Collection Plays: Signed (25 results)
- Softcover
- Signed
Seller: Wonder Book, Frederick, MD, U.S.A.Wonder Book
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US$ 7.59
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Condition: As New. Signed Copy . Inscribed by author Julie Kashmanian on title page.
More images- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: Charing Cross Road Booksellers, Canton, GA, U.S.A.Charing Cross Road Booksellers
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
US$ 8.95
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good -. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good -. First Edition. Red Cloth Covers with gilt lettering to spine; lower edges of covers are rubbed from shelf-wear; white endpapers show some light soiling and foxing; upper edge of free front endpaper has some light erasure marks; Free front endpaper has a typed… paste-down signed by the author: 'To Barbara who suggested that 4 Plays be published (signed) Maurice'; verso of free front endpaper and half title page show some foxing as do book edges; book interior is clean and tight; 8vo; 230 pages; dustjacket is protected by a mylar wrapper and is clean and bright; dustjacket is rubbed at edges, spine ends and corners and has some light chipping at corners and spine ends; rear dustjacket panel is rubbed/scuffed. Signed by Author(s).
- Softcover
- Signed
Seller: Kennys Bookshop and Art Galleries Ltd., Galway, GY, IrelandKennys Bookshop and Art Galleries Ltd.
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
US$ 17.88
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Condition: Very Good. 2014. Paperback. 8vo . Some light shelfwear otherwise a good copy. Signed and inscribed by the author. . . . Signed Copy.
Published by iUniverse 2002
- Softcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: Barbers Book Store Online, Fort Worth, TX, U.S.A.Barbers Book Store Online
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
US$ 20.00
US$ 5.00 shippingShips within U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Soft cover. Condition: Very Good. No Jacket. 1st Edition. 6 x 8 3/4".187 pages. A collection of plays SIGNED The soft cover is slightly wrinkled, otherwise a nice copy. To access our books on theater search Abebooks.com using our unique keyword THTRBX or visit our shop in beautiful downtown Fort Worth. Language: eng. Signed by A…uthor(s).
Published by Steven Moore 1992
- Softcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: West Elk Books, Paonia, CO, U.S.A.West Elk Books
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
US$ 19.00
US$ 7.75 shippingShips within U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Paperback. Condition: Very good. 1st Edition. A lovely collection of original plays and music by this late, beloved Waldorf school teacher. This paperback is clean, fresh, uncreased; signed and inscribed by the author. Scarce.
More imagesPublished by Dell Publishing Company 1971
- Softcover
- Signed
Seller: Lost Horizon Bookstore, Santa Barbara, CA, U.S.A.Lost Horizon Bookstore
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Near fine
US$ 25.00
US$ 7.00 shippingShips within U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Softcover. Condition: Near fine. Octavo. 8 x 5.25". 211pp. INSCRIBED by McClure, "For Jim" with some extra little drawings of gargoyle profiles around title. Additional note "June 6, 2003 50th Anniversary of City Lights." maybe also have been written by McClure, but hard to tell. Light general wear.
Published by Evans, London
- Softcover
- Signed
Seller: Scorpio Books, IOBA, Bungay, , United KingdomScorpio Books, IOBA
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Good
US$ 20.71
US$ 33.52 shippingShips from United Kingdom to U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Pictorial Paper Wraps. Condition: Good. 106th Imp. 72pp. & Supplement. Covers sl. worn and grubby This issue has an article by Flora Robson and is signed by her Size: Cr.8vo. Signed by Contributor.
Published by Note of Hand Publishers, Brooklyn, NY 1977
- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: Bauer Rare Books, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.Bauer Rare Books
Contact seller5-star sellerFirst edition. 8vo. 169 pp. No. 48 of 50 copies, signed by James Purdy. Cloth binding in unclipped dustwrapper, very good condition. (75573).
More imagesPublished by Privately Published,, Malta, 1990
- Softcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: Burwood Books, Wickham Market, , United KingdomBurwood Books
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
US$ 41.43
US$ 30.17 shippingShips from United Kingdom to U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Paperback. Condition: Very Good. First Edition. Wraps. 8vo. pp 94. Printed paperback. Signed by the author. Ownership signature of Richard Hamilton Alexander Cheffins (1945 - 2011), Knight of Justice in the Order of Malta, librarian of the British Association of the Order of Malta and a bibliographer of books on Malta. Very good…. Signedes.
More imagesPublished by Note of Hand Publishers, New York City 1977
- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: Shade of the Cottonwood, Lawrence, KS, U.S.A.Shade of the Cottonwood
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Near fine
US$ 65.00
US$ 5.50 shippingShips within U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Hardcover/Hardback. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. First Edition. Near fine unread limited edition hardcover signed by author on title page. 1000 copies published. Former seller price in pencil flyleaf, else free of owner's marks with extremely tight binding. Negligible shelfwear. Dust jacket near fine w…ith some light scuffing. In protective archival sleeve. signed by author or artist.
Published by Note of Hand Publ. New York 1977
- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: David Kaye Books & Memorabilia, Woodland Hills, CA, U.S.A.David Kaye Books & Memorabilia
Contact seller5-star sellerFirst Edition ~1st Printing Hardcover SIGNED by Purdy on page opposite title page and signed again on rear limitation page, a limited edition of 1000 copies; fine in near fine dust jacket, in archival cover; toning to jacket edges and spine, small abrasion on jacket spine which overlaps a smidge on to jacket front else a tight s…quare unmarked copy in unclipped dust jacket; clean and crisp, appears unread; first printing.
Published by Note Of Hand Publishers, New York 1977
- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: Any Amount of Books, London, United KingdomAny Amount of Books
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used
US$ 55.24
US$ 24.80 shippingShips from United Kingdom to U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Hardcover. 8vo. pp 169. Original publisher's orange cloth, lettered black at the spine. One of a thousand copies signed at the rear. Also signed by the author on the title page with a presentation on the verso first blank page, "For Richard Dibble, sincere wishes, yours, James Purdy." Very good plus in very good plus dust jacket….
More imagesPublished by A Note of Hand Publishers, New York 1977
- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: Shade of the Cottonwood, Lawrence, KS, U.S.A.Shade of the Cottonwood
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Near fine
US$ 75.00
US$ 5.50 shippingShips within U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Hardcover/Hardback. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. First Edition. Near fine limited edition hardback signed by author on limitation page AND in front matter along with place and date. #3 of 50 signed and numbered. Unread with tight binding and free of owner's marks. Base edge coverboards rubbed and base…spine knocked. Top textblock lightly toned. Dust jacket toned along top and spine. Light scuff/soiled surfaces. In protective archival sleeve. signed by author or artist.
More imagesPublished by F.A.Persick, Limited, Printers 1953
- Hardcover
- Signed
Seller: Dilly Dally, Mobile, AL, U.S.A.Dilly Dally
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
US$ 87.49
US$ 3.50 shippingShips within U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Inscribed on title page, no other markings. Tight intact binding, Slight edge wear and tanning. See Photos. Inscribed by Author(s).
Published by Note Of Hand, New York 1977
- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: TBCL The Book Collector's Library, Montreal, QC, CanadaTBCL The Book Collector's Library
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Very good
US$ 100.00
US$ 25.00 shippingShips from Canada to U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Hardcover. Condition: Very Good +. dj. 1st Edition. 1st Edition. Hardcover. Signed by Author(s). First Edition Signed twice and Inscribed by Purdy to the dedicatee of In A Shallow Grave, Edward G. Hefter. 1 of 50 numbered copies, (this copy unnumbered). A fine copy in the publisher's cinnamon cloth boards, black lettering to the… spine in a near fine dustwrapper. 8vo. 169 pp. Signed by Author(s).
Published by Note of Hand, New York 1977
- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: Argosy Book Store, ABAA, ILAB, New York, NY, U.S.A.Argosy Book Store, ABAA, ILAB
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Fine
US$ 125.00
US$ 6.00 shippingShips within U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
hardcover. Condition: fine. Dust Jacket Condition: fine. First. 8vo, terra cotta boards, d.w. New York: Note of Hand Publishers, 1977. First Edition. Fine. Signed by Purdy on the title page, and with a long presentation by him on a flyleaf, dated 1983. ".You will find the tears of . in some of these pages, if not his blood".
More imagesPublished by Note of Hand Publishers, New York 1977
- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: Counterpoint Records & Books, Los Angeles, CA, U.S.A.Counterpoint Records & Books
Contact seller3-star sellerCondition: Used - Good
US$ 175.00
US$ 5.00 shippingShips within U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Hardcover. Condition: Good +. Dust Jacket Condition: Fair +. First Thus. Brick orange paper covered boards, some white staining and sunning at edges of spine, black stamped titles at spine, corners straight. Book body clean and tight. Signed four times by the author: once at title page and again with an inscription at its verso,… then twice more with a date and drawing at rear signature page. From a limited edition of only 25 copies signed with a drawing. Cream illustrated dust jacket shows moderate to heavy shelf wear to covers, some insect damage to portions of the back cover, corners, outer edges, and spine, some protective pieces of tape affixed to edges by previous owner, black titles at front and spine, no cuts or clippings, archival Brodart protected.
More imagesA Collection of Plays [The Lying Valet ; Three Weeks After Marriage, etc - see description for the full list ] bound in one volume.
Garrick, David ; Foote, Samuel ; Kelly, Hugh ; Murphy, Arthur, O'Hara, Kane:
Published by Various - 1806 1794
- Hardcover
- Signed
Seller: Peter M. Huyton, Hereford, , United KingdomPeter M. Huyton
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Good
US$ 186.42
US$ 24.13 shippingShips from United Kingdom to U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. A collection of plays performed at Drury-Lane/Covent-Garden/Hay-Market, the book includes the following comedies: 1.False Delicacy, by Hugh Kelly [1795]; 2.Three Weeks After Marriage; A Farce, by Arthur Murphy [1805]; 3.The Lame Lover, by Samuel Foote [1794]; 4.The Lying Valet; A Farce, by…David Garrick [1806];5.Midas; An English Burletta, by Kane O'Hara [1802];6.The Orators, by Samuel Foote [1794]; 7.The Irish Widow, by David Garrick [1794]; 8.The Author, by Samuel Foote [1794]; 9.The Devil Upon Two Sticks, by Samuel Foote [1794];10.The Nabob, by Samuel Foote [1794]; 11.The Cozeners, by Samuel Foote [1794]; Taste, by Samuel Foote [1794]; 12.The Patron, by Samuel Foote [1794];13.The Tailors; A Tragedy for Warm Weather, Author Unknown [1794].Various publishers, including Bell, Cawthorn, Jarvis, and Roach. Quarter-calf & vellum binding with raised bands, oxblood title label, and gilt lettering/ruling. Six engraved plates depicting actors in their roles / scenes from the plays. Signed/inscribed by Elizabeth Greenly. The book, I am told, by the person I bought it from, is from the library of Elizabeth Greenly (1771-1839) of Titley Court, Herefordshire, and the signature inside the front board appears to correspond. Elizabeth was a noted member of the family, being acquainted with Lord Byron and Marie Antionette and King George III, and her diaries kept from 1784 until six months before her death 1839 provide an insight into the life of a 'county lady' of the period (see the greenlyhistory website for fuller information). Size - 16mo, c. 5.25 x 3.25 x 2 inches, pp - about 600. Book condition - Good plus ; contents clean, inscription inside front board and list of contents hand-written on the front flyleaf and an inscription of the (blank) recto of the first plate, no others, some pages show various degrees of tanning and there are odd pages with minor foxing, binding very firm with inner hinges intact ; calf spine piece with five raised bands and title in gilt on red label, vellum boards ; corners somewhat rubbed and bent but not split, back vellum dusty but no real marks, back hinge sound with no splitting, spine complete with ends intact, spine leather shows some marking but nothing disfiguring, spine gilt somewhat rubbed but all still distinct, front hinge sound with no splitting, front board vellum again dusty and with minor marking. A unique collection. More information or images gladly provided on request - click on the link 'Ask bookseller a question' immediately below. Signed by Author(s).
Published by Note of Hand Publishers, New York 1977
- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: Bauer Rare Books, San Diego, CA, U.S.A.Bauer Rare Books
Contact seller5-star sellerFirst edition. 8vo. 169 pp. No. 20 of 25 copies, signed by James Purdy with an original drawing by Purdy. Inscribed to Jerry Frasier on title-page with further inscription on verso of half-title. Cloth binding in unclipped dustwrapper, very good condition. (96165).
More imagesPublished by Note of Hand, NY 1977
- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: curtis paul books, inc., Crestline, CA, U.S.A.curtis paul books, inc.
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used - Near fine
US$ 224.99
US$ 4.49 shippingShips within U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Near Fine. First Edition. Original cloth. Limited edition, one of only 25 copies that were signed by Purdy with an original drawing on the colophon. Additionally inscribed by Purdy to the title page to Herb (most likely Herb Yellin) Tight and square with hint of shelfwear. The DJ in mylar is tone…d to spine and edges, hint of insecting to front panel edge, tiny mark to rear panel. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; Signed by Author.
More imagesPublished by Edward Moxon, London 1836
- Hardcover
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: Temple Bar Bookshop, Dublin, DUB, IrelandTemple Bar Bookshop
Contact seller4-star sellerCondition: Used - Near fine
US$ 298.01
US$ 9.26 shippingShips from Ireland to U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. A collection of five plays bound together in contemporary half calf with gilt decorations to the spine, the binding is lightly rubbed. Two of the works are inscribed by the author. The Wife, A Tale of Mantua, Edward Moxon London 1836 the seventh edition; Caius Gracchus, A Tragedy; Gl…asgow Reid and Henderson 1833, first edition, inscribed by the author to Viscount Shayford???; Virginius, A Tragedy Reid and Henderson Glasgow 1824, the sixth edition, inscribed by the author to the same recipient; The Lady of Lyons or Love and Pride, Saunders and Otley, London 1838 the fifth edition AND The Love Chase a Comedy in Five Acts , Edward Moxon, London 1838, the third edition. James Sheridan Knowles (12 May 1784 - 30 November 1862) was a Cork born Irish dramatist and actor. His talents secured him the friendship of William Hazlitt, who introduced him to Charles Lamb and Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Scarce, signed works by Knowles seldom appear on the market. Signed by Author(s).
COLLECTION OF 26 ORIGINAL B/W-PHOTOGRAPHS BY BOAZ TAL OF HIMSELF AND HIS FAMILY (AND FRIENDS?), IN VARYING APPEARENCES, MOSTLY NUDE; few staged according to patterns of The Holy Family, some just the opposite in physical intimacy across the familiy-generations, some with only one or two depicted Persons: 1) untitled; 2) 'THE BLESSING'; 3) 'MY FIRST WIFE'; 4) untitled; 5) untitled; 6) untitled; 7) 'STUDY OF MALE & FEMALE'; 8) 'WHEN DANA PLAYS THE OBOE'; 9) 'STUDY FOR ALEGORY'[!]; 10) 'CONDOMINIUM'; 11) 'AFTER VAN-GOGH'; 12) 'WITH MY FAMILY, PIÉTA'; 13) 'WITH MY FAMILY, PIÉTA II'; 14) 'FIGURE WITH A NARCISSUS'; 15) 'COUPLE WITH A VASE'; 16) 'THREE GRACES'; 17) 'AFTER THE BATH'; 18) 'THE DOUBT'; 19) 'THE SOURCE'; 20) untitled; 21) 'SEATED MASKED WOMAN'; 22) '8 STUDY OF MALE & FEMALE'; 23) untitled'; 24) 'STUDY FOR >THE JUDGMENT OF PARIS<'; 25) 'STUDY OF MALE AND FEMALE'; 26) '7 COUPLE WITH A VASE'.(Order by vertical size) + colour-photographic BOOKLET 'ALLEGORY' + 2 identical colour SELF-
TAL, BOAZ (*1952; Photographer, now Prof. Ph.D., active and highly influential Photographer since 1980ies, largely exhibited worldwide, collected in numerous Museums, e.g. 'Bibliotheque National' Paris, 'The Jewish Museum' New-York, 'Collection Ludwig' Cologne, 'Kiyosato Museum of Photographic Arts' Japan, and many others):
Published by Probably Jaffa/Israel, early(?) 1990ies (Photos) / 1997 (Booklet 'ALLEGORY': 32 p. on glossy paper with 20 - 19 large - colour-photographic plates, black grey-titled softcover). 1997
- Softcover
- Signed
Seller: C O - L I B R I , Bremen - Berlin ; Deutschland / Germany ., Berlin, GermanyC O - L I B R I , Bremen - Berlin ; Deutschland / Germany .
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used
US$ 2,145.69
US$ 52.08 shippingShips from Germany to U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
Sizes (image / photosheet) from 13 x 13 cm / 15 x 15 cm to 21,5 x 22 cm / 30 x 24 cm, often with wide white margin at the bottom (smaller at sides and top). - 20 photos bear the manuscript title by the photographer in English and Hebrew in the bottom margin, 1 carries his name-and-address stamp at front, 3 are signed next to the… title, 17 carry his - mostly round - name-and-adress stamp at the back, 2 with stamp 'proof copy', the 'untitled' ones #1, #4, #5 and #6 with shop-sticker at verso of Tal's german Gallery-Agent in London (The Mall Arcade, Camden Passage) around the year 2000; more details below. . . *** INTIMATE AND EXHAUSTIVE COLLECTION FROM HIS LONDON SALES-AGENT AROUND THE LAST TURN-OF-THE-CENTURIES, still complete as received from the agent; but may be sold singlewise or in sections upon request. - THE DETAILS (abbreviations 'sm'=narrow margin, 'mm'=medium margin, 'wm'=wide mainly-bottom margin; 'gl.'=glossy paper, 'm-gl.'=medium glossy paper; 'rps'=round photographer's copyright and address stamp at rear): 1) untitled (13x13/15x15 cm, sm m-gl.) with fragmentary sales-agent's sticker at rear. / 2) 'THE BLESSING' (13x13/17x16 cm, mm m-gl. rps) w. stamp 'proofprint' at rear; slight crease in lower-left margin and top-right corner (margin). / 3) 'MY FIRST WIFE' (11x11/18x13 cm, wm gl.) with Tal's address-stamp at front. / 4) untitled (13x13/20,5x19,5 cm, wm m-gl.). / 5) untitled 13x13/22x18 cm, wm m-gl.). / 6) untitled 13x13/23x18 cm, wm m-gl.). / 7) 'STUDY OF MALE & FEMALE' (up tp #19: 16x16/25x19 cm, wm gl. rps). / 8) 'WHEN DANA PLAYS THE OBOE'. / 9) 'STUDY FOR ALEGORY'[!]. / 10) 'CONDOMINIUM'. / 11) 'AFTER VAN-GOGH'. / 12) 'WITH MY FAMILY, PIÉTA', minimal crease at top-right corner. / 13) 'WITH MY FAMILY, PIÉTA II', minimally bent at top-right corner. / 14) 'FIGURE WITH A NARCISSUS'. / 15) 'COUPLE WITH A VASE', slightly spotty in the wide bottom margin. / 16) 'THREE GRACES'. / 17) 'AFTER THE BATH'. / 18) 'THE DOUBT'. / 19) 'THE SOURCE'(since #7: 16x16/25x19 cm, wm gl. rps). / 20) untitled ['WHEN DANA PLAYS THE OBOE', larger] (21x21/23x23 cm, sm m-gl.). / 21) SEATED MASKED [BLEEDING] WOMAN (16,5x16,5/25x21 cm, wm m-gl.) signed at front, with 'proof print' and address-stamp at verso; top-left and -right and bottom-right with fragments of former-mounting tape, bottom-corners slightly creased. / 22) '8 STUDY OF MALE & FEMALE' (18x18/24x20,5 cm, mm m-gl.) holograph ''c BOAZ TAL'' at verso. / 23) untitled (25x25 cm, nm m-gl.), slight crease at lower-half left-, minimal at right corner. / 24) 'STUDY FOR >THE JUDGMENT OF PARIS<' (like #10; 13x13/31x20 cm, w+m m-gl. rps), signed at front; bottom corners slightly creased. / 25) 'STUDY OF MALE AND FEMALE' (like #7; 25x25/30x26 cm, m-gl. rps) signed at front, 'proof print'- and date-stamp '7.08.1990' at verso; top-left slightly frayed on 3-cm, right lower side slightly creased, top-right and bottom left corner as well. / 26) '7 COUPLE WITH A VASE' (21,5x22/30x24 cm, wm m-gl.), top corners minimally creased, bottom corners slightly wavy. - THE FRAGILE BOOKLET 'ALLEGORY' very good; as well as THE 2 IDENTICAL COLOUR SELF-PORTRAITS (postcard-size): Tal standing with crossed arms in front of 2 large photographs of a 'sitting naked woman next to a kitchen stove'. --- A BEAUTIFUL COLLECTION.
Published by Note of Hand, NY 1977
- First Edition
- Signed
Seller: Second Life Books, Inc., Lanesborough, MA, U.S.A.Second Life Books, Inc.
Contact seller4-star sellerFirst printing. 8vo, pp. 169. A fine copy in dj. One of 1000 copies. This is not numbered, but is signed at the colophon by the author and inscribed again on the front blank, "sincere wishes .".
More imagesPublished by New York 1941
- First Edition
- Signed
- Manuscript
Seller: Recycled, Corte Madera, CA, U.S.A.Recycled
Contact seller5-star sellerNo Binding. Condition: VG+. 1st Edition. Countersigned by Kozlenko. 1 page, folio, onionskin paper; tear with minor loss in upper edge, horizontal folds. Very early document for Williams, whose first published play *Moony's Kid Don't Cry* was in The Best One-Act Plays of 1940. Signed by Author(s).
More imagesPublished by Paris, Eugène Renduel, 1832-1833. 1833
- Signed
- Manuscript
Seller: Antiquariat INLIBRIS Gilhofer Nfg. GmbH, Vienna, A, AustriaAntiquariat INLIBRIS Gilhofer Nfg. GmbH
Contact seller5-star sellerCondition: Used
US$ 89,403.88
US$ 34.72 shippingShips from Austria to U.S.A.Quantity: 1 available
I) Lucrèce Borgia. 1833. (2), XI, (1), 192 pp. - II) Le Roi s'amuse. 1832. (8), XXIII, (1), 183 pp. - III) Marie Tudor. 1833. (6), IV, 214 pp. Each with frontispiece. All three bound in a single volume in slightly later half calf with giltstamped spine and marbled covers. - A matching second volume contains: - 1) Borgia, Lucrezi…a (1480-1519). Letter signed. Rome, 20 Nov. 1501. ½ p. Folio. - 2) Hugo, Victor (1802-1885). Autograph ink caricature, mounted on backing paper. 10 x 13 cm. - 3) Mocquard, Jean-François (1791-1864). Autograph letter signed. Paris, 15 Jan. 1853. 1 p. 8vo. - 4) Fournier, Louis Edouard (1857-1917). Autograph drawing inscribed. 12.5 x 20.5 cm. - 5) Donizetti, Gaetano (1797-1848). Autograph musical manuscript (fragment). 6 pp., ca. 33 x 12 cm. - 6) Hugo, Victor (1802-1885). Two autograph instructions signed. 26 Dec. 1839 and 20 Feb. (no year). Oblong 8vo. 2 pp. - Both volumes stored together in a matching calf-entry marbled slipcase. A charming ensemble of three first editions of Victor Hugo's plays, each one inscribed by the author to his elder brother, the essayist and military writer Abel Hugo (1798-1855). When the set was auctioned at the sale of the library of the author's grandson Georges-Victor Hugo, it was acquired by Arthur Meyer, the director of the prestigious daily "Le Gaulois" and a passionate collector who was wont to enrich, or "truffle", his books with appropriate rare autographs and drawings. In this case, the addenda, bound in a matching half-calf volume, greatly surpass in value the works they accompany: 1) A precious letter by the Renaissance noblewoman Lucrezia Borgia, famous for her marriages and her affair with Pietro Bembo (signed "Lucretia Esteri de Borgia"), written in recommendation of Hector Beringero to the poet Antonio Tebaldeo (1463-1537), secretary to Francesco II Gonzaga, Marquess of Mantua (later Lucrezia's lover). Meyer had acquired this outstanding document from the collection of Alfred Morrison (cf. Catalogue of the Collection of Autograph Letters and Historical Documents Formed Between 1865 and 1882 by Alfred Morrison, 1883, p. 100). - 2) Almost equally striking is the original, highly expressive pen-and-ink drawing by Victor Hugo, showing the dark shape of a portly figure holding a candle (an illustration of Act III, Scene 1 of his 1843 play "Les Burgraves"), captioned by the artist in his own hand: "Mm. Mélingue criant: Caïn! de la Coulisse". In the original production, the actress Rosaline Mélingue had played the role of Guanhumara, providing the off-stage voice for the eerie scene. - 3) Also included is a letter by J.-F. Mocquard, chief-of-staff to Napoleon III, addressed to Auguste Romieu, the directeur des beaux-arts, concerning matters of theatrical censorship (including Hugo's play "Lucrèce Borgia"). 4) The associations are reinforced in an expressive charcoal drawing showing Victor Hugo reading to his brother Abel the first act of "Lucrèce Borgia", inscribed in pencil to the collector by the artist L. E. Fournier: "A M. Arthur Meyer très cordialement". 5) Finally, Meyer was able to include a fragment of Gaetano Donizetti's original manuscript of his 1833 opera "Lucrezia Borgia", which he had based on Hugo's play. 6) At the very end are two brief notes by Victor Hugo in which the author instructs his publisher Renduel to issue to the bearer copies of his works, including "Lucrèce Borgia". - Provenance: bookplates of Arthur Meyer and Jean Inglessi, as well as an additional monogrammed bookplate. Last in the collection of Pierre Bergé (1930-2017).
