{"meta":{"version":"2.1","_links":{"self":{"href":"https://api.vam.ac.uk/v2/object/O1254647"},"collection_page":{"href":"https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O1254647/"}},"images":{"_primary_thumbnail":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX6381/full/!100,100/0/default.jpg","_iiif_image":"https://framemark.vam.ac.uk/collections/2014GX6381/","_alt_iiif_image":[],"imageResolution":"high","_images_meta":[{"assetRef":"2014GX6381","copyright":"© Victoria and Albert Museum, London","sensitiveImage":false}]},"see_also":{"_iiif_pres":"https://iiif.vam.ac.uk/collections/O1254647/manifest.json","_alt_iiif_pres":[]}},"record":{"systemNumber":"O1254647","accessionNumber":"S.802-2012","objectType":"Sheet Music","titles":[{"title":"The Comet of the West or Stand Aside","type":"assigned by artist"}],"summaryDescription":"George Leybourne (1842-1884) started off singing in the East End under his real name, Joe Saunders. His big break came in 1866 when he was engaged at the Canterbury Music Hall at £30 a week. Such was his success that by the following year he was earning £120 a week. Known as a 'Lion Comique' of the music hall, his trademark look included his drooping 'Dunreary Whiskers' or 'Piccadilly Weepers' seen in this cover illustration by the prolific music sheet illustrator Alfred Cocanen (1835-1886). Their name came from the whiskers sported by the character Lord Dunreadry in Tom Taylor's 1858 play <i>Our American Cousin</i>.\n\nThe song began with the lyrics: \nI'm the comet of the West, in the shade I put the rest\r\nAll others are my satellites you see\r\nBut mooning's not my game, I've won my way to fame\r\nAnd they all have to stand aside for me\r\n\r\nThe music sheet is printed the words of the words of the chorus below the image:\nShout boys, shout and let's be jolly\r\nStand aside and let this swell go past\r\nI like to do the grand with a short cane in my hand\r\nFor by jove, you see the comet's come at last.\r\n","physicalDescription":"Illustrated cover of the music sheet \"The Comet of the West\" which features George Leybourne in the centre","artistMakerPerson":[{"name":{"text":"Bachelder, James","id":"AUTH320716"},"association":{"text":"composer","id":"AAT25671"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"McArdle, J.F.","id":"AUTH320706"},"association":{"text":"lyricist","id":"AAT25675"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Green, Frank W.","id":"AUTH316915"},"association":{"text":"lyricist","id":"AAT25675"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"Concanen, Alfred","id":"A8266"},"association":{"text":"lithographer","id":"AAT25175"},"note":""}],"artistMakerOrganisations":[{"name":{"text":"Charles Sheard & Co.","id":"A26658"},"association":{"text":"publisher","id":"x32600"},"note":""},{"name":{"text":"T. Packer","id":"AUTH317042"},"association":{"text":"lithographer","id":"AAT25175"},"note":""}],"artistMakerPeople":[],"materials":[{"text":"paper","id":"x30308"},{"text":"ink","id":"AAT15012"}],"techniques":[{"text":"lithography","id":"AAT53271"}],"materialsAndTechniques":"Lithograph","categories":[{"text":"Entertainment & Leisure","id":"THES48959"},{"text":"Prints","id":"THES48903"},{"text":"Music Hall","id":"THES267742"}],"styles":[],"collectionCode":{"text":"T&P","id":"THES48602"},"images":["2014GX6381"],"imageResolution":"high","galleryLocations":[{"current":{"text":"008","id":"THES356700"},"free":"","case":"","shelf":"","box":""}],"partTypes":[[{"text":"sheet music","id":"AAT26430"}],[{"text":"prints","id":"AAT41273"}]],"contentWarnings":[{"apprise":"","note":""}],"placesOfOrigin":[{"place":{"text":"London","id":"x28980"},"association":{"text":"printed","id":"x46159"},"note":""}],"productionDates":[{"date":{"text":"ca. 1880","earliest":"1875-01-01","latest":"1884-12-31"},"association":{"text":"printed and published","id":"x35383"},"note":""}],"associatedObjects":[],"creditLine":"Gabrielle Enthoven Collection","dimensions":[{"dimension":"Height","value":"36","unit":"cm","qualifier":"approx","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""},{"dimension":"Width","value":"25.5","unit":"cm","qualifier":"approx","date":{"text":"","earliest":null,"latest":null},"part":"","note":""}],"dimensionsNote":"","marksAndInscriptions":[],"objectHistory":"","historicalContext":"","briefDescription":"Music sheet cover for 'The Comet of the West or Stand Aside', composed by James Bachelder and lyrics by F.W. Green, sung by George Leybourne (1842-1884). Image by Alfred Concanen (1835-1886), lithograph by Siebe & Burnett,  published by Charles Sheard, ca.1880","bibliographicReferences":[],"production":"","productionType":{"text":"","id":""},"contentDescription":"","contentPlaces":[],"associatedPlaces":[],"contentPerson":[{"text":"Leybourne","id":"N6256"}],"associatedPerson":[],"contentOrganisations":[],"associatedOrganisations":[],"contentPeople":[],"associatedPeople":[{"text":"","id":""}],"contentEvents":[],"associatedEvents":[],"contentOthers":[],"contentConcepts":[],"contentLiteraryRefs":[],"galleryLabels":[],"partNumbers":["S.802-2012"],"accessionNumberNum":"802","accessionNumberPrefix":"S","accessionYear":2012,"otherNumbers":[],"copyNumber":"","aspects":["WHOLE"],"assets":[],"recordModificationDate":"2026-04-17","recordCreationDate":"2012-09-13","availableToBook":true}}