illustrated book; print

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Object Type: illustrated book; print
Museum number: 1864,0213.154-202
Description: Volume 1 of 'The London Stage.' A compilation of scripts of plays performed at the Theatre Royal in letterpress with wood engraved. In a tree calf binding with "London Stage I" lettered on the spine. Each script has a wood engraved vignette illustration beneath the title (See below for a list of contents. See Reid 4843 for George Cruikshank's contributions.) A table of contents is pasted inside the front cover and also gives details of the price 10s. 6d and a frontispiece illustration: "Portraits of Mr Young, Mr Braham, Mr Dowton, Mr Elliston, Mr Jones, Miss Stephens, Mrs Davenport. Drawn from life by Wageman and engraved on steel by Fry." The frontispiece represents bust length portraits of those actors named in decorative oval frames with Young at the centre, their names inscribed below. Lettered at the top of the page: "First group." and at the foot of the page: "Theatrical portraits. Published Feb 1st 1825 for the Prop rs of "The London Stage" by Sherwood Jones & Co. Paternoster Row." With a title-page illustration by George Cruikshank. Reid 3429. An ornamental border to the title the figure of Tragedy in a niche to the left, another of Comedy on the right, the royal arms at the top, and the intervening spaces filled with scrolls; a lyre forms the centre at bottom. Lettered at the centre of the design: "The London Stage; A collection of the most reputed tragedies, comedies, operas, melo-dramas [sic], farces and interludes. Accurately printed from acting copies as performed at the Theatres Royal and carefully collated and revised. London: Published for the proprietors by Sherwood, Jones and Co, Paternoster Row; and Sold by all booksellers"and "Gye and Balne. Typ" at the foot of the page. 1825 Letterpress and wood-engraving Contents: 1. 'Pizarro; A tragedy in five acts: altered from the German by Kotzebue.- By R.B. Sheridan. Illustration from Act V-Scene 2. 2.'The padlock; a comic opera in two acts;' by Isaac Bickerstaff. Illustration from Act I. Scene 3. 3. 'The miser; a comedy in three acts.'- By Henry Fielding. Illustration from Act III. Scene 2. 4. 'The hypocrite; a comedy in five acts.'- By Isaac Bickerstaff. Illustration from Act V. Scene 1. 5. 'The Duenna; a comic opera in three acts.'- By R.B. Sheridan. Illustration from Act III. Scene 5. 6. 'The castle spectre; a dramatic romance in five acts.'- by M.G. Lewis. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 2. 7. 'All the world's a stage; a farce in two acts.'- By Isaac Jackman.' Illustration from Act I. Scene 2. (Lettered Mary Byfield Sc) 8. 'High life below stairs; a farce in two acts.'- By the Rev. James Townley.' Act II. Scene 1. 9. 'The wheel of fortune; a comedy in five acts.'- By Richard Cumberland.' Act I. Scene 3. (Lettered Mary Byfield Sc) 10. 'She stoops to conquer; a comedy in five acts.'- By Oliver Goldsmith. Illustration from Act V. Scene 2. 11. 'The maid of the mill; an opera in three acts.'- By Isaac Bickerstaff. Illustration from Act I. Scene 1. (Lettered Mary Byfield Sc) 12. 'The clandestine marriage; a comedy, in five acts.' By G. Colman and D. Garrick. Illustration from Act II- Scene 1. 13. 'Jane Shore; a tragedy in five acts.'- By Nicholas Rowe. Illustration from Act V. Scene 2. 14. 'The deserter; a musical drama, in two acts.'- By Charles Dibdin.' Illustration from Act I- Scene 1. 15. 'The Citizen; a farce, in two acts.'- By Arthur Murphy. Illustration from Act II. Scene 1. (Lettered Byfield.) 16. 'Love in a village; an opera, in three acts.'- By Isaac Bickerstaff.' Illustration from Act I. Scene 4. 17. 'The road to ruin; a comedy in five acts.'- By Thomas Holcroft. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 1. 18. 'The beggar's opera; an opera, in three acts.'- By John Gay. Illustration from Act III. Scene 3. 19. 'The country girl; a comedy, in five acts.'- Altered from Wycherley, by David Garrick. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 2. 20. 'The honest thieves; a farce in two acts.'- By T. Knight. Illustration from Act II. Scene III. 21. 'Three weeks after marriage; a comedy in two acts.'- By Arthur Murphy. Illustration from Act II. Scene 2. 22. 'The gamester; a tragedy in five acts.'- By Edward Moore. Illustration from Act V.Scene II. 23. 'The soldier's daughter; a comedy, in five acts.- By A. Cherry.' Illustration from Act V. Scene I. 24. 'The Jew; a comedy in five acts.' - By Richard Cumberland. Illustration from Act V. Scene 1. 25. 'Lionel and Clarissa; an opera in three acts.' - By Isaac Bickerstaff. Illustration from Act I. Scene 1. 26. 'The Mayor of Garrett; a farce in two acts.'- By Samuel Foote. Illustration from Act I. Scene 1. 27. 'The midnight hour; a petite comedy, in three acts.' - By Mrs Inchbald. Illustration from Act II. Scene 1. 28. 'The way to keep him; a comedy in five acts.' - By Arthur Murphy. Illustration from Act III. Scene 1. 29. 'Douglas; A tragedy in five acts.' - By John Home. Illustration from Act V. Scene 1. 30. 'Such things are; a play in five acts.'- By Mrs Inchbald. Illustration from Act V. Scene 3. 31. 'The devil to pay; or, the wives metamorphosed. A ballad farce.'- By C. Coffey. Illustration from Scene 2. 32. 'The lying valet; a farce in two acts.' By D. Garrick. Illustration from Act II. Scene 1. 33. 'The West Indian; a comedy in five acts.'- By Richard Cumberland. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 1. Lettered "Byfield S." 34. 'The revenge; a tragedy, in five acts.'- By Edward Young. Illustration from Act V. Scene 2. 35. 'Rule a wife, and have a wife; a comedy in five acts.'- Altered from Beaumont and Fletcher by David Garrick. Illustration from Act V. Scene 2. 36. 'Who's the dupe? A farce in two acts.'- By Mrs Cowley. Illustration from Act 1. Scene 3. 37. 'Midas; a burletta in two acts.'- By Kane O'Hara. Illustration from Act 1. Scene 3. 38. 'Deaf and dumb; or, the orphan protected; an historical drama in five acts.' By Thomas Holcroft. Act IV. Scene 2. 39. 'The inconstant; a comedy in five acts.'- By George Farquhar. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 2. 40. 'The recruiting officer; a comedy in five acts.' By G. Farquhar. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 2. 41. 'The man of the world; a comedy in five acts.' By Charles Macklin. Illustration from Act III. Scene 1. 42. 'The jealous wife; a comedy in five acts.'- By George Colman. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 2. 43. 'The critic; or, a tragedy rehearsed. A dramatic piece.'- By Richard Brinsley Sheridan. Illustration from Act II. Scene 1. Lettered W. Hughes. 44. 'The rivals; a comedy in five acts.'- By R.B. Sheridan. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 2. 45. 'Alexander the Great; a tragedy in five acts.' -By Nathaniel Lee. Illustration from Act V. Scene 1. 46. 'The adopted child; a musical drama in two acts.' -By Samuel Birch. Illustration from Act 1. Scene 4. 47. 'The Quaker.; a comic opera in two acts.' - By Charles Dibdin. Illustration from Act II. Scene 3. 48. 'A bold stroke for a wife; a comedy, in five acts.'- By Mrs Centlivre. Illustration from Act V. Scene 1. 49. 'Two gentlemen of Verona.' Illustration from Act V. Scene 4.
Producer name: Print made by: George Cruikshank (Print-maker of the title-page 3429); Block cut by: Mary Byfield (Mary Byfield's name is signed on a number of illustrations throughout (see list of contents)); Block cut by: John Byfield (See comments); After: Thomas Charles Wageman (Draughtsman of the theatrical portraits on the frontispiece illustrations); Attributed to: William Thomas Fry (Possibly the engraver of the frontispiece illustration); Published by: Sherwood & Co; Printed by: Gye & Balne (Typesetters of the text.)
School/style
Production date: 1825
Production place: Published in: London (England)
Materials: paper; leather (binding)
Technique: wood-engraving; letterpress
Dimensions: Height: 215 millimetres (approx. page height); Width: 130 millimetres (approx. page width)
Curator's comments: One of four volumes, published between 1825 and 1827, held in the Department of Prints and Drawings, see 184.f.1-4. The plays are nearly all seperately paged and were originally issued in weekly numbers. (See Cohn 507.) Cohn (507) states that the title-page design and six of the illustrations are by George Cruikshank. ('Dragon of Wantley,' 'Tom Thumb.', 'The Lord of The Manor.'in the second volume, and 'Monsieur Tonson,' 'Crononhotonthologos.' and 'The Recruiting Sergeant.' in the third volume. Cohn states: "That to 'The Lord of the Manor' is the only one signed, but I have them all signed by the artist in ink." Reid also catalogues illustrations to the series by George Cruikshank see nos, 3429-3434. The wood engraver Mary Byfield has signed a number of illustrations (see list of contents). Other illustrations are simply signed "Byfield" and may, therefore, be the work of Mary Byfield or her brothers John and Ebenezer. John Byfield's name is inscribed on the title-page design in volume 4.
Bibliographic references: Reid 1871 / A descriptive catalogue of the works of George Cruikshank (4843); Cohn 1924 / George Cruikshank, catalogue raisonné (507)
Location: Not on display
Condition: In a fragile condition, with loose pages at the front of the book.
Subjects
Associated names: Associated with: John Braham (Portrayed in the frontispiece illustration.); Associated with: Charles Mayne Young (Portrayed in the frontispiece illustration.); Associated with: William Dowton (Portrayed in the frontispiece illustration.); Associated with: Robert William Elliston (Portrayed in the frontispiece illustration.); Associated with: Mary Ann Davenport (Portrayed in the frontispiece illustration.); Associated with: Catherine Stephens, later Countess of Essex (Portrayed in the frontispiece illustration.); Associated with: August von Kotzebue (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Playwright/ editor whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Henry Fielding (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: M G Lewis (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Isaac Jackman (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: James Townley (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Richard Cumberland (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Oliver Goldsmith (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: David Garrick (Garrick's adaptations of well known plays are included in the volume.); Associated with: Nicholas Rowe (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Charles Dibdin II (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Arthur Murphy (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Thomas Holcroft (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: John Gay (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: William Wycherley (Playwright whose work is adapted in the volume.); Associated with: Thomas Knight (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Edward Moore (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Andrew Cherry (Playwright whose work is included in the volume (?)); Associated with: Samuel Foote (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Mrs Elizabeth Inchbald (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Kane O'Hara (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: George Farquhar (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Charles Macklin (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Nathaniel Lee (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Susanna Centlivre (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: William Shakespeare (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Hannah Cowley (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: George Colman the younger (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Charles Coffey (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Isaac John Bickerstaff (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.)
Acquisition name
Acquisition date: 1864
Department: Prints and Drawings
Registration number: 1864,0213.154-202

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