illustrated book

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Object Type: illustrated book
Museum number: 1864,0213.305-356
Description: Volume 3 of 'The London Stage.' A compilation of scripts of plays performed at the Theatre Royal in letterpress with wood engraved illustrations. In a tree calf binding with "London Stage 4" lettered on the spine. Each script has a wood engraved vignette illustration beneath the title. A table of contents is pasted inside the front cover states that the book comes with portraits of: "Mr Macready, Mr Warde, Mr Bartley, Mr Wrench, Miss Panton, Miss Chester and Mrs Glover." The frontispiece represents bust length portraits of those actors named in decorative oval frames with Macready at the centre, their names inscribed below. Lettered at the foot of the page: "Theatrical portraits." "Fourth Group" is printed at the top, right hand corner. 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 signed "John Byfield" [the wood engraver]. 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. Vol IV. London: Published for the proprietors by Sherwood, Jones and Co, Paternoster Row; and Sold by all booksellers." At the foot of the page: Gye and Balne, Typ. (See below for a list of contents below. See Reid 4843.). circa 1827 Letterpress and wood-engraving. Contents: 1. 'The chances; a comedy in five acts.'- Altered from Beaumont and Fletcher, By David Garrick. Illustration from Act I. -Scene 6. 2. 'Tancred and Sigismunda; a tragedy, in five acts.' -By James Thomson. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 1. 3. 'The honey-moon; A comedy, in five acts.' -By John Tobin. Illustration from Act V. Scene 3. 4. 'The apprentice; a farce in two acts.' -By Arthur Murphy. Illustration from Act II. Scene 2. 5. 'The tailors; or, a tragedy for warm weather: a burlesque tragedy, in three acts.' Illustration from Act III, Scene 5. 6. 'The woodman; a comic opera, in three acts.' -By Bate Dudley. Illustration from Act III. Scene 5. 7. 'Edward, the black Prince; or, the Battle of Poictiers: An historical tragedy, in five acts.' -By William Shirley. Illustration from Act V. Scene 5. 8. 'The waterman; or, the first of August: a ballad opera, in two acts.'- By Charles Dibdin. Illustration from Act I. Scene 1. (Signed. S. Williams) 9. 'The romp; a comic opera, in two acts.'- Altered from 'Love in the city' by Isaac Bickerstaffe. Illustration from Act II, Scene II. (Signed J [?].R. Dodd). 10. 'Braganza; a tragedy in five acts.' By Robert Jephson. Illustration from Act III. Scene 1. 11. 'The Mogul tale; or, the descent of the balloon; a farce in two acts.' Illustration from Act II. Scene 2. Signed "S. Williams." 12. 'Appearance is against them; a farce in two acts.' Illustration from Act I. Scene 2. 13. 'Abroad and at home; a comic opera, in three acts.'-By J.G. Holman. Illustration from Act II. Scene 2. Signed "S.Williams." 14. 'The double dealer; a comedy in five acts.' -By William Congreve. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 1. 15. 'Mahomet, the impostor; a tragedy in five acts.' By the Rev. Mr Miller. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 2. 16. 'The Carmelite; a tragedy in five acts.' -By Richard Cumberland. Illustration from Act V. Scene 1. 17. 'The way of the world; a comedy in five acts.' -By William Congreve. Act IV. Scene 1. 18. 'The panel; a comedy in three acts.' Altered from Bickerstaff's comedy of 'Tis well its no worse' by J. P. Kemble. Illustration from Act I. Scene 1. Signed S. Williams. 19. 'Thomas and Sally; or, the sailor's return: a musical entertainment, in two acts.' Illustration from Act 1. Scene I. Signed "I.[?] Dodd." 20. 'Duplicity; a comedy in five acts.' -By Thomas Holcroft. Illustration from Act III. Scene 2. Signed I. [?]Dodd sc. 21. 'The bashful man. A comic drama.' By W.T. Moncrieff. Illustration from Act II. Scene 4. Signed by S. Williams. 22. 'The school for wives; a comedy in five acts.' - By Hugh Kelly. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 4. 23. 'The castle of Sorrento; a musical entertainment.' -By Henry Heartwell. Illustration from Act II. Scene 2. Signed S.W. 24. 'The contrivances; a ballad opera in one act.' -By Henry Carey. Illustration from scene 3. Signed I.[?] Dodd. 25. 'The Law of Lombardy; A tragedy in five acts.' -By Robert Jephson. Illustration from Act V. Scene 2. Signed S.W. 26. 'The cheats of scapin; a comedy in three acts.' -By Thomas Otway. Illustration from Act II. Scene 1. 27. 'False impressions; a comedy in five acts.' By Richard Cumberland. Illustration from Act I. Scene 1. Signed S. Williams. 28. 'Zara; a tragedy in five acts.' by Aaron Hill. Illustration from Act III. Scene 1. Signed S. Williams. 29. 'He's much to blame; a comedy in five acts.' -By Thomas Holcroft. Illustration from Act IV- Scene 1. Signed S.W. 30. 'The curfew; a play in five acts.'- By John Tobin. Illustration from Act II. Scene 3. 31. 'What next? A farce in two acts.'- By Thomas Dibdin. Illustration from Act I. Scene 2. Signed S.W. 32. 'The purse; or, the benevolent tar: a musical entertainment in one act.' -By J.C. Cross. Illustration from Scene 5. Signed S.W. 33. 'The farmer's wife; an opera in three acts.' -By Charles Dibdin, Jun. Illustration from Act III. Scene 5. Signed S.W. 34. 'My spouse and I; an operatical farce in two acts.' -By Charles Dibdin, Jun. Illustration from Act 1. Scene 2. Signed S.W. 35. 'Paul and Virginia; A musical entertainment, in two acts.' -By James Cobb. Illustration from Act I. Scene I. Signed S.W. 36. 'The siege of Belgrade; a comic opera in three acts.' -By James Cobb. Illustration from. Act II. Scene 4. 37. 'The distrest mother; a tragedy in five acts.' -By Ambrose Philips. Illustration from Act I. Scene 1. 38. 'Animal magnetism; A farce in three acts.' -By Mrs Inchbald. Illustration from Act III. Scene 1. 39. 'The register office; a farce in two acts.' -By Joseph Reed. Illustration from Act II. Scene 1. Signed S. Williams 40. 'The school for scandal; a comedy in five acts.' By R.B. Sheridan. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 3. 41. 'The merchant of Bruges; or, beggar's bush: a play in five acts.' Altered from Beaumont and Fletcher. By Douglas Kinnaird. Illustration from Act III. Scene 1. 42. 'The village lawyer; a farce in two acts.' Illustration from Act II. Scene 1. 43. 'No song, no supper; a musical entertainment in two acts.' By Prince Hoare. Illustration from Act I. Scene 4. 44. 'The votary of wealth; a comedy in five acts.' By J.G. Holman. Illustration from Act I. Scene 1. Signed S.W. 45. 'The school for arrogance; a comedy in five acts.' -By Thomas Holcroft. Illustration from Act III. Scene 1. 46. 'Seduction; a comedy in five acts.' -By Thomas Holcroft. Illustration from Act V. Scene 1. 47. 'The mourning bride; a tragedy in five acts.' -By William Congreve. Illustration from Act IV. Scene 1. 48. 'The scape-goat; a farce in one act.' -By John Poole. Illustration from Scene 1. Signed SW. 49. 'The spoiled child; a farce in two acts.' Illustration from Act II. Scene 2. 50. 'Returned "killed;" A farce, in two acts.' -By J.R. Planche. 51. 'The turnpike gate; a farce in two acts.' -By T. Knight. Illustration from Act I. Scene 2.
Producer name: Print made by: George Cruikshank (Print-maker of the title-page Reid No 3429.); After: Thomas Charles Wageman (See comments); Print made by: William Thomas Fry (Engraver of the frontispiece illustration); Published by: Sherwood & Co; Block cut by: John Byfield (Wood engraver of the title-page.); Block cut by: Samuel Williams (A number of illustrations are signed "S. Williams." or "S.W." See list of contents.); Block cut by: John Robert Dodd (Several illustrations are signed I.R. Dodd. However, these may be attributable to John Robert Dodd. (See list of contents).); Printed by: Gye & Balne (Credited as "typ" (typsetters) on the title-page.)
School/style: British
Production date: 1827
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: The fourth 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 separately paged and were issued in weekly numbers. (See Cohn 507.) This volume contains a larger number of anonymous works than previous editions. It does not contain: 'The miller of mansfield' although it is listed in the table of contents. Thomas Charles Wageman is credited for the original portraits of actors in the frontispiece of Volume 1 although later volumes are inscribed: "Engraved by W.T. Fry from original portraits" without reference to Wageman. Cohn (507) states that the frontispiece 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.
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: theatre/opera house (A compilation of plays performed at the Theatre Royal)
Associated names: Associated with: David Garrick (Garrick's adaptation of Beaumont and Fletcher's 'The chances' is included in the volume.); Associated with: Francis Beaumont (Playwright, adaptations of whose work are included in the volume (see list of contents).); Associated with: John Fletcher (Playwright, adaptations of whose work are included in the volume (see list of contents).); Associated with: James Thomson (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: John Tobin (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Arthur Murphy (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Bate Dudley (Composer whose opera is included in the volume.); Associated with: William Shirley (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Charles Dibdin II (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Isaac John Bickerstaff (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Joseph George Holman (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: William Congreve (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Thomas Holcroft (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: William Thomas Moncrieff (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Hugh Kelly (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Henry Carey (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Robert Jephson (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Thomas Otway (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Richard Cumberland (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Aaron Hill (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: James Cobb (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Ambrose Philips (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Mrs Elizabeth Inchbald (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Richard Brinsley Sheridan (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Douglas Kinnaird (Kinnaird's adaptation of Beaumont and Fletcher's 'The merchant of Bruges' is included in the volume.); Associated with: Prince Hoare (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: John Poole (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: James Robinson Planché (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: Thomas Knight (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.); Associated with: George Bartley (Portrayed in the frontispiece illustration.); Associated with: Mr Warde (Portrayed in the frontispiece illustration.); Associated with: Eliza Chester (Portrayed in the frontispiece illustration.); Associated with: Julia Glover (Portrayed in the frontispiece illustration.); Associated with: Wrench (Portrayed in the frontispiece illustration.); Associated with: James Miller (Miller's adaptation of Voltaire's 'Mahomet, the impostor' is included in this volume.); Associated with: Henry Heartwell (Playwright whose works are included in the volume.); Associated with: John Charles Hughes (Playwright whose work is included in the volume.)
Acquisition name: Purchased from: Stenson
Acquisition date: 1864
Department: Prints and Drawings
Registration number: 1864,0213.305-356

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