulda." One has even signed "Kafir-Paul Jella." There is in fact, no "Kafir tribe, it is only a Boer term of disrespect. J. H. Balmer, a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and his associate Elsie Clark organized a group of tribal boys into a choir, which they at first called the "Wonderful Singing Kafir Boys." The term Kafir is an old derogatory Boer word, equivalent to the "N" word as used in the U.S.. Balmer and Clark later changed the named to "Balmer's Singing Boys." They toured Great Britain and even the United States to rave reviews.