Lot 477
  • 477

SIR HENRY IRVING, A COLLECTION OF BOOKS, PHOTOGRAPHS, AND OTHER MATERIAL

Estimate
4,000 - 6,000 GBP
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Description

  • Irving, Sir Henry
  • A substantial collection of 9 volumes and other ephemera:
  • ink on paper
i) Plays marked up for performance: Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Oxford, 1873, MARKED UP FOR PERFORMANCE AND ANNOTATED BY IRVING ("This copy of 'Hamlet' was cut and arranged for the first performance of that character by Henry Irving at the Lyceum Theatre October 31 1874 C[lement] W[illiam] S[cott]"), with substantial cuts marked in brown ink and some marginal pencil notes in Irving's hand, including directions for performance (the soliloquy "To be or not to be" is spoken "Leering in a chair"), and diction ("charge", "medita[tive]", etc.), with a cast list for the production and also a programme for a later production of the play (Theatre Royal, Haymarket, 21 January 1892) laid down; Macbeth. Oxford, 1873, MARKED UP FOR PERFORMANCE ("This copy of Macbeth was cut and arranged for Henry Irving's Mabeth at the Lyceum by the actor, and in his own handwriting C[lement] S[cott]"), dated "Lyceum 18. Sept. 1875" on 1.1, with cuts in brown ink, extensive marginal pencil notes by Irving including critical comments on the performance of Kate Bateman as Lady Macbeth (1.6.ll 36-52"...Worse than ever oh god how slow!..."), his own performance ("...splendid..."), stage directions (3.4, l.100: "...Covers up his face with cloak..."), diction ("...staccato...", 2.3.71-76: "...Far bolder...") , J.W. Mahoney. Hamlet's Mission. Birmingham, 1875; Anon. Macbeth at the Lyceum. Mr Irving and his Critics. London, 1875; 12mo, four works in one, contemporary cloth, with the bookplate of the drama critic Clement Scott (1841-1904), trimmed with some loss of marginalia, upper cover detached, loss at spine [Traill, H.D., and Robert Hitchins.] The Medicine-Man. [?1898], 8vo, HENRY IRVING'S COPY HEAVILY ANNOTATED BY HIM FOR PERFORMANCE in pencil and blue crayon, noting stage-business, revisions to the script, and underlining significant lines for the part of Dr Tregenna, with the bookplate of Sir Henry Irving, lacking title page ii) Other volumes: Shakespeare, William. The Merchant of Venice .... as presented at the Lyceum Theatre under the management of Mr Henry Irving. Chiswick Press, 1880. 8vo, vellum boards, INSCRIBED BY HENRY IRVING to his son Laurence, 19 June 1880, with a programme for the 100th performance of the play at the Lyceum tipped in, upper cover worn; Everard, Edward Cape. Memoirs of an unfortunate son of Thespis. Edinburgh: Ballantyne, 1818. 12mo, contemporary boards, spine gilt, upper joint split; Tennyson, Alfred Lord. Becket A Tragedy. London, 1893. 8vo, reprint, wrappers; Stoker, Bram. Personal Reminiscences of Henry Irving. Heineman, 1906, 2 vols, 8vo, original cloth, with, laid down, an autograph letter signed, to Mr Backcomb (1 page, 13 February 1890); [Sale Catalogue]. The Collection of Theatrical Relics [...] Pictures and Drawings [...] Valuable Library of Sir Henry Irving, Christie's, 14-18 December 1905, with the stamp of R.N. Green-Armytage, contemporary cloth; another copy (7) iii) Programmes, photographs, and other ephemera: Commemorative programme for Dante, 30 April 1903, on vellum, in a silk folder; "Reading of Shakespeare's 'Merchant of Venice' by Mr and Mrs Laurence Irving", 5 February 1905; Farewell Visit of Henry Irving, Sheffield, October 1905; Concert ... in aid of the Merchant Seamen's Orphanage, 23 October 1899, signed by Irving, Stoker, and five others; signatures of Marie and Squire Bancroft on headed notepaper; two photographic portraits of Henry Irving, each c.100 x 60mm, framed; Ellen Terry, signed photograph, framed; medal commemorating the death of Irving ("The Greatest Actor of the Age"), with bust of Irving by Restall, bronze, boxed; costume ring with green glass stone; diptych of coloured prints (90 x 55mm) including of Irving as Mephistopheles

Provenance

Everard: William Beckford, sale of his library, Sotheby's, 30 June 1882, lot 2910, 16s., to Robson and Kerslake; Sir Henry Irving (bookplate); Cavanagh Theatre Collection, sale, Sotheby's, 20 July 1993, lot 265 (part lot)

Condition

Condition is described in the main body of the catalogue, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Catalogue Note

THIS COLLECTION INCLUDES A VOLUME FROM THE COLLECTION OF IRVING'S FRIEND CLEMENT SCOTT, CONTAINING UNIQUE INSIGHTS INTO TWO KEY SHAKESPEAREAN PRODUCTIONS OF THE VICTORIAN PERIOD. Irving's Hamlet ran for a remarkable 200 nights at the Lyceum from 31 October 1874; it centred on a startlingly innovative portrayal of the prince as a "lean image of hungry speculation" (Yeats), which established Irving as the pre-eminent Hamlet of his generation. Macbeth opened on 25 September 1875 but his interpretation of the part did not please critics. It was not until his 1888 revival of the play, when he played opposite Ellen Terry, that Irving found success with the play. Both plays have substantial cuts. In the case of Macbeth the cuts tend to follow the scholarship of the editors of the current volume, Clark and Wright, who believed them to be later interpolations.