Quality Street
London: Hodder and Stoughton, 1913. Hugh Thompson. First, Limited Edition. 4to, Deluxe Edition, 12 1/4 x 9 1/2 inches (312 x 242 mm); pp. viii + 198 + 2. Twenty-two (22) color illustrations by Hugh Thompson tipped into pages within grey ruled decorative borders, and numerous in-text illustrations. Printed tissue guards throughout for the color illustrations bear, on verso, an illustrated medallion and lines from the play pertaining to the illustration itself. A list of color illustrations and quotes are present at the front of the book, along with a list of characters. Publisher's cream vellum with rich decorations in gilt and purple, gilt lettering and decorations on spine, original green silk ties intact; t.e.g., rest uncut. Cover very lightly thumbed and one corner bumped, but binding is in near fine condition; pages are evenly toned at the edges but clean and bright throughout.
This is copy 332 of 1000 deluxe copies signed by the artist on the limitation page;
Armorial bookplate of Hugh F. Marriott pasted down on inside front cover.
[Cutler 66].
The story of this 4-act play is about two sisters who start a school "for genteel children". Set on Quality Street in a little English country town during the Napoleonic wars this is the delightfully amusing story of Miss Phoebe Throssel and her alter ego Miss Livvy Phoebe's nonexistent niece and her fraught pursuit of love in the form of one dashing Valentine Brown. The original Broadway production opened in 1901 and ran for only 64 performances. The show was then produced in London, where it was a hit, running for 459 performances. It was frequently revived until World War II. This edition of the play was printed thirteen years after its production at the Vaudeville Theater and was issued in regular paper covers in the UK in 1913, and contemporaneously in this attractive large paper deluxe edition with decorated parchment binding. The American edition was published in 1928 by Scribner's in blue cloth with red leather.
Scottish novelist and playwright Sir James Matthew BARRIE 1860-1937 is best known for his classic children's character Peter Pan the very much-loved 'boy who wouldn't grow up'.
Condition: Near fine.
Item number: 598
Price: $450.00
Share: