On the Half Shell (1858, 1859)

[Mark Worden]

Once again Kilgore Trout gets no credit.



Quark out
Lower Umpqua Addictive Conundrum Institute


> ---------------------- Information from the mail
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> Sender:       American Dialect Society <ADS-L at LISTSERV.UGA.EDU>
> Poster:       Bapopik at AOL.COM
> Subject:      On the Half Shell (1858, 1859)
> --------------------------------------------------------------------------
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>
>    OED has "on the half shell" from 1860, using a note from AMERICAN
SPEECH.  The BROOKLYN EAGLE's first citations were in 1855, regarding a
political party called the "Half Shells."  There are several citations in
the mid-late 1850s, but not earlier.
>
>
>    From Making of America (Cornell):
>
>    March 1854, HARPER'S NEW MONTHLY MAGAZINE, pg. 536:
>    We can hardly reconcile ourselves to this; although perhaps in view of
our own consumption of raw oysters "on the half shell," we have little right
to be over-fastidious in the matter of "broundo."
>
>    From Making of America (Michigan-Books):
>
>   Author: [Underhill, Edward Fitch] 1830-1898.
> Title: The history and records of the Elephant club; comp. from authentic
documents now in possession of the Zoèological society. By Knight Russ
Ockside, M. D. [pseud.] and Q. K. Philander Doesticks, P. B. [pseud.]
> Publication date: 1857.
> Pg. 73:  "Here are the spot, Where good oysters is got."  The club
descended into the saloon, and Mr. Cake called for six half dozens on the
half shell.
>
>    From Literature Online (drama):
>
> Brougham, John, 1810-1880 [Author Record]
> Columbus, El Filibustero!! (1858) 94Kb
> COLUMBUS EL FILIBUSTERO!! A NEW AND AUDACIOUSLY ORIGINAL
HISTORICO-PLAGIARISTIC, ANTE-NATIONAL, PRE-PATRIOTIC, AND OMNI-LOCAL
CONFUSION OF CIRCUMSTANCES, RUNNING THROUGH TWO ACTS AND FOUR CENTURIES. AS
PERFORMED AT BURTON'S THEATRE, DECEMBER, 1857 AND AT HOLLIDAY STREET
THEATRE, BALTIMORE, 1858. 92Kb
> Found 1 hit:
> Main text 88Kb
> ACT II. 25Kb
> SCENE I. 24Kb
> ...dozen roasted Jews on the  half-shell--- [Standardized name] ...
>
>
>    From Accesible Archives:
>
> December 8, 1859
> THE NATIONAL ERA
> Washington, D. C.
> Page 193
> ... shop, but they only give him the dyspepsia, and he longs now, with the
longing of miserable nostalgia, for a couple of dozen â?oSound oystersâ? on
the half-shell, or a big plate of clam-chowder, as only Molly knows how to
prepare it. AhMolly!that thought chokes him. He has gambled with some of the
...
>