The Life of Mr James Quin, Comedian; With a History of the Stage...
Handsome, Extra-Illustrated Copy [Quin, James (1693-1766)]. The Life of Mr. James Quin, Comedian, With the History of the Stage from His Commencing Actor to His Retreat to Bath. Illustrated with Many Curious and Interesting Anecdotes of Several Persons of Distinction, Literature, And Gallantry. To Which is Added a Supplement of Original Facts and Anecdotes, Arranged from Authentic Sources. Together with His Trial for the Murder of Mr. Bowen. London: [s.n.], 1887. [ii], 101 pp. With a copperplate portrait frontispiece and an additional 55 plates. Octavo (7-1/2" x 5"). Contemporary morocco, raised bands and gilt title to spine, gilt rules to board edges, gilt inside dentelles, marbled endpapers, top-edge gilt, silk ribbon bookmark. Light rubbing to extremities, hinges just starting at ends, faint offsetting to endpapers. General title page printed in red and black. Moderate toning to interior, very light foxing to general title page and a few plates, faint offsetting from plates, a few small pencil marks to text and brief annotations to a few plates. Gift inscription "To my old friend Douglas Taylor. J.C. Runkle" dated June 7th, 1905 to front endleaf. A handsome, extra-illustrated copy. $750. * Second and final edition, a reprint of the first 1766 edition with an additional chapter. Born in London and educated in Dublin, Quin was a successful actor famous for his performances and infamous for twice killing his opponents in duels. The first of these duels took place in 1717 with his fellow actor William Bowen, who had instigated the fight; Quin was convicted of manslaughter but was not severely punished and continued his career. The second was a quarrel about the pronunciation of the name "Cato" which resulted in Quin killing the other man in self defense. Again, Quin's career was not derailed by the events, and he continued to perform for many years. Our copy of his biography is extensively extra-illustrated with an additional 55 illustrations of Quin, his colleagues and friends and other relevant historical figures and locales. J.C. Runkle, who presented it to a friend, was an important collector, mostly of art.
Price: $750.00
Book number 73815