| Title: |
Bibliotheca Dramatica. A Catalogue of the Theatrical and Miscellaneous Library of Mr. John Field, in which are Contained Several Interesting Specimens of the Early Drama;... the Whole Collected with a View to Forming Materials for a Complete History of the British Stage. Which will be Sold by Auction by Mr. Sotheby... on Monday, 22nd of January, 1827, and Five Following Days. London. 1827. [ii],96,[2]pp., ruled in red with prices and buyers’ names supplied in a cont. hand, 1,939 lots. [Bound with:] RHODES (William Barnes) Bibliotheca Dramatica. A Catalogue of the Entire, Curious and Extensive Dramatic Library of William Barnes Rhodes, Esq. Containing a most Rare and Copious Collection of Plays... which will be Sold by Auction by Mr. Sotheby... on Monday, April 18, 1825, and Nine Following Days. |
| Description: |
London. 1825. 114,[2]pp., 2,918 lots. 2 Vols., in one, orig. cloth, re-backed, leather label on spine. The two major theatrical libraries of the period. Field had been deterred from his projected history of the British Stage by a fire in his library but the sale catalogue follows his intentions in arranging the material under such headings as Shakespeariana, dramatic criticism, lawfulness of stage entertainment, theatrical architecture, provincial theatres, lives of actors, playbills and even admission tickets of which he had an unusual collection. Rhodes’ collection was largely of plays and included many Shakespeare quartos, with the 1598 ‘Love’s labour’s Lost’ as undisputed highspot. Lowe, Arnott and Robinson, 75 & 125. |
