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1. ABBÉ, Charles S. OUR GREAT ACTORS. Portraits of Celebrated Actors in Their Most Distinguished Roles. Reproduced from Paintings in Color. Boston: Estes and Laurent, n. d. [1890]. Folio; chromolithographed pictorial boards; minor soiling to covers; one faint stain into covers from head of backstrip; patterned endpapers; title-page in red and black; six chromolithographed plates to heavy stock; scattered light foxing, primarily to title-page and contents leaf; plates loose, as issued; lacking the ribbon tie to fore-edge of cover. $60
A portfolio of six chromolithographed plates, after watercolor portraits, of distinguished actors in favorite roles: Booth as Richelieu, Salvini as Macbeth, Jefferson as Bob Acres, Coquelin as Mescarille, Barrett as Lanciotto, and Irving as Mephistopheles.
2. [ACROBAT AND EQUILIBRIST.] A double-page playbill for the Covent Garden Christmas pantomime, Harlequin and Queen Mab, 27 January, 1835. Pale blue stock; minor wrinkling to edges. $60
One scene of the pantomime incorporated “performances on the slack rope by Mr. Blackmore [and] feats of agility by Mr. W. Lawrence.” Blackmore began as a juvenile acrobat at Astley’s and Jones’ Amphitheatres. The acrobatic clown Lawrence assumed the Italian-sounding name Felix Carlo after the death of Grimaldi in 1837 (he wanted to suggest he was Grimaldi’s successor). He was later engaged with Hengler’s in Paris and St. Petersburg before emigrating to America where, in the 1850’s, he and his sons were considered to be the greatest balancers in the world.
3. [ALBERT, Marie C.] A stipple-and-line engraved portrait, “Costume de Mme. Albert, rôle de Nelly, dans Henry V et ses compagnone.” Paris: Martinet, [c. 1830]. 4 3/4” x 7 1/2”, plus margins; colored by hand. $30
A full-length portrait of the actress, standing, in costume. Romieu and Royer’s drama premiered at the Theatre des Nouveauties in February 1830.
4. [ANDERSON, James R.] A juvenile drama portrait, “Mr. Anderson as William Tell.” London: W. S. Johnson, [c. 1837]. Some foxing, primarily to upper edge. $30
Anderson stands, legs apart, a crossbow gripped in his right hand and his left arm raised in gesture. The vignette scene behind represents the target-shooting scene.
5. [ANDERSON, Mary.] A tall broadside bill for Anderson and her London Company at Liverpool’s Alexandra Theatre the week of 8 October, 1888. 10” x 29 3/4”; printed in sepia; a bit of creasing; minor wear and light soiling to portions of margins only; small original posting hole near head; linen backed. $70
Four pieces are announced in repertoire: Anderson as Juliet in Romeo and Juliet, as Hermione and Perdita in The Winter’s Tale, as Galatea in Gilbert’s Pygmalion & Galatea, and as Clarice in Gilbert’s Comedy & Tragedy.
6. [ANONYMOUS.] BIBLIOTHEQUE DU THEATRE FRANÇOIS Depuis Son Origine; Contenant un Extrait de touts les Ouvrages composês pour ce Théâtre.... [Dresden]: Michel Groell, 1768. First Edition. 3 vols. 8vo; contemporary mottled calf, worn; gilt to spines; morocco labeling pieces; paper label to foot of each spine; hinges worn; one cover nearly detached; ex-library with perforated stamps to titles and ink-stamped number to the head of first page of text of each volume; engraved frontispieces; marbled edges. $175
The first edition of a three-volume, comprehensive bibliography of French theatrical works, arranged chronologically from early editions of mystery plays through the mid-18th century.
7. [ANONYMOUS.] LETTRE SUR LA COMEDIE DE L’ECOSSAISE. [Paris: n.p., 1760.] First Edition. 12mo; disbound; minor dusting. $70
A twelve-page pamphlet, rather scathingly attacking Voltaire’s comedy L’Ecossaise. The author addresses Voltaire’s characterization of Palissot’s mentor Fréron (author of L’Année Littéraire) as the corrupt journalist Frélon (French for “wasp”), “ecrevien de feuilles et fripon,” and criticizes the playwright for producing “ce tissu d’injures et de calomnies [et] ce drame monstrueux et diffamotoire.” Sometimes attributed to Louis Poinsinet de Vivry. §Quérard 815. Vercruysse 315.
8. ANTHONY, Gordon. THE SLEEPING PRINCESS: Camera Studies. With Text by Nadia Benois, Arnold Haskell and Constant Lambert. London: Routledge & Sons, [1940]. Large 4to; original dark-blue cloth; minor signs of wear to covers; heavy grey stock; numerous tipped-in plates. $65
A collection of “action” pictures of the Royal Ballet’s production, depicting the “chief characters from the story, in poses which are near as possible characteristic ones, taken from the dances they illustrate,” as well as the settings, 63 tipped-in plates in total. The articles are: “Tchaikowsky and the Ballet,” by Lambert; “Decor and Costume,” by Benois; and a study of the choreography by Haskell.
A program featuring Antoine as Albert in Ancey’s La Dupe. With a handsome cover design and several halftone portraits of performers.
10. [ARNAULT, Gabrielle.] A lithographed portrait, “Mme Arnault, Rôle de Margarita, dans Les Adventures de Maudrin.” Paris: Godard, [c. 1856]. 8” x 11 1/2”, including margins; colored by hand. $25
A full-length portrait of the actress in role at the Théâtre de la Gaite. She stands, head turned slightly to the left, one hand on a hip.
11. BANNISTER, N[athaniel] H. THE GENTLEMAN OF LYONS; or, The Marriage Contract. A Play.... New York: Levison & Brother, 1838. First Edition. 12mo; early plain wrappers; early bookseller’s stamp to title-page. $100
Bannister, according to Walter Meserve, was the actor-playwright “who made the most significant contributions to American dramatic literature...,” in the second quarter of the 19th century, “unquestionably American in his outlook and professionally trained to take advantage of the various and fickle fashions of the American theatre.” This melodrama is dedicated to “James H. Caldwell, the founder of the drama in the southern states,” where Bannister played leading roles. §S&S 49005. Roden, p. 13.
12. BARNUM, P[ineas] T. LIFE OF P.T. BARNUM. Written by Himself, Including His Golden Rules for Money-Making. Brought up to 1888. Buffalo: The Courier Company, 1888. Publisher’s rust-colored patterned cloth; gilt to spine; modest rubbing to extremities; printed leaf of presentation, signed, to front free endpaper; engraved frontisportrait and plates; closed tear from gutter of one plate, repaired to verso. $300
A revised edition of the greatest of 19th-century American circus autobiographies. This copy carries a leaf of presentation to the editor of “The Herald,” with Barnum’s holograph signature at the foot.
A very good example of the 16-page courier for the premiere season of Barnum’s Circus. The splendidly illustrated center spread holds a plethora of miniature engravings of the attractions, surrounding a large central image of Barnum and “living wild animals.” The muster of wonders incorporated these wild animals, Admiral Dot, the French giant Mons. Goliath, Robert-Houdin’s Dying Zouave and Pepper’s Mechanical Leotard (as well as other automatons), the Infant Esau, Anna Leake, Costello’s trained horses, and numerous stars of the ring. Several of these ads are shown in the illustrations. A portion of the text is in German.
14. [BARROILHET, Paul.] A holograph musical quote and signed inscription from Barroilhet. N.p.: 1848. Oblong 4to leaf; two small mounting tabs to blank portion. $45
A quote of Figaro’s aria from The Barber of Seville, boldly inscribed and signed by the noted baritone (1805-71).
Most probably the border to an illustrated letter sheet (similar to others we have offered by the juvenile drama publisher Webb). Half-a-dozen vignette illustrations within ornamental frames depict trick equestrians and the arrival of a circus wagon emblazoned “Batty’s Band Carriage.”
16. [BEADLE, Irwin P. (Compiler).] BEADLE’S DIME AMERICAN SPEAKER. Comprising Gems of Elocution and Humor for Schools, Exhibitions, Parlors, Etc. New York: Beadle and Company, n. d. [c. 1863]. 12mo; pictorial wrappers, lightly spotted; minor wear to spine edges; very good. $25
A revised and enlarged edition of the first in the Speaker’s Series (first published in 1859). It includes “The Case of Mr. Macbeth,” “The Professor on Phrenology,” and “Woman’s Rights.”
A playbook and set of hand-colored paper dolls inspired by Master Betty. The introductory poem “Young Albert” is followed by soliloquies from Douglas, Barbarossa, Richard III, Hamlet, Othello, As You Like It, and Henry IV. The figures for Barbarossa and Othello are missing.
18. BISHOP, H[enry] R. The sheet music to “Pretty Sophy.” New York: W. Dubois, [1817]. Large 4to; removed; a bit of foxing and offsetting. $25
The words and music to Bishop’s song “as sung by Mr. Nichols.” §Wolfe 772.
19. [BOCHSA, Nicolas-Charles.] A broadside bill announcing a “grand performance of Ancient & Modern Music... under the direction of Mr. Bochsa” at Covent Garden, 19 February, 1823. Pale blue stock. $50
The principal vocal performers included Vestris, Camporese, Braham, Tree, Patton, and Bulgari “(her first appearance in this country)”. The music was selected from Handel, Mozart, Rossini, and Bochsa. The charismatic harp player, composer, and teacher Bochsa was immortalized as Svengali by George DuMaurier.
20. BOEHN, Max von. PUPPEN UND PUPPENSPIELE. München: F. Bruckmann, [1929]. Original cloth, rubbed; cloth torn at upper joint of second volume; ends worn, profusely illustrated. $50
An excellent, lavishly illustrated history. The first volume is a comprehensive study of dolls — their history, uses, and types. The second volume is devoted to the origins and history of puppet shows and marionettes from the 16th century onwards. Two chapters cover shadow theatres. At the end the author has added the puppet play of Dr. Faustus and an extensive bibliography.
21. [BRAHAM, John.] A tall broadside bill for Braham’s benefit night at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham, 10 October, 1827. 8 1/2” x 25 1/2”; pale blue stock; central horizontal fold; minor creasing and dusting, primarily to right margin, and a bit of light offsetting. $50
A plethora of bold typefaces announce Braham in Morton’s The Slave and in Apollo’s Festival.
22. [BRUNSWICK THEATRE.] A stipple-engraved print, “Ruins of the New Brunswick Theatre.” [London]: Wittock & Goodman, [1828]. 11 1/2” x 10 3/4”; trimmed to platemark; thumbsoiling to margins; creasing to lower right corner (well away from image). $85
“Drawn Saturday March 1st... from an upper room of the opposite house.” A scene of devastation after the disaster in which 15 people were killed during rehearsals at the newly opened Royal Brunswick Theatre. Only three days following the theatre’s opening the roof fell, burying in the rubble most everyone present.
The two masked figures taunt each other using their swords to imitate phalluses. The etched scene to the background incorporates a musician, dancers, and other members of a commedia troupe. From Callot’s series The Asinine Dance.
24. [CALLOT, Jacques.] A small engraving of the commedia dell’arte characters Siga. Lucia and Trastullo by Callot, a later impression, [c. 1690 (?)]. 3 3/4” x 2 3/4”, plus margins; moderate dustsoiling, primarily to edges. $80
The masked Trastullo kneels to kiss a slipper proffered by the hand of Lucia. The etched scene to the background shows other groupings of commedia characters. From Callot’s series The Asinine Dance.
25. [CAMPBELL, Beatrice.] THE BRIDGE. A Dramatic Episode... by Seton Malcolm. Adapted from a short story by Philip O’Farrell. N. p.: [c. 1911]. 4to; plain brown wraps; front cover nearly detached; paper label to upper cover; vertical central crease; typewritten text to rectos only; manuscript stage directions to text and opposing leaves. $150
An original typescript, a prompt copy (marked such to cover label) used by Mrs. Patrick Campbell. It carries holograph text revisions and extensive cues and stage directions. Loosely inserted is a program for her appearance in the one-act play at the Brighton Hippodrome in 1911.
26. [CAMPELL, William.] A handbill for the exhibition of “Her Majesty’s Largest Subject! Mr. W. Campell, the Scottish Giant,” at the Egyptian Hall, London, [c. 1879]. 4 3/4” x 7 1/2”; yellow stock. $150
”Campell weighs 52 stone, is 6 feet 4 inches high, measures 96 inches round the shoulders, 76 inches round the chest,... and is 23 years of age....”
The illustration and bold type herald “Mr. W. H. Payne, the first pantomimist of the age and Mr. R. Partridge and his wonderful dogs Carlo and Neptune” in the canine spectacular.
A colorful and decorative letterhead heralding “En Tourage of the Globe — Carter the Mysterious — Twenty Tons of Magical Accoutrements and Paraphernalia....”
29. [CATALANI, Angelica.] A Covent Garden playbill announcing Catalani in an evening of oratorios, 23 March, [1814]. Nearly fine. $70
Catalani and Braham were the principal performers.
30. [CHABERT, Julien X.] A column advertisement for performances of “the Fire King, Monsieur Chabert” at the Argyll Rooms, in a complete issue of The Age, London, 13 September, 1829. Folio; embrowned; minor edge wear; central horizontal fold. $25
The advertisement gives a précis of his hot-oven act. Other advertisements give notice of performances at the Haymarket and English Opera House, and several of the publication of new music (one exclusively for Madame Vestris’ “Spring is Coming”). Two columns of the text are also devoted to “Theatricals.”
31. CHENIER, M[arie]-J[oseph]. TIBÉRE, Tragedie...; Avec une Analyse de Cette Piece, par M. Népomucène Lemercier.... Paris: Ponthieu, 1819. First Edition. Disbound; faint dampstaining to upper fore-corners; untrimmed at foot. $50
The first edition of Chenier’s Romantic tragedy. It premiered at the Théâtre-Français in December 1819, the cast included Talma, Lafon, and Duchénois. Napoleon and his Imperial censors quickly banned its performance. Lemercier’s 30-page analyse precedes the text of the play.
An early minstrel songster, “published under the authority of E. P. Christy... originator of Ethiopian minstrelsy and the first to harmonize Negro melodies,” containing the text to more than 50 songs and sketches. The title-page vignette depicts a plantation scene.
A lively and bright poster for the Paris circus. The two scenes depicted are of the welcome to a party of Westerners — the upper scene including elephants and the lower one elephants, exotic acrobats (on a wagon pulled by decorative-clad horses), and dancers.
34. [CLEVELAND THEATER.] A tall playbill for a performance of Coleman’s The Poor Gentleman at the Cleveland Theater, 22 September, 1855. Tear to upper corner, repaired; light foxing to foot; short, closed tear, repaired, at head; one horizontal crease. $30
This bill for the opening of the Fall and Winter season lists the stock company to the center.
35. [COLLIER, John Payne.] PUNCH AND JUDY, With Illustrations Designed by George Cruikshank. Accompanied by the Dialogue of the Puppet-Show, An Account of Its Origin, And of Puppet-Plays in England. From the first London Edition. New York: G.G. Sickles, n. d. [1830]. Original printed cream-colored boards; rebacked; covers a bit soiled and rubbed, particularly at edges; corners bumped and worn; engraved frontispiece and title-page, both with contemporary hand-coloring; 22 engraved illustrations, printed one side only, to 12 plates, all with simple hand-coloring, bound in at the front; minor foxing to a few leaves; light juvenile pencil markings to foot of frontispiece and to four blank leaves. $175
A very early American edition of the Collier/Cruikshank Punch and Judy (we have traced only one earlier — New York: S. King, 1828), a classic of English puppetry books. This edition includes the important introductory chapters (on the origin of Punch in Italy, puppet plays in England, Punch in England, the nature of Punch’s performances, etc.) and this copy contains 15 of the Cruikshank illustrations plus duplicates of the first seven — all bound out of order at the front, as well as Cruikshank’s frontispiece of Mr. Punch.
36. COLMAN, George. THE MAN OF BUSINESS, A Comedy. A New Edition. London: T. Becket, 1775. Disbound; tear to upper fore-corner of title-page (perhaps excising a previous owner’s name); publisher’s advertisement to final page. $20
Based in part on Beaumarchais’s Les Deux Amis. First published the previous year, this edition carries ten pages of preliminary text.
Lively images, all full length, five showing Harlequin in different poses, one of Mezzetin, one of Pantaloon, and one of Scaramouche.
A 12-page conjuring booklet containing just over 50 (primarily scientific) illusions. The woodcut to the title-page shows a pair of juvenile conjurers (one female, one male) performing at a drumtable, the word “MAGIC” illuminated behind them. §Toole-Sottt (Conjuring) 1407.
39. [CONJUROR’S MAGAZINE.] THE CONJUROR’S MAGAZINE, or, Magical and Physionomical Mirror. Including A Superb Edition of Lavater’s Essays on Physiognomy. Vol. I. London: for W. Locke, 1792. First Edition. Modern buckram; library deaccession stamp to front pastedown; front hinge cracked but firm; engraved frontispiece, with tear from gutter to lower third (repaired to reverse); lacking the remainder of the plates; text in double columns. $125
The first of two volumes of the first periodical known to feature conjuring (a supplemental volume, The Astrologer’s Magazine, incorporating very little conjuring was published in 1794). Issued monthly it contains sections describing tricks abstracted from, and credited to, the works of Breslaw, Dean, and Pinetti. According to Toole-Stott the rare Lavater plates are more often than not missing and this copy includes the frontispiece alone. Bound volumes of the periodical are “highly prized by collectors (Hall).” §Toole-Stott (Conjuring) 179. Clarke and Blind, p. 57.
40. [CONNOR, Edmon S.] A handbill announcing the engagement of Connor at the Surrey Theatre from 22 May, [1872]. Pink stock; central crease. $12
The “great American actor... [made] his first appearance in England” as Falstaff in Henry IV. Connor was for many years manager of Philadelphia’s Arch Street Theatre.
This original ink and gray-wash design depicts the puppets Gnafron, Guignol, and La Nouvelle Année. Below are eight lines of text. Offered with an example of the postcard produced from the design.
42. COWLEY, [Hannah]. A SCHOOL FOR GREYBEARDS; or, The Mourning Bride: A Comedy.... London: for G. G. J. and J. Robinson, 1786. First Edition. Disbound; quite foxed. $25
Part of the plot is borrowed from Behn’s The Lucky Chance. It premiered at Drury Lane in November 1786 (with Kemble, Farren, and Crouch).
A well-executed design showing a climactic scene in Faucit’s nautical melodrama (Haymarket 1837). The heroine stands before a dungeon door to the right, her arms flung out in alarm, menaced by a trio of mutineers (the leader pointing a pistol).
44. CURLING, Henry. RECOLLECTIONS OF THE MESS-TABLE AND THE STAGE. London: T. Bosworth, 1855. First Edition. Brick-red, patterned cloth; gilt to spine. $65
As the title suggests, Curling presents a mixture of military and theatrical anecdotes — amusement being the essential object of the work. The author also wrote a number of three-deckers. A nice copy of a scarce title. §LAR 2663.
45. [DANCE COSTUME.] A color-tinted lithograph, “Costume della Quadriglia Scozzese net Ballo de’19 Febbraro 1827, [c. 1827 (?)]. 9 3/4” x 14 1/2”; slight dusting and wear to outermost margins at head and foot; else very good. $40
A full-length, colored image of a female dancer in a tartan-skirted costume (in pink, blue, and green) and feathered cap. She holds a lily-flowering tulip down in her right hand.
46. [DAVENPORT, Fanny.] A check in payment of $800 to the costumer Madame Lambele, boldly signed by Davenport. N.p.: 15 November, 1894. Pale pink stock; endorsed to reverse; incised bank cancellation stamp. $25
47. [DAVY, John.] The sheet music to, “Tho’ You Leave Me Now in Sorrow.” Philadelphia: G. E. Blake, [1820]. Large 4to; removed; two pages of engraved text and music; light offsetting. $25
The words and music to a duet from the melodrama Rob Roy Macgregor “as sung by Miss Stephens and Mr. Sinclair.” §Wolfe 2332.
48. [DELILLE, Octavia and Caroline DUPUIS.] A silk playbill for Delille as Catarina in Auber’s opera Les Diamants de la Courone and Dupuis as Lauzun in Carmouche and Vermond’s Le Marquis de Lauzun at an unidentified theatre, 20 December, 1849. 8 1/2” x 11 1/2”; silver silk; fringe to three edges; neat creases; merest hint of foxing. $65
A benefit for Dupuis “a Messieurs les Princes de Moldavie.” The third piece on the bill was the vaudeville La Polka en Province.
Delpini is seen dressed as a woman, both arms held over his head, and dancing in imitation of Geltruda Rossi, the leading dancer at the King’s Theatre, as Laura in Le Déserteur. Beneath the title is etched: “Grace was in all her Steps, &c.” Delpini was a pantomimist, dancer, choreographer, and clown associated with both patent-houses, the Haymarket, the ill-fated Royalty, as well as Astley’s and Hughes’ Royal Circus over a 50-year career. §BM 6873.
50. [DRURY LANE.] A holograph ticket/pass for Drury Lane, signed, by the doorman Evans, 13 May, 1800. 3 1/8” x 2 3/8”, a bit of creasing. $40
“T.R.D.L. Admit Two to the Boxes....”
51. [DUCHENOIS, Catherine.] A stipple-and-line engraved portrait, “Mlle. Duchesnois dans Phedre.” Paris: Martinet, [c. 1825]. 4 3/4” x 8 1/8”, plus margins; colored by hand, bright. $35
The great tragedienne is depicted full length, in costume, looking (and gesturing with her right arm) to the left. Not in Harvard Catalogue.
52. [DUCROW, Andrew.] A juvenile drama portrait, “Mr. Ducrow as St. George.” [London]: A. Park, [c. 1860]. Minimal dusting at head; very good. $85
A posthumous portrait of the equestrian star and manager, full length, in full armor and a shield on his back. He stands with legs apart, left arm raised and a battle-ax gripped in his right hand. Alas, no horse.
53. [DUFF], Andrew Halliday (Editor). COMICAL FELLOWS: or, The History and Mystery of the Pantomime: With Some Curiosities and Droll Anecdotes Concerning Clown and Pantaloon, Harlequin and Columbine. London: J. H. Thomson, 1863. First Edition. Small 8vo; modern boards and cloth spine; original chromolithographed pictorial stiff wrappers bound in; minor wear to fore-corners of upper wrapper; engraved illustration to title-page; closed tear (repaired) to gutter of title-page. $325
The author traces the history of pantomime from the invention of the form in ancient Rome, through the commedia and its introduction to England, to Grimaldi and mid-Victorian practices. “Lighthearted, but vastly informative about the mid-19th century pantomime. Scarce, but worth the effort to find (D. Mayer).” The colorful covers depict clown and Pantaloon, Harlequin and Columbine. §LAR 2114 (not seen). Toole-Stott 334.
54. [DUVERNAY, Pauline.] A double playbill for Duvernay in Coralli’s ballet The Devil on Two Sticks at Drury Lane, 2 February, 1837. Pale blue stock; central horizontal fold. $50
Duvernay was seen as Florinda in the pantomimic ballet (based on Lesage’s novel), including her “celebrated Cochoucha dance” and a pas de deux with Ballin. The other piece on the bill was Barnett’s opera The Mountain Sylph.
55. [EFROS, Nikolai.] [K. S. STANISLAVSKIY.] [Petersburg: Svetozar], 1918. Folio; original pictorial wraps; cover and spine chipped and frayed at edges; wanting rear cover; upper cover a trifle spotted; plates and decorations; a profusion of halftone illustrations after photographs, many tipped-on. $150
The sole edition of Efros’ authoritative survey of Stanislavsky, both the man and his art. The text (in Cyrillic) is particularly strong on his early career. Many of the photographic illustrations (after Sakharov and Orlov) are published here for the first time. The cover and book decorations are by S. Chekhovin.
56. [ELLIOT, John H.] A one-page autograph letter, signed, to the final page of a promotional flyer. Newcastle: [1879]. Folio leaf, folded; pale blue stock; penciled text to one page; original folds from mailing. $95
The conjuror Elliot writes seeking an engagement at Alnwick, Northumberland. The recipient has noted “booked” over the body of the text. The flyer itself reprints a series of press opinions of his entertainment. This included his automatons Labo and Zoz “which have great ability in answering questions especially with regards to playing cards” and his Revelations of Spiritualism.
57. [EMERY, John.] An illustrated song sheet, “Exhibitions, or John Lump’s Ramble to Somerset House, &c., Sung by Mr. Emery... at the Theatre Royal, Covent Garden.” [London: Laurie and Whittle, 1806.] 7 1/2” x 10 1/4”; etched illustration (7 1/2” x 5”), colored by hand, at head; trimmed within platemark; ten engraved verses in two columns below; a bit of surface soiling; colors bright. $90
Emery, as the spruce country John Lump in Colman’s farce The Review, stands in Smithfield market, addressing the audience. An ox is tied to a post in the foreground and cattle, drovers, and stalls take up the square behind him. The song, by G. Nicks, relates Lump’s visit to the sights of London. §BM 10679.
58. [EQUESTRIAN DRAMA.] A double-page Drury Lane playbill for the second night of Planche’s Chevy Chase, 5 March, 1836. Printed in red; three gentle horizontal creases; nearly fine. $60
The new equestrian spectacle featured Mathews, Poole, Forde, and “a retinue of armed knights, fully caparisoned, and mounted on a magnificent stud of horses.” The evening’s program opened with Balfe’s opera The Siege of Rochelle. The second page is taken up with bold descriptions of scenes in the “grand chivalric entertainment.” Unusually printed entirely in red.
59. [EQUILIBRISTS.] A Drury Lane playbill for the Christmas pantomime Harlequin & Cock Robin, 3 January, 1828. Pale blue stock; minor creasing to corners; very good. $55
One scene in the pantomime incorporated “the celebrated Herr Cline, on the corda tesa; the phenomena Ching Lauro and Sigr. Garcia, with various feats; and the inimitable Blackmore on the corde volante.” Also on the bill was Dimond’s Isidore de Merida with Braham and Feron.
60. [ERASMUS, Franz.] A broadside playbill announcing Erasmus’ (“herrn Blondin”) troupe as an interact exhibition at the Augsburger Theater, 12 July, 1810. 8 1/2” x 14 1/2”; text within a decorative woodcut border; wide margins; creased to quarters; minute stitching holes to left margin; very good. $200
Erasmus seems to have taken the stage name Blondin when he formed his first troupe of acrobats and equilibrists circa 1800. Four years after this performance he added equestrians to his company, becoming the Cirque Olympic — with which Ducrow, Martin, Loisset, and Gravelet (who took his master’s name) were all engaged early in their careers. The other pieces on the bill were Kotzebue’s Der Sammtrack and the pantomimic ballet Die Spanier in Otahaite.
The German text, translated, reads in part: “You are invited to see one of the eight Wonders of the World, namely a boy of 14 years with two living heads of different countenance, both with hair, eyes, teeth, and mouth.... In addition can be seen such supernatural wonder-creatures as a living cockerel with a horn, a calf with two heads and six feet, and a cat with a single head and two mouths....” The place of exhibition is added in a contemporary hand to the appropriate blank space at the end of the first paragraph. Another hand has noted the 1730 date in pencil.
62. [EXHIBITION.] An illustrated column advertisement for the exhibition of “a beautiful African lion” in a complete issue of Boston’s Mercury and New-England Palladium, 20 November, 1801. Folio; negligible signs of removal to backstrip; minor creasing; a hint of light staining to lower edge. $25
At the head of the exhibition advertisement is a 1/2” woodcut illustration of the lion.
63. [FARLEY, Charles.] A juvenile drama portrait, “Mr. Farley as Sanguinebeck, in Cherry & Fair Star.” [London: Hodgson & Co., 1823.] Trimmed to within platemark, diagonally at the corners and excising the imprint at the foot; laid down to heavy card. $35
Farley stands, legs apart, in costume, a dagger grasped in one hand and an oil lamp in the other. The pantomime Cherry and Fair Star was first produced at Covent Garden for the Easter holidays in 1822 (with Grimaldi as Topack).
64. [FARQUHAR, George and Peter MOTTEUX.] THE STAGE-COACH. A Comedy. London: n. p., 1709. Small 8vo; disbound. $70
Apparently the first printing of this farce as adapted and reduced for performance as an afterpiece by the Drury Lane company in 1709. A rendering of La Chapelle’s Les Corosses d’Orleans, moved to a setting between London and Chester, it had been published in its protracted form (as a Dublin piracy) five years earlier following performances at Lincoln’s Inn Fields.
65. [FARREN, Elizabeth.] A Drury Lane playbill announcing Farren as Maria in Murphy’s The Citizen, 18 January, 1791. $70
Also performed was Cobb’s opera The Siege of Belgrade (with Kelly and Crouch).
66. [FORREST, Edwin.] A handbill-size playbill announcing Forrest in the title role of Conrad’s Jack Cade at Jones’s Athenaeum, Taunton, Massachusetts, 20 January, 1869. $25
The cast also featured G. H. Clark.
67. [FRAKELL, F.] A promotional handbill for the conjuror Frakell and his daughter, Manchester, [c. 1891]. 8 1/4” x 10 1/2”; blue stock; decorative border to recto; gently creased. $65
The handbill solicits the “new and wonderful programme by the celebrated Frakell and his wonderful daughter... also first-class Punch and Judy show and dog Toby.” The verso is taken up with testimonials.
68. [GEORGES, Margueritte.] A stipple-and-line engraved portrait, “Costume de Melle. Georges rôle de la Marquise de Brinvilliers, dans la Chambre Ardente.” Paris: Martinet, [c. 1833]. 4 3/4” x 7 1/2”; colored by hand, bright; one short, closed tear at foot with neat early repair to reverse. $30
The actress is depicted full length, standing, in a beribboned gown and elaborate coiffure. Bayard’s drama opened at the Theatre de la Porte St. Martin in August 1833.
69. [GIFFORD, William.] THE MAEVIAD. By the Author of The Baviad. The Second Edition. London: for the Author, 1796. 4to; disbound. $75
Gifford’s second satire against the Della Cruscans, its model being the tenth satire of Horace. Much of the poem is devoted to a satiric discussion of plays written and produced by members of the Della Cruscan circle (a small group of intellectually keen English writers associated with Mrs. Piozzi’s salon in Florence—Robert Merry, William Parsons, Hannah Cowley, Bertie Greatheed, and others). Gifford mocks their dramas as strained, far-fetched, and filled with unnatural diction and incomprehensible imagery. He is not above descending to personal and sometimes tasteless invective, scorning not only the authors of the plays but also those who wasted their time watching them. Thus Greatheed and Boswell alike are brought under the satirist’s scourge.
70. [GLOVER, Richard.] MEDEA. A Tragedy. London: H. Woodfall, 1762. 8vo; disbound; lacking half-title; title-page and terminal leaf creased and dustsoiled; light foxing to some leaves. $25
A five-act tragedy, “finely written and ‘classic’ with its choruses, penned in cretics, iambics and trochaics, added to every act (Nicoll).”
71. [GLÜCK, Christoph.] An engraved costume plate, “Ubald in der Oper: Armide.” [Berlin: L. W. Wittich, c. 1812.] 5 1/2” x 9”, plus margins; original hand coloring, bright. $40
A full-length portrait of an operatic bass, standing, in the armored costume and plumed helmet of the Crusader Ubald. He holds a staff in his right hand and a shield on his left arm. The costume relates to a production of Glück’s opera at Berlin’s Königlich National-Theater.
72. [GOMERSAL, Alexander.] A penny-plain portrait, “Mr. Gomersal as Captain Rolando.” London: M. Skelt, [c. 1836]. Lightest of dusting and spotting, primarily to edges. $40
Gomersall, in caped costume and armored breastplate, stands in profile to the left, legs apart, a pistol thrust outwards in his right hand and a sword held to his side in his left hand.
The color image depicts an aerialist descending from the basket of a hot air balloon, a trapeze grasped in one hand and a rope in the other. The text heralds Wilder’s circus “combined with Robert Butler’s New York Pantomime and Ballet Troupe.”
74. [GRIMALDI, Joseph.] A Covent Garden playbill for Grimaldi in the pantomime Harlequin and the Swans, 21 March, 1814. Pale blue stock; original (small) mounting holes to upper corners; very good. $60
Grimaldi played Doctor Tomble Tuzzy (afterwards Clown), Bologna was Harlequin, and Norman King Maximo Rotundo (afterwards Pantaloon). Hamlet, with Young and Stephens, was also performed.
A lively, hand-colored image showing Grimaldi, as Clown, riding the “Alpaca.” He wears a cap with an exaggerated visor and holds an oversized whip in his right hand. Norman, as Pantaloon, is costumed in a yellow-and-blue frockcoat and a similar cap. He rides in front of Grimaldi on a small pony. Farley’s popular pantomime, Harlequin and the Red Dwarf, or, The Adamant Rock, was first performed at Covent Garden on Boxing Day 1812. Not in BM.
Each is depicted full length, standing, to the front, in extravagant headdress and costume. Bourgeois and Cornu’s drama premiered at the Theatre de l’Ambigu in October 1836.
77. [HAYMARKET.] A Haymarket playbill announcing the benefit for Mr. Collins and Mr. Griffiths (prompter), 1 April, [1771]. 8 3/4” x 14”; minor toning and creasing; embrowning and short tear to upper right corner; mounting traces to verso of upper corners. $100
The principal performers listed were Robson, Fearon, Dancer, and Collins in Bickerstaffe’s Love in a Village and Woodward and Didier in Foote’s The Englishman in Paris.
78. HENRY, [Louis X.]. MACBETTO. Ballo Mimico.... Milano: Antonio Fontana, 1830. First Edition. 12mo; printed orange wrappers, a trifle worn at edges; contents very good. $75
The scenario to Henry’s five-act ballet, with music by Pugni and scenery by Sanquerico, as premiered at La Scala, Milan, in 1830. The principal dancers included Rubini, Bocci, and Conti. The choreographer’s avvertimento mentions both Scott and Shakespeare.
79. [HENRY, Thomas.] A juvenile drama portrait, “Mr. Henry as Jack Straw.” London: W. S. Johnson, [c. 1837]. Some foxing, primarily to margins; colored by hand. $35
Henry is depicted in his most famous role. He stands, legs apart, a long club in his right hand and his left hand raised in a fist. The background scene shows the sacking and burning of a town.
80. [HOGARTH, William.] A double playbill for Haines’ The Life of a Woman at the Surrey, the week of 25 May, 1840. Gentle folds and creases. $35
The drama is advertised as a “village tragedy... presenting a living embodyment and moving amplification of the concept of the immortal Hogarth’s celebrated series of pictures denominating The Harlot’s Progress.”
81. [HOME, John.] DOUGLAS: A Tragedy. London: for A. Millar, 1757. First Edition. Disbound; lacking half-title; early owner’s name etched out in ink at head of title-page; minor embrowning to edges of title-page; overall very good. $70
Arguably the most controversial tragedy in English of the second half of the 18th century — a cause célèbre in both Edinburgh and London. Editions were published in those cities in the first fortnight of 1757, but newspaper announcements indicate the London one was published a few days before that in Edinburgh. The former is clearly a text derived from the Scottish text, but it is nonetheless the first edition. §Rothschild 1153.
82. [HOWARD ATHENAEUM.] A broadside playbill for Boston’s Howard Athenaeum, 26 July, 1858. Faint glue stain at head; minor creasing at edges; two horizontal creases. $25
A benefit performance for George Jordan, with performances of Living Too Fast, A Day in Paris, and the 5th act of Richard III.
83. HUDSON, Thomas. COMIC SONGS. The Eighth Collection. London: Gold and Walton, 1827. 12mo; disbound; misbound but complete; early repairs to gutter of terminal leaf. $35
A 36-page songster containing the words to 16 adaptations of popular tunes sung at the theatres and pleasure gardens of London. These include “All the World’s A Stage,” “The Elephant in Love” (Chunee of the Exter Change Menagerie), and “Buy A Broom.”
84. [HUMAN ANOMALIES.] A large illustration of the conjoined twins Rosa-Josepha “(le phénomène du Théâtre de la Gaîte),” to the last page of “Le Petit Journal, Supplément Illustré,” 4 July, 1891. Large folio; illustrated self wraps; front and rear illustrations in color; illustrations to text. $30
The illustration (11 1/2” x 13 1/2”) shows the conjoined twins in exotic costume and headdresses as they appeared in Paris. Accompanied by a short account in two columns.
The midget strongman is shown full length, standing, holding up his lengthy braids of hair in one hand. To his right is a large building stone marked “A.” To the rear is a sketch of a barn with an harlequin pointing up at the midget in the loft door. The text at the foot describes his physical traits and age, then states he “speaks eighteen languages, sings Italian, dances to admiration, and with the ropes ty’d to his hair when put over his shoulders lifts the great stone A.” The portrait and text are enclosed within an ornamental border. Thomson, in his Mystery and Lore of Monsters, records a bill for his exhibition at the Rummer Tavern in Charing Cross (including a number of feats of strength, balancing, and juggling). Wood’s Giants and Dwarfs dates his London exhibitions to August 1740.
86. IBSEN, Henrik. HEDDA GABLER. Skuespil.... [bound with] SAMFUNDETS STØTTER. Skuespil.... [bound with] NAR VI DØDE VAGNER. En Dramatisk Epilog.... København: Gyldendalske [and] Berlin: S. Fischer, 1890, 1893, [and] 1899. First Editions.Contemporary half cloth and marbled boards; a bit rubbed at extremities; but overall a very good copy. $500
First editions of Hedda Gabler and Ibsen’s final drama, When We Dead Awaken, bound with the third edition of Pillars of Society. §PMM 375.
87. [IROQUOIS THEATRE FIRE.] A large illustration, “Incendie du Théatre de Chicago, Terrible panique — 587 morts” to the front of “Le Petit Journal, Supplément Illustré,” 17 January, 1904. Large folio; illustrated self wraps; front and rear illustrations in color, illustrations to text; a hint of toning to edges; very good. $45
The color illustration (10 1/2” x 12 1/4”) depicts the interior of the theatre ablaze and panic of the escaping audience. Chicago’s Iroquois Theatre, completed in 1903, was one of the finest American playhouses of the day. Little more than a month after opening it burned to the ground with the loss of 602 lives, the deadliest single-building theatre fire in U.S. history. A report is printed to the second page.
88. [IRVING, Henry.] A carte-de-visite photographic portrait of Irving, [c. 1872]. Lower corners of mount clipped. $18
A head-and-shoulders portrait of the actor around the time of his first great successes.
89. [IRVING, Henry and Ellen TERRY.] A program for Irving as Shylock and Terry as Portia at Islington’s Grand Theatre, 18 and 19 September, 1891. Small 4to; pale blue stock; a bit of fraying to center at fold. $20
The cast also included William Terriss and Gordon Craig.
The figure of a comical 18th-century gentleman in fanciful powdered wig, spectacles, red frockcoat, and striped stockings.
91. [ITALIAN OPERA/THEATRE.] An original pencil and watercolor costume design, “Costantino,” for an unidentified Italian opera or theatre production, [c. 1840-50]. 4 3/4” x 7 1/8”; some staining and one closed tear to right edge (away from image); tipped into a modern folded light-card mat. $70
The figure of a comical 18th-century gentleman in black frockcoat and breeches, boots, striped stockings, and powdered wig.
A juvenile relating a pair of adventures by the puppet anti-hero Jan Klaasen with six chromolithographed metamorphic scenes. The first scene is of the seaside puppet booth with Punch, Judy, Toby, beedler, and audience (clearly adapted from the English puppet stage); the second and third are also puppet booth scenes (with the addition of the baby and Beadle; the final three scenes depict the anthropomorphic puppets’ travels (including meeting minstrel-show characters in North America). When each of the flaps is lifted and turned the scene is altered, offering a great number of permutations.
A very rare and unusual survival in period wraps. The woodblock design incorporates, rather fancifully, over a dozen images of the troupe performing their incredible feats.
bright. $175
A good deal of the upper half of the broadside is taken up with heralding and describing the puppet entertainment. Other performers were the ventriloquist Vernon Grey and the comic vocalists George Voles and N.C. Bostock. “Popular prices to suit the times.”
95. JEPHSON, Robert. BRAGANZA. A Tragedy. London: for T. Evans and T. Davies, 1775. Disbound; dusting to title-page and terminal leaf. $40
The second edition of Jephson’s play written in confessed imitation of Shakespeare (although Nicoll points out that Otway is a greater influence).
96. [JUVENILE DRAMA.] A large sheet of juvenile drama scenes, “Décors de Théatre.—Salon et ses Coulisses.” Metz and Paris: Dembour et Gangel, [c. 1860]. 2 3/4” x 16 1/4”; hand tinted; very minor foxing to lower margin. $50
This uncut sheet contains the backdrop of the salon interior (measuring 9 1/2” x 7”), four side-wings, and eight individual set pieces.
97. [JUVENILE DRAMA.] A set of four sheets of characters from “Green’s... Rookwood, or, Turpin’s Ride to York.” London: J.K. Green, [c. 1850]. Minor dusting to edges; two minute pinholes to left margin of each. $35
The title-sheet and three other plates, with more than 40 figures and a few set pieces. These sheets were originally produced in 1840 at the time of the premier of Pitt’s Richard Turpin at Sadler’s Wells.
98. [JUVENILE DRAMA.] A large-format sheet, in the series of Hodgson’s Grand Equestrian Combats, for an unidentified equestrian spectacle. [London: Hodgson and Co., c. 1823.] 13 7/8” x 10 7/8”; trimmed within platemark, excising title and imprint and touching image at sides; minor crease to upper left center; early backing; very good impression. $125
One of the large Hodgson sheets of combats, a rousing print capturing the excitement of the equestrian drama. In this scene one mounted knight fells another with his lance. These impressive combats are now only infrequently encountered.
99. [JUVENILE DRAMA.] A pair of large sheets, backdrop and side wings, “Dorf.” Neuruppin: Gustav Kühn, [c. 1840]. Chromolithographed; very good. $70
A riverside country village. The Kühn family were one of the first German publishers of cheaply produced chromolithographed juvenile drama sheets (often pirated). Because of their ephemeral nature they have become scarce, particularly in very good condition.
100. [JUVENILE DRAMA.] A penny-plain sheet, “Park’s Last Scene in the Miller and His Men.” London: A. Park, [c. 1870]. Very minor creasing to corners. $20
This plate shows arguably the most famous scene in English juvenile drama — the explosive destruction of the mill.
101. [JUVENILE DRAMA.] A hand-colored sheet, “Décors de Theatre. Prison.” Epinal: Pellerin, [c. 1880]. 10 1/2” x 14 1/2”; margins trimmed; lower corners torn, with minimal loss; hand colored. $20
The sheet contains both the backdrop of the prison and four side wings.
An unusual woodcut juvenile drama portrait by the Seven-Dials publisher of ballad sheets and verse broadsides. Very scarce — the first portrait we have offered by the publisher’s “Wholesale Toy Warehouse.”
103. [JUVENILE DRAMA.] A complete set of sheets, plus playbook, to “Pollock’s Characters and Scenes in The Sleeping Beauty in the Wood, or, Harlequin and the Magic Horn.” London: B. Pollock, [c. 1885]. Corners of sheets tipped to portions of early album leaves; sheets colored by hand, bright and fine; printed orange wrappers to playbook (repair to gutter of rear wrapper). $95
Seven plates of pantomime characters, 13 plates of scenes, four plates of wings, and two plates of tricks (27 total) — all with brilliant original hand coloring.
104. [JUVENILE DRAMA.] A penny-plain sheet, “Pollock’s Characters in Whittington and His Cat. Pl. 8.” London: B. Pollock, [c. 1890]. Nearly fine. $12
Thirteen pantomime characters including Columbine, Clown, and grotesque Uncle Toms; plus a pair of trick pieces.
105. [JUVENILE DRAMA.] The title-sheet to “Skelt’s Characters & Scenes in The Falls of Clyde.” London:M. Skelt, [c. 1837]. Two pairs of pinholes to left margin; else very good. $18
The vignette title scene is of a lakeside cottage. The sheet contains seven characters from Soane’s “Scottish romance.”
The six figures are Clown Singing (Grimaldi); Alderman Gobble, afterwards Pantaloon (Norman); Pantaloon; Squabba (Morelli); and Clown making wheelbarrow of Pantaloon. The Covent Garden pantomime was first performed in December 1814.
107. [KEAN, Edmund.] A Drury Lane playbill announcing Kean as the Duke in Tobin’s The Honey-Moon,8 December, 1815. Light embrowning. $80
An uncommon Kean bill, his second appearance in the character. The play was not a success and was only performed three times.
108. [KEAN, Edmund.] DRURY-LANE THEATRICAL GAZETTE. February 12, 1817. [London: John Fairburn], 1817. Unbound; untrimmed. $40
An eight-page gazette with a bill for Kean in Southern’s Oroonoko (followed by Byrne’s ballet Patrick’s Return and Holcroft’s The Follies of the Day) and descriptive analyses of the plays. Uncommon.
109. [KEMBLE, Charles.] A Drury Lane playbill announcing Kemble in Garrick and Colman’s The Clandestine Marriage, 3 October, 1797. Pale blue stock; gently creased to sixths; mounting traces to one edge of verso; very good. $50
Apparently this was Kemble’s first performance as Lovewell. Other performers were King, Mellon, Barrymore, and DeCamp. The second piece was Hoare’s The Prize (with Bannister and Tidswell).
110. [KEMBLE, Frances Anne.] A juvenile drama portrait, “Miss Fanny Kemble as Juliet.” London: M. & M. Skelt, [c. 1839]. Light toning; primarily to edges; upper corners tipped to a larger leaf of stiff card; glue marks (lighter than portrait leaf) to upper corners. $60
Kemble is shown full length, standing on a balcony to the right, the figure of Romeo in the garden below. Her right elbow rests on a post and her gloved hands are clasped before her.
111. [KEMBLE, Henry.] A juvenile drama portrait, “Mr. H. Kemble as Sextas Tarquin in Brutus.” [London: Hodgson, 1822.] Trimmed to 5 3/8” x 8 1/4”, excising imprint; creasing to left edge; minor mounting traces to edges of verso. $25
An uncommon penny-plain portrait of Kemble in Payne’s tragedy. He stands, in Roman costume, head in profile to the right, left arm upraised and right arm extended downward to the left.
Kemble is seated, in costume, right hand supporting his head and left hand resting on papers (held down by a dagger) on a table to his side. The only juvenile drama portrait of Kemble in this role recorded by the Harvard Catalogue.
113. KOTZEBUE, [August von]. ADELAIDE OF WULFINGEN. A Tragedy.... (Exemplifying the Barbarity Which Prevailed During the Thirteenth Century.) New York: Charles Smith and S. Stephens, 1800. Disbound; some embrowning. $40
A translation by Charles Smith, produced for John Hodgkinson to perform on tour and in competition to Dunlap’s repertoire of Kotzebue’s plays at New York’s Park Theatre. §Hill 269.
114. [KRONES, Therese.] An engraved plate, “Sylphide des Seefräulein. Romantisch-Komisches Zauberspiel von Therese Krones.” [Vienna]: Seenan, [c. 1827]. 11” x 8 1/2”; original hand coloring, bright. $50
A brightly hand-colored print. The scene shows Krones (as Nettchen) and another actor (as Wolferl) in a sultan’s chamber. The sultan, his wife, and a servant look on as Wolferl accompanies Nettchen on a dulcimer. A scene in the zauberspiel at Vienna’s Theater in der Leopoldstadt, shortly before the death of the popular young actress.
115. [LABLACHE, Luigi.] An autograph note, signed. N. p.: [c. 1835]. 12mo leaf, folded; integral blank; very good. $150
The great Italian bass agrees to a meeting. With a good signature (“L. Lablache”).
116. LAFON, [Pierre]. DISCOURS PRENONCÉ A L’OCCASION DE L’INAUGURATION DE LA STATUE DE PIERRE CORNEILLE, a Rouen, le 19 Octobre 1834... Suivi du Discours sur la Mort de Talma.... Paris: Paccard, 1834. First Edition. Original printed yellow wraps, minor dusting and wear; a hint of foxing to a very few leaves. $50
This copy is inscribed by the author (and actor) at the head of the front cover. The memorial eulogy to Talma (Lafon’s great predecessor) was first published in 1826.
117. [LAFONT, Pierre Cherri.] A stipple-and-line engraved portrait, “Costume de Lafont, rôle du Chevalier de St. Georges, dans la pièce de ce nom.” Paris: Martinet, [c. 1840]. 4 7/8” x 7 5/8”, plus margins; colored by hand, bright. $35
The actor is shown full length, standing, in blackface and costume, riding crop in his gloved right hand and left hand resting on his hip. Deveyrier and de Beauvoir’s comedy premiered at the Theatre des Varietés in February 1840.
Lambert stands in the center of the image while a tailor and assistant either side of him try to encompass his girth (below the paunch) with their tape measure. Lambert’s striped yellow waistcoat, much distended, resembles a pumpkin. A cook approaches with a sirloin of beef. To the left a fashionably dressed man and two women, all painfully thin, inspect the phenomenon and laugh affectedly. On the wall hang a pair of placards likening Lambert to a prize, fattened Leicestershire cattle — one ending “laugh and grow fat.” The BM Catalogue states Lambert was the fattest man of whom authentic records exist. At 36 he weighed 50 stone. §BM 10633. Grego, Rowlandson, ii, 59.
119. [LECLERCQ, Charles.] A juvenile drama portrait, “Monsr. Le Clercq.” [London: Dyer, c. 1830.] Trimmed to within platemark, diagonally at the corners and excising the imprint at the foot; colored by hand; minor mounting traces to edges of verso. $50
LeClercq is shown dancing, in bright yellow and red costume, right arm upraised and a hat in left hand. LeClercq was ballet master at London’s Sans Pareil Theatre.
120. [LEMAÎTRE, Frédérick.] A double-page playbill announcing Lemaitre in Anicet and Bourgeois’ La Dame de Saint-Tropez at London’s St. James’s Theatre, 19 February, 1845. Printed in red and black; original (small) mounting hole near head; a bit of creasing and some fraying to central fold. $125
A scarce playbill for Lemaître’s second appearance at the London theatre as part of a four-week season of French plays. Second billing is given to Clarisse Miroy. The second page announces forthcoming performances of Don Cesar de Bazan and L’Auberge des Adrets. The first playbill we have encountered for the legendary Romantic actor (arguably the greatest and certainly the most colorful French actor of the 19th century).
121. [LISTON, John.] A double playbill announcing Liston as Jack Humphries in Poole’s Turning the Tables at Drury Lane, 4 February, 1831. Pale-blue stock; a trifle creased at fold and edges. $20
Also performed were Shannon’s The Devil’s Brother (based on Auber) and the pantomime Davy Jones; or, Harlequin and Mother Carey’s Chickens (incorporating Stanfield’s diorama).
122. [LIVERPOOL AMPHITHEATRE.] A printed dress boxes ticket, completed in manuscript for the Royal Amphitheatre, [Liverpool], 1 August, 1857. 4” x 2 1/2”; printed in green; holograph additions and initials; laid down to a portion of an album leaf. $65
This ticket admits a Mr. Hedley to the dress boxes. The Amphitheatre was opened as Cooke’s New Circus in February 1826.
123. [MACARTHY, (?)] A penny-plain portrait, “Miss Macarthy as Nourmahal in the Demon of the Ganges.” [London]: Dyer & Co., [c. 1834]. Very minor dusting; else very good. $65
The actress is shown in highly decorative costume and veiled tiara before an Eastern setting. She holds a dagger out from her right side. Almar’s melodrama was first performed at Sadler’s Wells in October 1834. An unusual juvenile drama portrait, not in the Harvard catalogue and a late date for a Dyer imprint.
124. MAINDRON, Ernest. MARIONNETTES ET GUIGNOLS. Les Poupées Agissantes et Parlantes a Travers les Ages. Paris: Felix Juven, n. d. [1900]. Tall 4to; half cloth; early marbled boards; cover edges rubbed; cloth frayed along rear joint; decorative endpapers; color frontispiece; seven full-page color plates; 148 illustrations (many full page) to text. $175
One of the best compendiums of puppetry history, richly illustrated. The text and illustrations are particularly valuable for their treatment of the French theatres of the 19th century (including Maurice Sand’s Théatre de Nohant and the Chat Noir). Individual chapters cover the commedia dell’arte lineage of puppet characters, the Paris fairs, Holden’s marionettes, and Hewelt’s mechanical theatre. §Toole-Stott 10125a.
125. [MARINI, Girolamo M.] IL TEMPLARIO, Melodramma.... Torino: Favale, n. d. [1840]. First Edition. 12mo; original decorative yellow wrapper, a trifle creased and dustsoiled; rear wrapper lacking; light dampstain to upper half; dog-earing to some lower fore-corners. $50
The libretto to Nicolai’s three-act opera (founded on Scott’s Ivanhoe), first performed at the Regio Teatro, Turin, in February 1840. The most successful of Nicolai’s operas, it was performed throughout Europe and South America for the following 40 years. With the cast list printed. Attached at the end (and included in the pagination) is the 18-page scenario to Antonio Monticini’s ballet Meleagro.
126. [MARSTON, Henry.] A juvenile drama portrait of Marston as Fitzjames. London: A. Park, [c. 1845 (?)]. Some wrinkling and surface soiling. $25
Not in the Harvard Catalogue.
A “libretto” to one of Mathews’ one-man entertainments, uncommon in the original wrappers. Amongst the monologues, recitations, anecdotes, and songs are ones related to America, Niagara Falls, the North Pole, the two-penny post, the King’s Theatre, the Italian Opera, and gambling. The hand-colored frontispiece by Cruikshank shows Mathews as Popper and as Scully, plus a scene of the City Barge. The advertisement leaf is for Duncombe’s The Ass and the wrappers tout some of the same publisher’s more racy titles, including The Cuckold, or Woman Disrobed; The Frisky Songster, The Economy of Love, and The Trial of Cox vs. Kean.
128. [MATHEWS, Charles and John LISTON.] A playbill announcing Mathews and Liston in Tom Thumb, 21 July, 1810. Overall toning; original central mounting hole with early reinforcement to verso. $30
Mathews played King Arthur and Liston Lord Grizzle in the burlesque. Also performed was Dimond’s The Doubtful Son with Kemble, Farley, and Bannister.
129. [MATHIAS, Thomas James.] THE GROVE. A Satire. By the Author of The Pursuits of Literature. With Notes, Including Various Anecdotes of The King. Third Edition. London: for the Author, n.d. [c. 1797]. 4to; disbound; first signature loose; with a list of subscribers; fine. $60
This poem is an attack on, and in several ways an imitation of, a satire by Peter Pindar (John Wolcot), entitled The Cap (1795— addressing many of the British dramatists of the time). The subject matter is both literary and theatrical—the footnotes often overwhelm the verses they comment upon. Mathias discusses Barry, Bannister, Colman, Kemble, Woodward, and other theatrical figures; radical writers, including Godwin and Holcroft; Radcliffe and gothic novels; Samuel Johnson; and much more. Lowe and the BM Catalogue list only a fourth edition of 1798.
130. [MEYERBEER, Giacomo.] A L’Illustration program for Meyerbeer’s Les Huguenots at the Theatre National de l’Opera, 14 August, 1899. 12mo; four pages; engraved bust portrait to front. $10
This production featured Affre (portrait on front), Chambon, Renaud, and Lafargue.
fairly well preserved. $80
A 32-page illustrated program for the wild west show’s 1906-07 tour with a lively color-printed cover. It includes accounts of the warriors of the Indian camp, buffalo, horse training, lariat feats, cowboys and cowgirls, the Cossack trick equestrians, and the sharpshooter Edith Tantlinger.
132. [MINSTRELSY.] JIM CROW’S SONGS: With the Verses inserted as Sung by Mr. Lloyd at the Theatres Royal and Adelphi, Edinburgh. London: Lew Dicro, n. d. [c. 1833]. 8vo; lithographed music to first page; three lithographed vignette illustrations; lithographed text in double columns; stitching holes and minor fraying to gutters from removal; a hint of dustsoiling. $125
A four-page penny songster containing the nine bars of music to “Jump Jim Crow” with ten verses, plus First Encore Verses (7), Second Encore Verses (6), Third Encore Verses (6), “Jim Crow’s Visit to Parliament,” and “Jim Crow Falls in Love.” The charmingly naïve illustrations depict blackface performers on stage dancing and amongst public revelers.
This “national medley, sung by Mr. T. P. Cooke [is] embellished with characteristic and humorous designs by N. Whitlock.” There is a large decorative portrait of the king; a small portrait of Cooke, mid-song, as the Jolly Tar; and 20 vignette scenes illustrating the text of the song (sea battles and dances amongst them).
134. [MONVEL, Jacques M.] An engraved portrait, “Costume de Monvel, rôle d’Auguste dans Cinna.” Paris: Martinet, [c. 1810]. 4 1/2” x 7”, plus margins; colored by hand, bright; small, early glue stain to each upper corner (well away from image). $30
The tragedian is depicted seated, in partial left profile, in the costume of the Roman emperor in Corneille’s tragedy (as presented at the Théâtre Français). Two lines of text at the foot.
135. [NIESSEN, Carl.] DAS ALTE KÖLNER HÄNNESCHEN-THEATER. Köln: Gehly, 1927. Original printed orange wraps; backstrip worn; illustrated. $25
An illustrated account of one of Germany’s oldest puppet theatres, including several historical essays.
The handbill advertises a “tableaux of Dante’s Inferno [with] moving and talking figures,... the great female necromancer Zulu La Normu, the beautiful Circasian Lady,... Mons. Klotz, the great Egyptian Wizard Fire King,” and much else. The illustrations show a young couple towering over a midget and the Albino child Rob Roy observing an armless girl who exhibits penmanship with her left foot. Norman and Stout’s had sideshow privileges with Thayer and Noyes’ United States Circus in 1877.
137. [OFFENBACH, Jacques.] A large hand-tinted caricature of Offenbach by André Gill to the cover of “La Lune,” 4 November, 1866. Large folio (13” x 18 1/2”); signs of removal (from a bound volume) to outer left edge, neatly reinforced; cover image colored by hand; vignette caricatures to contents; very minor foxing, dusting, and creasing; fairly well preserved for having been printed to thin stock. $65
The large (11” x 9”) caricature shows Offenbach astride a violin, apparently about to fly away, with sketch-like representations of several of his comic operas behind him. This four-page satirical periodical also contains a short piece entitled “Il Maestro J. Offenbach” and amongst the vignette caricatures six by Pépin on the subject of “Les concerts populaires.”
138. [ORATORIOS.] A tall broadside playbill for oratorios and a “grand sellection of ancient and modern music” at Drury Lane, 18 April, 1835. 7 5/8” x 19 1/4”; pale blue stock; 1 1/4” torn from upper right corner (affecting a portion of one letter); otherwise nearly fine. $175
The principal singers included Grisi, Lablache, Tamburini, Ivanhoff, Seguin, Brambilla, and Curioni. The selections were from Handel’s Messiah and Creation, Auber, Rossini and others.
139. PAIN, Henry J. PAIN’S GORGEOUS PRODUCTION, THE LAST DAYS OF POMPEII. [Chicago: Conners & Duffield, 1903.] Original wrappers; chromolithographed pictorial upper cover; stapled; 15 illustrations to text; two gentle vertical creases; very good. $60
A 20-page illustrated souvenir of Pain’s historical spectacle, fireworks festival, and Pompeiian fete. This incorporated processions, scenarios, Olympian sports, a ballet de combat, aerial gymnasts, acrobatics, pyrotechnics, dances, and much else.
140. [PALMER, (?).] A juvenile drama portrait, “Mr. Palmer as Richard Coeur de Lion.” London: M. & M. Skelt, [c. 1840]. Short tear to lower left corner. $30
Palmer is shown full length, standing legs apart, in Crusader costume, armor, and a crown. He holds a battle ax in his raised right hand and a shield rests on his left arm.
141. [PANTOMIME.] A playbill for the second night of the Drury Lane Christmas pantomime, Harlequin & Cock Robin, 27 December, 1827. Pale-blue stock; minor dusting and creasing to corners. $20
Also performed was Morton’s A Cure for the Heart Ache with Liston and Tree.
The book of words for the “grand Christmas pantomime” produced by Bird and Abrahams at the Effingham Theatre, 1867-68. The vignette illustration to the cover is of a dancing clown.
143. PAPON, Auguste. LOLA MONTÈS, MÉMOIRES. Accompagnés de Lettres Intimes de S. M. le Roi de Bavière et de Lola Montes.... Poésies, Documents, Politiques et Littéraires Inédits.... Nyon: J. Desoche, 1849. First Edition. Later calf-backed marbled boards; boards worn; original printed pink wraps bound in; some dusting and two light stains to wraps; small, light ink stamp to reverse of front wrapper; a bit shaken; light foxing to margins. $225
Papon was a confidence man and disgruntled suitor of Montez. This ill-natured and extortionate book relates an addled account of her origins and early life based on the various and conflicting stories Montez had related to Papon, condemns King Ludwig’s actions in paroxysm’s of moral outrage, and accuses Montez of a number of misdemeanors and vices (including prostitution and of training her pet monkey to molest visitors). The “intimate letters” were most probably forgeries —when a prospectus appeared for this book in Switzerland, Montez was required to assure Ludwig that Papon had never copied, nor ever seen, any of their letters. The king offered to pay for the return of the documents and a promise not to publish, but this first installment had already gone to press. However, this “premiere livraison” was never followed by a second.
144. [CIRQUE PARISH.] A large illustration, “Un Barbier dans la Cage aux Lions” to the final page of “Le Petit Journal, Supplément Illustré,” 6 August 1894. Large folio; illustrated self wrappers; covers printed in color; minute stitching holes to backstrip; very good. $30
The color illustration (10 1/2” x 12 1/8”) shows the barber Pagna, razor and bowl in his hands, standing in the lion cage of the Cirque Parish having just shaved the lion tamer Gioni who is seated to the left. A short account of the event is printed at the head.
145. [PAVLOVA, Anna.] A Russian portrait postcard of Pavlova in Paquita, [c. 1912]. Very minor foxing to foot; verso unused. $45
146. [PUNCH AND JUDY.] An engraving of an English Punch and Judy show, [c. 1840]. 5 3/4” x 4 3/8”; trimmed to platemark; laid down to a portion of an early album leaf; else very good. $45
A small crowd gathers in a courtyard to watch Punch and Judy in their puppet booth, the “pardner” beating his drum and playing a mouth organ to the front.
147. [PUPPETRY.] An English slip-song handbill, “The Puppet-Show,” [c. 1840 (?)]. 4” x 11”; early ink highlights to left margin of first stanza; gentle horizontal creases. $50
A handbill ballad of seven verses, somewhat didactic in tone, concerning “wooden playthings/senseless puppets, moved by wires.”
148. [RAYNER, Lionel.] A one-page autograph letter, signed, to Mrs. Francis Place. [London]: 4 April, 1832. Original folds. $40
Rayner writes from the New Strand Theatre (of which he was founder and manager). He states he is unable to do what was requested, it “being Celeste’s Benefit who shares the House....” and offers the best private box “any night not appropriated to Benefits.” Rayner’s London acting debut was in 1823. In 1831 he erected the New Strand Theatre on the site of Burford’s Panorama. This letter is addressed to the second wife of the famous radical Francis Place.
149. REYNOLDS, Frederick. SPECULATION; A Comedy. London: for T. N. Longman, 1795. First Edition. Disbound; lacking half-title and terminal blank; minor dusting to title-page. $30
First performed at Covent Garden in November 1795.
A three-quarters length portrait of Rice, seated, facing and looking to the left, right arm resting on the back of his chair and hands joined. Facsimile autograph below portrait. This example is then boldly inscribed and signed at the foot: “To his friend R. G. Sumell [?], Esq. T.D. Rice.”
151. [ROSSINI, Gioacchino.] A Drury Lane playbill for a performance of Hofer, 26 March, 1831. Pale-blue stock; very good. $25
The cast included Phillips, Webster, and Bland. The other pieces performed were High Ways and By Ways (with Liston) and Auber’s Masaniello.
152. SALA, George Augustus. ROBSON: A Sketch. London: John Camden Hotton, 1864. Small 8vo; half polished calf; vertical morocco label; decorative gilt to spine; marbled endpapers; original pictorial wraps bound in; illustrated publisher’s advertisements at end; t.e.g. $100
A biographical sketch of Frederick Robson (stage name of Thomas Robson Brownbill), “one of the most remarkable actors of the [19th] century. His wonderful combination of tragic and comic farce has never been equalled (Lowe).” This handsomely bound example is extra-illustrated with a contemporary engraved portrait, an original sepia portrait of the actor in role, and a carte-de-visite photograph, each to heavy stock. “Extremely scarce (Lowe).” §LAR 3468.
153. [SANGER’S CIRCUS.] A four-page program for Muskerry and Jourdain’s Khartoum at Sanger’s Grand National Amphitheatre, London, [c. 1885]. Usual light wear and dusting to edges; gently creased to quarters. $95
This military spectacle, “founded on authentic incidents during the present war in the Soudan,” was first produced in March 1885. The program notes state “the services of Her Majesty’s Household Brigades of Guards.... have been secured, in addition to upwards of 200 supernumeraries, including Canadian voyageurs and Soudanese natives. Sanger’s stud of Arabian horses and a large herd of camels and dromedaries will also appear.”
154. SCHMIEDER, [(?)]. JOURNAL FÜR THEATER und andere Schöne Künste. Hamburg: Mutzenbecher, 1797. Period purple light boards; paper labels to spine; backstrip faded; one folding plate of music; two hand-colored engraved costume plates; small stamp to verso of title-page and each plate. $200
Several issues of Schmieder’s theatrical journal (for 1796-9). They contain accounts of performers and performances at a number of theatres, calendars, aphorisms, some selections from dramatic texts, and notes. The plates are two hand-colored costume engravings and the music to von Neumann’s “Romanze, aus dem Graf Benjowsky.”
155. [SCHREYER’S TRAINED ANIMALS.] A double-page playbill announcing “Herrn Heinrich Schreyer’s veritable troop, 45 in number, of monkeys and dogs” at London’s St. James’s Theatre, 14 May, 1839. 17” x 13 3/4”; pale blue stock; a hint of offsetting, else fine. $200
The first page is devoted to a catalogue of the many feats of the animals — dancing, acrobatics, re-enactments of historical events, military exercises with firearms and fencing, a riding academy, exercises on the tightrope and much else. The second page concerns the ballet La Sylphide “(the second time at this theatre)” with Ballin as the Sylph. One wonders how pleased the human dancers were in having to follow the showman’s mammalian wonders.
156. [SCOTTI, Antonio.] An autograph letter, signed, from Scotti to a Mrs. Franklin. New York: [c. 1905]. 12mo leaf; pale-grey letterhead stock; boldly signed. $55
The noted Italian baritone turns down an invitation (due to a prior engagement). He writes, in English, on Vanderbilt Hotel letterhead.
157. [SEDAINE, Michel-Jean and Pierre MONSIGNY.] AIRS DETACHÉS DE ON NE S’AVISE JAMAIS DE TOUT, Opera Bouffon.... Paris: Duchesne, n. d. [c. 1761]. Early blue wrappers, frayed and dusted; engraved title-page; 11 pages of engraved music; three pages of engraved text; marginal soiling; some fore-corners turned down. $65
The engraved text and music of the airs to the one-act comic opera (libretto by Sedaine and music by Monsigny) first performed at the Théâtre de l’Opera Comique in 1761.
Six silhouette scenes (each about 6” x 5 1/2”) in two horizontal rows, plus 14 supplemental moveable figures boldly rendered by woodcut.
A satire on Sheridan’s apparent debasing of the stage and being false to his own genius (shown in The Critic) by the producing of doggy-dramas and other spectacles. Below the title is inscribed: “a Farce performed with rapturous Applause at Drury Lane Theatre Motto for the Farce. And Folly clapped his hands and Wisdom star’d. Churchill.” A view of the left side of the stage, including part of a stage box on the extreme left. From this leans a figure of Folly wearing a cap with ass’s ears and clapping his hands. A frieze of dancing dogs decorates the lower part of the box and above is a grinning mask flanked by dogs’ heads. The capital of the Corinthian pilasters flanking the stage is also formed of dogs’ heads. At its foot a figure of Thalia covers her face with her hands and at the base of her pedestal lies an open book; The Caravan or the Driver and His Dog, which itself obscures another, The Critic or Tragedy rehearsed. The front of stage is filled with a large pool in which swims Carlo the dog holding the head of Sheridan above the water by the manager’s hair. Sheridan quotes Henry IV: “methinks it were an easy leap/To dive into the bottom of the Deep/And pluck up drowned honour by the Locks.” Water gushes into the pool from a mound of stone slabs on which is poised a wheeled dog kennel. By that structure’s roof are the heads of two enormous and camel-like canines, one of which partly obscures a notice board: Humane Socie[ty for] recovering drown[ing persons]. It is recommended That Dog Kennels [be] stationed at all Ho[ouses of] public Entertainment.... Reynolds’ The Caravan ushered in the vogue for canine dramas and introduced the dog-star Carlo when produced by Sheridan in 1803. §BM 10172.
160. [SIDDONS, Sarah.] A Drury Lane playbill announcing Siddons as Euphrasia in Murphy’s The Grecian Daughter, 14 December, 1790. Dustsoiling to left third; 1 1/2” closed tear to upper left (repaired to reverse). $90
Siddons’ “second appearance these two years.” The cast also included Barrymore and Palmer.
161. [SMITH, Richard.] A juvenile drama portrait, “Mr. Smith as Philip Quarl.” [London: Hodgson, c. 1823.] Trimmed to 5” x 7 7/8”, excising imprint; original hand coloring; minor mounting traces to edges of verso. $25
Smith is shown standing, in the costume of the castaway sailor, right hand resting on the butt of his musket (muzzle planted at his feet).
162. [SONGSTER.] MALROONY’S ROUT AND THE KEBBUCKSTON WEDDING. Two Comic Songs. With New Music, As Sung at the principal London Theatres. London: Music Saloon, n. d. [c. 1833]. 8vo; lithographed throughout; pictorial cover, printed in blue; two pages of music and text; one vignette illustration; stitching holes and minor fraying to gutters from removal; slight dustsoiling. $35
A four-page penny songster (last page blank) containing the two dialect songs. The naïve illustration to the front depicts the riot in the first song (set to the minstrel tune of “Sich a Gettin Up Stairs”).
163. [SOTHERN, Edward A.] A silk playbill for an appearance of Sothern in Taylor’s Our American Cousin at the Grand Opera House, Ottawa, 11 and 12 May, [1880]. 6 1/2” x 11 1/2”; dark plum silk; lettered in gold; lettering a bit faded over time; minor creasing; overall very good. $85
Sothern played as Lord Dundreary, his signature role, and as David Garrick. These performances were in the presence of the Marquis of Lorne and the Princess Louise.
164. [STEREOPTICON ENTERTAINMENT.] A four-page promotional flyer for Charles N. Thomas’ Here and There in the Civil War, [c. 1887]. Folio; pictorial border and decorative text to first page; creased to quarters; neat repairs to short closed tears at some fold ends; unused. $45
An unused promotional piece for a lecture and exhibition of stereopticon views (“one hundred..., each twenty feet in diameter”) by Thomas, “formerly at the Gettysburg Cyclorama.” It provides an overview of the presentation and numerous testimonials from Civil War veterans, military historians, and the press. The cover is illustrated with scenes of camp life.
165. [TAGLIAFICO, Joseph.] A two-page autograph letter, signed, from Tagliafico. [London]: 7 November, n.y. [c. 1850’s]. 12mo leaf, embossed decoration at head; original folds, slightly rubbed. $65
The French baritone (of Italian descent) writes on the embossed letterhead of the Royal Italian Opera, Covent Garden. Tagliofico was associated with Covent Garden for more than 30 years, appearing in the first performances in England of many operas (including Le Prophète, Il Travatore, and Rigoletto).
166. [THE THEATRE.] THE THEATRE. A Weekly Record of the Stage. Vol. II. No. 5. New York: The Theatre, 1886. Small 4to; original decorative tan wraps; central vertical crease; illustrations to plates and body of the text; advertisements at the end to green stock. $15
An edition of the theatrical periodical, 18 October, 1886. In includes theatrical intelligence, notices of Modjeska and Davenport, plus bills for New York theatres.
Two young itinerant showmen exhibit a bear and a monkey. The bear is shown from the back dancing with one of the youths. The monkey is tethered to the waist of the other boy (with a wooden leg) who plays a fiddle. Two lines at the foot read: “The Folkes with admiration stare/And think him a prodigious bear.”
168. [TREE, Ellen.] A juvenile drama portrait of Tree as Ian in Talfourd’s tragedy. London: W. S. Johnson, [c. 1839]. Very good. $40
Tree stands, before a classical temple, holding a dagger in her upraised right hand.
169. [TREE, Herbert Beerbohm.] A four-page program for Tree’s production of Grundy’s The Musketeers, at Her Majesty’s Theatre, 5 July, 1899. 4to; printed in green; circular illustration to front; one vertical and one horizontal crease. $12
Tree’s was the third dramatization of Dumas’ novel staged that year.
170. [VAN AMBURGH, Isaac.] A lithograph of Van Amburgh and wild cats, [c. 1835]. 9 1/2” x 5 3/4”; trimmed to image; colored by hand; mounting traces to reverse; very good. $85
The American animal tamer stands, legs apart, head turned and right arm raised to fend off a large tiger (on its hind legs and claws aimed at the tamer’s bare chest), and his left hand pressed back against the snout of a lion attacking from the right. In the background run a lioness and a leopard.
171. [VANDENHOFF, John M.] A lithographed portrait of Vandenhoff as Adrastus in Talfourd’s Ion. [London: J. Mitchell, 1839.] 8 1/2” x 11 1/2”; slight edge wear; image near fine. $40
Vandenhoff is shown half length, to the right, in costume and wearing a crown. With a facsimile autograph and three lines of dialogue.
172. [VESTRIS, Lucia.] A Drury Lane playbill for Vestris as Don Giovanni in Moncrieff’s Giovanni in London, 9 April, 1821. A portion printed in red; a bit of creasing, primarily to corners. $25
Also on the bill were Wallack and Cooper in Haynes’s Conscience. The portion printed in red concerns performances of Miss Wilson.
173. [WALLACK, James W.] A juvenile drama portrait, “Mr. Wallack as Faustus.” [London: Hodgson, c. 1825.] Trimmed to 4 3/4” x 7 3/4”, excising imprint but not touching figure; original hand coloring; minor mounting traces to edges of verso. $20
Wallack stands, downward to the right, right hand to the front and left hand extended in gesture.
A broadside evidently to be posted up behind the scenes or backstage at Welch’s Circus, signed in type by the proprietor Rufus Welch, dated 25 October, 1850. It is headed by the manager’s observations, followed by 14 paragraphs of specific rules (in two columns) and the fine assessed if breached. Welch began his career in menageries and was active as a major circus proprietor in the US between 1837 and 1853. He converted Philadelphia’s National Theatre into an amphitheatre in 1842. An intriguing piece of American circus ephemera from the middle of the 19th century.
175. WEMYSS, Francis Courtney. TWENTY-SIX YEARS OF THE LIFE OF AN ACTOR AND MANAGER. Interspersed with Sketches, Anecdotes and Opinions of the Professional Merits of the Most Celebrated Actors and Actresses of Our Day. Vol. I. New York: Burgess, Stringer and Company, 1847. Small 8vo; disbound; signatures loosening; title-page and terminal leaf loose and rather frayed at edges. $35
The first volume only (of two) of this valuable and insightful memoir of the well-known American theatre and circus manager. This volume chronicles the years up to 1832. Interspersed are extensive accounts of the primary performers of the period, both native and imported. §Toole-Stott 13582.
A minstrel song sung by the Boston Minstrels and “with great applause by William Whitlock at the principal theatres....” Whitlock, who spent much of the 1830’s touring the South with circuses, was one of the original Virginia Minstrels. This troupe was the first to offer blackface minstrelsy as a separate entertainment form. The cover to this piece depicts Whitlock and Master Diamond on the stage of a theatre. Whitlock plays a banjo and Diamond dances before a backdrop of a plantation scene. A nice early minstrel item.
177. WILKS, Thomas Egerton. COUSIN PETER: A Comic Drama.... London: J. Duncombe, n. d. [c. 1841]. 12mo; contemporary stiff wrappers; lacking frontispiece; stitched. $35
A comic drama first performed at London’s Olympic Theatre. The cover of this example is captioned: “Cousin Peter. Boston Museum, 1843.” The title-page carries the theatre’s inscription and B2 the holograph name of the actor George H. Andrews. The year 1843 was the first that dramas were presented at the Boston Museum.
178. [WILLIAMS, Barney and Maria.] A broadside for the Williams at Niblo’s Garden,12 November, 1859. 9” x 24”; some creasing and wear to margins; central horizontal fold. $35
The pieces were Buckstone’s Irish Lion, In and Out of Place, and Coyne’s Latest from New York.
179. [WILLIAMS, Herbert Spencer.] A caricatured portrait, “M. DeVere. Mystery and Magic,” [c. 1875]. 6 3/4” x 9 1/2”; light stock; margins trimmed close; mild foxing; text to reverse causing a bit of shadowing to image; minute hole to blank portions with an early repair. $50
The conjuror is depicted full length, standing, his head enlarged in caricature. He raises a caged bird in his right hand and a top hat brimming with roses in his left. Behind him are Chinese lanterns, apparatus, and an infant. From about the time of DeVere’s exhibiting at London’s Cremorne Gardens. To the reverse are numerous notices of provincial theatricals.
INDEX
Acrobats & Equilibrists: 2, 13, 33, 59, 60, 73, 93, 139.
Animals Acts & Menageries: 12, 13, 33, 61, 62, 83, 144, 153, 155, 167, 170.
Association & Signed Copies: 12, 25, 116, 150.
Autographs & Manuscripts: 14, 25, 46, 50, 56, 115, 148, 150, 156, 165.
Automata: 13, 56, 124, 136.
Bibliography: 6, 20.
Caricature & Satire: 49, 69, 75, 118, 129, 137, 147, 159, 179.
Circus: 12, 13, 15, 33, 49, 53, 60, 73, 93, 122, 136, 144, 174, 175, 176.
Commedia dell’Arte: 23, 24, 37, 53, 124.
Conjuring: 28, 30, 38, 39, 67, 136, 179.
Costume: 3, 8, 17, 45, 51, 68, 71, 76, 90, 91, 117, 134, 154.
Dance: 8, 33, 45, 49, 54, 60, 78, 108, 119, 125, 133, 139, 143, 145, 155.
Early American Stage & Performers: 2, 11, 12, 16, 18, 32, 34, 47, 62, 82, 113, 150, 170, 171, 174, 175, 176, 177, 178.
Equestrian & Canine Drama: 27, 52, 58, 97, 98, 153, 159.
Exhibitions: 12, 26, 30, 61, 62, 85, 93, 118, 136, 155, 164, 167.
Fairgrounds: 57, 124.
Human Anomalies: 12, 26, 61, 84, 85, 118, 136.
Juvenile Drama: 4, 52, 63, 72, 79, 96-106, 110, 111, 112, 119, 123, 126, 140, 161, 168, 173.
Juveniles: 17, 38, 92, 158.
Military Spectacles: 52, 139, 140, 153, 155, 164.
Minstrel: 32, 92, 132, 150, 162, 176.
Music: 8, 14, 18, 19, 21, 29, 47, 132, 133, 137, 138, 154, 157, 162, 176.
Opera: 6, 14, 48, 54, 58, 65, 71, 90, 91, 115, 125, 127, 130, 137, 138, 151, 156, 157, 165.
Original Artwork: 41, 43, 90, 91.
Pantomime: 2, 49, 53, 54, 59, 60, 63, 73, 74, 75, 103, 104, 106, 121, 141, 142.
Poetry: 17, 69, 129, 147.
Prompt & Marked Copies: 25, 177.
Puppetry & Shadowgraphy: 20, 35, 41, 67, 92, 94, 135, 146, 147, 158.
Pyrotechnics: 139.
Shakespeariana: 1, 5, 16, 17, 40, 74, 78, 82, 89, 95, 110.
Songsters: 32, 83, 132, 162.
Stage Design & Architecture: 8.
Theatrical Disasters: 22, 87.
Vaudeville & Music Hall: 56, 67, 94, 179.
Ventriloquism: 94.
Wild West Show: 131.