Manuscript Military Songbook. Unique copy. France. Napoleon III period. In Folio

This amazing book is a manuscript songbook, a unique copy coming from France and written circa 1879 (Napoleon III period). It is a complete collection of popular military and civilian lyrics, written by hand and conveniently bound. The songbook preserves lyrics believed to be lost forever, a feature that provides this book with special interest and turn it into an exceptional document. On the first page we can read the following inscription, written by hand in a gorgeous cursive lettering: Chansonnier appartenant au sapeur Civatte - 2º Regiment du Genie - 4ª Compagnie du Sapeurs Montpellier (Songbook belonging to sapper Civatte 2nd Engineer Regiment 4th Sapper Company Montpellier). Though the book is complete, some pages (four of five pages including the one with the title) are torn apart. The following 140 pages contain a lot of song lyrics written in a beautiful calligraphy, with big-sized titles and quite well organized. Among them we find the following songs: Damned War, The Avenger, The Dragons of Villar, The Engineer Sappers, The King of Bohemes, Goodbye to France, An Alsatians Girl Ribbon, The Desert Lion, Pandora, The Hunter Friend, Loving Breeze, The Soldiers Return, A Memory of Love, We are Pleased at Home, The Bastille The page containing the handwritten song entitled Emma has a curious feature at its foot. There is a simple hand-sketched caricature depicting a soldier in profile, with a cap and an important moustache. This charming detail makes a nice contrast with the careful cursive and gothic lettering and provides the songbook with character. On the other hand, the manuscripts binding is the original one; though it has survived to our days, it surely shows the signs of wear due to the trace of time and use. It is quite simple, composed of two covers lined with dark blue fabric and a greenish brown spine. This antique manuscript songbook is a unique document, a testimony that gives new life to ancient lyrics believed to be gone forever. Measurements: Width: 12.2 in / 20.5 cm. Height: 8 in / 31 cm.