Twelfth Night Or What You Will.

ROBINSON, W. Heath (illus.); SHAKESPEARE, William.

Published by London: Hodder & Stoughton, [1908]

About this Item

Signed limited edition, number 159 of 350 copies signed by the artist. Robinson's atmospheric watercolours for this work were exhibited at the Brook Street Gallery in 1908 to great acclaim. A contemporary review in the Graphic noted that this illustrated edition "has the advantage of the poetic insight and decorative skill which mark Mr W. Heath Robinson's serious work" and that the drawings were "instinct with the decorative spirit of the play". Robinson (1872-1944) has been described as "the most versatile" major book illustrator of his age in Britain (Peppin & Micklethwait, p. 259) and "the only British illustrator to become a 'household name'" (Houfe, p. 437). Graphic, 24 October 1908, p. 492; Simon Houfe, The Dictionary of British Book Illustrators and Caricaturists, 1800-1914; Brigid Peppin & Lucy Micklethwait, Dictionary of British Book Illustrators: The Twentieth Century, 1983. Quarto. Colour frontispiece and 39 colour plates with captioned tissue guards, tipped to heavy green paper as issued. Illustrated title and chapter pages. Original vellum, spine and front cover lettered and decorated in gilt, green endpapers, top edge gilt, other edges uncut, silk ties detached and loosely inserted. Christmas 1917 gift inscription on front free endpaper. Vellum a little soiled as usual, gentle bowing of covers, two spots of abrasion, contents clean. A very good copy.

Seller Inventory # 176596

Bibliographic Details

• Title: Twelfth Night Or What You Will.
• Publisher: London: Hodder & Stoughton, [1908]
• Edition: 1st Edition
• Signed: Signed by Author(s)