[QUICK, John.] A stipple engraving of Quick as Don Lewis in Cibber’s Love Makes A Man. [London: J. Bell, 1791.] 8 1/2” x 11 3/4”; trimmed to platemark; light stain to lower right corner; short, closed tear to upper edge; image very good. $45
[QUICK, John.] A stipple engraving of Quick as Don Lewis in Cibber's
Love Makes A Man. [London: T. Palser, 1831.] 8 1/4" x 11 1/4",
margins trimmed; minor wear at edges. $40
A full-length portrait of Quinn, in costume, after DeWilde. He stands,
leaning on a stick in his right hand. This portrait, originally printed
by Bell in 1791, was reissued at the time of the actor's death in 1831.
[RACINE, Jean.] A line-engraved portrait of Racine, [c. 1800].
7 1/2" x 10 1/2"; three pinholes to left edge.
$25
A bust portrait, coat of arms at base of oval, all within a rectangle.
RAHBEK, K[nud] L. and P. FOERSOM. THEONE. Et Qvartlskrift. Koibenhavn: F. Brummers, 1811. First Edition. 2 vols. Small 8vo; original pink wraps, (Vol. 1 printed wraps); uncut and partially unopened; minor dusting to margins. $65
An assemblage of theatrical pieces by, or selected by, the Danish dramatist and critic Rahbek. Included are accounts of the career of the actor, stage director, and acting teacher Frederik Schwarz; “Arlequinos og Pierots Oprindelse” by Ohlenschlaeger; a short musical piece between Titania and three fairies with a prologue by Princess Charlotta and Prince Wilhem; an Epilogue to the ballet Sigrid; “Et Besog hos Joseph Haydn” by Iffland; a lengthy tribute to the actor Peter Saabye; the text of “Scener af første Deel af Shakespeare’s Henrik den Fierde”; plus other pieces.
[RANELAGH GARDENS.] A hand-colored vue d’optique engraving, “A View of the Canal Chinese Building, Rotunde in Ranelagh Gardens, with Masquerade, &.” Paris: n. d., c. [1770]. 17” x 10”, plus margins; original color, bright; pinholes to margins; early holograph title to upper margin. $175
This handsome and brightly hand-colored print was intended to be used with a boîte d’optique. It depicts various masquerade revelers around the Chinese building (the Rotunda in the background) at the London pleasure gardens.
[RAVOGLI, Guilia.] A two-page autograph note, signed, from Ravogli to a Mrs. Champeneys. London: [February 1897]. Small 8vo leaf, folded; pale-blue stock; original folds; with the original stamped envelope. $95•The famed contralto writes Champeneys about the impossibility of bicycling and briefly mentioning music.
[RAYMOND, John T.] A photogravure portrait of Raymond as Col. Sellers in The Gilded Age. [New York]: Gebbie, 1888. 8 1/2" x 11 1/2", plus wide margins; a hint of spotting to outermost margins. $10
[REBECQUI’S FANTOCCINI.] A silk playbill for J. Rebecqui’s Italian and English Fantoccini at the Merchant Taylor’s Hall, Bristol, 16 September, 1799. Ivory silk; text printed in black; creased to eighths; tipped by cellotape to stiff card at central horizontal fold and at head; silk quite frayed (with slight loss) at folds and taped portions; some dusting. $225
A benefit performance for Mrs. Rebecqui under the patronage of the Prince of Wales (with his coat of arms at the head). J. Rebecqui worked the machinery of the puppets and his wife provided the dresses for the performances of L’Evreur du Moment, Blue-Beard, and a hornpipe by a British sailor. McCormick records Rebecqui exhibiting as late as 1850.
[REDMAN, Samuel.] A line-engraving, “Mr. Redman of the Theatre Royal Covent Garden.” [London (?): Kersting, c. 1765.] 4 1/8” x 5”, plus full margins. $35
A vignette bust portrait of the actor in character, left profile, in banyan and cap. Redman began his stage career in Ireland (c. 1735-41), was at Bartholomew Fair through the 1740’s, and acted regularly at Covent Garden for more than 20 years from 1749 onwards.
REED, Joseph. TOM JONES, A Comic Opera.... London: for Becket and De Hondt and Richardson and Urquhart, 1769. First Edition. Disbound; light dusting to half-title; stitching loosening. $90
[REEVE, Adah.] A photographic postcard, signed by Reeve, [c. 1900]. Adhesion marks to three margins. $15
A three-quarters length image of the popular comedienne Reeve (who was billed as the Juvenile Wonder of the Halls) with a dark, full signature.
[REHAN, Ada.] A photogravure portrait of Rehan as Katharine in
The Taming of the Shrew. [New York]: Gebbie, 1888. 8 1/2" x
11 1/2", plus wide margins; very slight foxing to margins. $15
A full-length portrait of Rehan, standing, arms crossed at her waist, costumed in a trailing, embroidered gown.
[REICHHARDT, Johann F.] An engraved costume plate, “Hercules 1tes Costume in dem Melodrama: Der Tod des Hercules.” [Berlin: L. W. Wittich, 1812.] 4 1/2” x 8 3/4”, plus margins; original hand coloring; bright. $40
A full-length portrait of an actor standing, a large club held over his left shoulder. His costume incorporates the pelt of a lion (as headdress and cape) and sandals. The sandals are depicted in an enlarged view to the left. The costume relates to a production Reichhardt’s melodrama at Berlin’s Königlich National-Theater.
[REINHARDT, Max.] An illustrated program, “Die Schauspieler im Theater in der Josefstadt unter der Führung von Max Reinhardt,” including a four-page bill for a performance of Galsworthy’s Gesellschaft, 1928. 4to; original color decorative wrappers; paper label to upper cover; illustrated; prospectus inserted. $20
[REINHARDT, Max.] An illustrated program, “Die Schauspieler im Theater in der Josefstadt under der Führung von Max Reinhardt 1925,” including a four-page bill for a performance of Galsworthy’s Gesellschaft. Small 4to original decorative wrappers; stapled; paper labels to upper cover. $25
[REMEZOV, Ivan.] [Carmen. Opera....] [Moscow: Upravleuie Teatrami], 1934. 12mo; stiff wraps; color illustration to upper cover; spine worn, with loss at ends; lower fore-corner of front cover creased; seven illustrated plates; vignette illustrations. $30
Three introductory essays are followed by a 40-page prose synopsis of Bizet’s opera. The plates and portraits are by F. Federovsky and A. Sokolov.
REUSS, Prince Heinrich XLV (Editor). JAHRBUCH DES REUSSISCHEN THEATERS. Gera-Ruess: Reinhold & Blau, 1923. Original cloth-backed boards; fore-corners of boards a bit bruised; small ink stamp to title-page; sepia plates at the end. $40
1/550 numbered copies to fine paper. The 14 essays and dramatic pieces include Thomas Mann's "Kino. Romanfragment" and "Opernregie" by Hans Muzenbecher. The plates at the end reproduce 12 settings for productions of 1921 and 1922.
[RÉVILLY, ?] A lithographed portrait, “Melle. Révilly, rôle de Thérésa, dans La Val d’Andorre.” Paris: Martinet- Hautecoeur, [c. 1849]. 6 3/4” x 10 3/4”, including margins: hand colored; faint finger soiling to edges. $20
This Gallerie Dramatique portrait shows the singer, full length, in the costume of her role in Halévy’s opera (Ópera Comique, November 1848).
[REYNOLDS, Frederick.] BEGONE DULL CARE: A Comedy.... New York: David Longworth, 1808. 12mo; unbound; sewn; some dusting and spotting; marginal tear to one leaf. $30
REYNOLDS, Frederick. THE DRAMATIST: or Stop Him Who Can! A Comedy.... London: for T. N. Longman, 1793. Disbound; closed tear to (blank portion of) terminal leaf, with early repair to verso. $50
Reynolds’ first comedy, first performed in May 1789, with a prologue by Robert Merry and the epilogue by Miles Peter Andrews. This is the first authorized edition (at least two Dublin piracies had appeared in 1790).
RICCOBONI, Louis. REFLEXIONS HISTORIQUES ET CRITIQUES SUR LES DIFFERENS THEATRES DE L’EUROPE. Avec les Pensées sur la Déclamation. Paris: Jacques Guerin, 1738. First Edition. Contemporary speckled calf; upper cover detached; corners a little worn; spine in compartments, gilt; red morocco label; spine ends chipped; woodcut device to title-page; closed tear from margin (with neat archival repair) to F6 and K3 (the latter touching footnote, but with no loss of text); occasional light marginal spotting. $300
RICHARDSON, Joseph. THE FUGITIVE: A Comedy. London: for J. Debrett, 1792. Modern blue wraps; early ink scribbles to foot of half-title. $35
[RISTORI, Adelaide.] A photogravure portrait of Ristori as Lady
Macbeth. [New York]: Gebbie, 1887. 8 1/2" x 11 1/2", plus wide
margins. $12
A bust portrait.
[RISTORI, Adelaide.] A lithographed portrait, “Mme. Ristori, Rôle de Médéé.” Paris: Godard, [c. 1856]. 8” x 11 1/2”, including margins; colored by hand and heightened by gum arabic; light foxing; colors bright. $30
[RISTORI, Adélaide.] LETTRES SUR LA RISTORI, et Considerations sur l’Art Théatral en France. Par D. B. Paris: G. Havard, 1856. 16mo; disbound. $60
A rare appreciation of the Italian actress issued after her return to the stage and her triumphant Paris seasons of 1855-56. No copy recorded in NUC.
[RISTORI, Adelaide.] MEMOIRS AND ARTISTIC STUDIES OF ADELAIDE RISTORI. Rendered into English by G. Mantellini. With Biographical Appendix by L. D. Ventura. Illustrated from photographs and engravings. New York: Doubleday, Page, 1907. Pictorial cloth, rubbed and soiled; frontisportrait; plates. $25
[ROBINSON’S PANTOMIME.] A script banknote for Col. Robinson’s New Humpty Dumpty Pantomime and Specialty Company, [c. 1881-82]. 7” x 3”; decorative recto in black with red underprint; decorative and pictorial verso in green; 1/2” of fraying to one upper corner; gentle folds. $85
A humorous promotional piece for the pantomime company, seasons of 1881 and 1882. The recto incorporates four vignettes of clown heads and text in a variety of decorative typefaces. The verso has another four clown heads and a central engraving a comical pantomime scene (with clowns, a dog, and a mule).
[ROSIER, (?).] A juvenile drama portrait, “Mademoiselle Rosier as Columbine.” London: A. Park, [c. 1837]. Creasing; dust soiling and scattered light foxing. $30
Rosier is shown dancing in a North African setting. She is about to balance on her left foot and swings a floral garland over her head.
ROSIER, [Joseph-Bernard]. LA LUNE ROUSSE. Comédie.... La France Dramatique au Dix-Neuvième Siècle. Variétiés. Paris: Barba [and others], 1839. Thin 8vo; decorative wraps, slightly soiled; backstrip frayed; text in double columns; unopened. $20
[ROSSI, Ernesto.] OTHELLO. Tragedie... de W. Shakespeare. Traduction Italienne de Guilio Careano. Paris: Lévy Frères, 1866. Tall 8vo; disbound; untrimmed; very minor foxing to a few fore-edges; text in double columns. $20
A dual-language (Italian and French) text of Shakespeare’s tragedy as presented by Rossi (himself portraying Othello) at Paris’ Théatre Impérial Italien from 29 May, 1866.
[ROSSINI, Gioacchino.]
A playbill for Rossini's Cinderella at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham, 28 May, 1832. Lightest of foxing, very good. $30
The opera was followed by Vandenoff's The Roman Actor, with Vandenhoff, Webster, and Vining.
[ROSSINI, Gioacchino.] A Covent Garden playbill for The Maid of Judah, 9 March, 1830. Minor fraying to side edges; very good. $25
This production of Lacy’s opera (an adaptation of Deschamps’ Ivanhoe), with music by Rossini featured Paton as Rebecca, Diddear as Robin Hood, and Bartley as Friar Tuck.
[ROTT, Moritz.] An engraved portrait, "Hr. Rott als Grosscanon." Vienna: Theaterzeitung, [c. 1850 (?)]. 6 1/2" x 9", plus margins; original hand coloring. $40
ROUCHÉ, Jacques. L’ART THÉATRAL MODERNE. Nouvelle Édition. Paris: Bloud & Gay, 1924. 4to; printed wraps, a bit worn; rebacked and spine further reinforced; illustrated. $50
An influential book which gives prominence to the work of Craig and Appia as well as to that of a number of innovative contemporary designers from Germany and the Soviet Union. Well illustrated.
ROUSSEAU, [Jean-Baptiste]. PIECES DE THEATRE DE MR. ROUSSEAU.
Paris: Pierre Ribou, 1713. 12mo; full period polished calf; decorative gilt
to compartments; gilt dentelles; minor foxing to a very few leaves; very
good. $95
A pleasant copy of this collection of five dramatic pieces by Rousseau,
issued the year after the author's banishment (for composing and distributing
foul and defamatory verses). It contains the verse tragedies Jason
and Venus et Adonis and three comedies he wrote for the Comédie
Française between 1694 and 1700. These are the one-act farce Le
Caffé, the five-act Le Flatteur (owing something to Tartuffe),
and the verse comedy Le Capriceux.
ROWE, Joseph Andrew. CALIFORNIA’S PIONEER CIRCUS. Memoirs and Personal Correspondence Relative to the Circus Business Through the Gold Country in the 50’s. Edited by Albert Dressler. [San Francisco]: H.S. Croker, [1926]. First Edition Thus. 8vo; gilt-decorated cloth; very slight external wear; illustrated. $30
1/1250 copies. “A very valuable record of the rise and fall of America’s early and most picturesque showmen (Toole-Stott).” Rowe began as an expert rider in 1829 (age 10), toured with various circuses, and in 1856 opened his own Pioneer Circus in San Francisco. Amongst Toole-Stott’s “100 Best Circus Books.” §Toole-Stott 868.
ROWE, N[icholas]. TAMERLANE. A Tragedy. London: J. Wenman, 1778. Later brown wraps; text in double columns; engraved frontisportrait; lightly foxed. $16
The fine engraved frontisportrait depicts Miss P. Hopkins in the character of Selima.
[ROZET, Jean François.] A broadside for the strongman Rozet at the Augsburger Stadt-Theater, 14 March, 1831. 10” x 14 1/2”; text enclosed by decorative woodcut border; minor creasing to side (blank) margin; very good. $250
This densely worded bill lists numerous feats performed by the “Hercules von Lyons.” His exhibition was divided into two major parts, the first appears to be presentations of living statuary and the second of stunts of lifting and strength. We are unaware of any bills or notices for Rozet prior to 1840 when he appeared in Rostock, Hamburg, and Hanover. After about 1843 he disappears, but intriguingly a J. Rozetto, “French Hercules” was in America, with Foley’s Circus (September 1850), the National Circus in San Francisco (1852/53), and Lee and Marshall’s Circus (April 1854) — see Koon’s Gold Rush Performers.
[RUSSELL, Annie.] ANNIE RUSSELL IN A ROYAL FAMILY. As Produced at the Lyceum Theatre. New York: R.H. Russell, 1900. 4to; decorative stiff red wraps; minor wear to backstrip; contents printed to heavy stock; stitching loose; frontisportrait; illustrated; internally fresh. $30
[RUSSELL, Lillian.] A Boston Museum program for Russell and Rice’s Gaiety Comic Opera Company in Mortimer’s Polly, from 13 July, 1885. 4to; merest hint of foxing; minor mounting trace to gutter of last page. $25
Russell appeared as Polly Pluckrose, the Pet of the Regiment.
[RUSSELL, William H.] A one-page autograph letter, signed, from Russell. Providence: 8 June, 1841. Folio; leaf, folded; holograph address and remnant of wax seal to integral page; original folds; boldly signed. $85
[RUSSIAN CIRCUS.] An illustrated circus poster for the "Ioby
Cirk Nikitink" in Moscow, 14 January, 1912. 16 3/4"x 21 1/2";
pink, tissue-thin stock; gently creased to quarters; minor nicks to one
upper margin; original trimming to margin at head; five halftone illustrations;
a fairly well-preserved example of a fragile poster.
$250
The featured acts are the equestrians the Seven Fridianis (four of the
illustrations are of their act) and a troupe of Japanese performers (pictured
in costume in the fifth illustration).
[RUSSIAN THEATRE.] A sepia carte-de-visite photograph of an unidentified actor. Moscow: "Photographie des Théâtres Imperiaux," [c. 1880 (?)]. Image a trifle soiled; lithographed text to verso. $40