[QUICK, John.] A stipple engraving of Quick as Don Lewis in Cibber's
Love Makes A Man. [London: T. Palser, 1831.] 8 1/4" x 11 1/4",
margins trimmed; minor wear at edges. $40
A full-length portrait of Quinn, in costume, after DeWilde. He stands,
leaning on a stick in his right hand. This portrait, originally printed
by Bell in 1791, was reissued at the time of the actor's death in 1831.
[RACINE, Jean.] A line-engraved portrait of Racine, [c. 1800].
7 1/2" x 10 1/2"; three pinholes to left edge.
$25
A bust portrait, coat of arms at base of oval, all within a rectangle.
RAHBEK, K[nud] L. and P. FOERSOM. THEONE. Et Qvartlskrift. Koibenhavn: F. Brummers, 1811. First Edition. 2 vols. Small 8vo; original pink wraps, (Vol. 1 printed wraps); uncut and partially unopened; minor dusting to margins. $65
An assemblage of theatrical pieces by, or selected by, the Danish dramatist and critic Rahbek. Included are accounts of the career of the actor, stage director, and acting teacher Frederik Schwarz; “Arlequinos og Pierots Oprindelse” by Ohlenschlaeger; a short musical piece between Titania and three fairies with a prologue by Princess Charlotta and Prince Wilhem; an Epilogue to the ballet Sigrid; “Et Besog hos Joseph Haydn” by Iffland; a lengthy tribute to the actor Peter Saabye; the text of “Scener af første Deel af Shakespeare’s Henrik den Fierde”; plus other pieces.
[RANELAGH GARDENS.] A hand-colored vue d’optique engraving, “A View of the Canal Chinese Building, Rotunde in Ranelagh Gardens, with Masquerade, &.” Paris: n. d., c. [1770]. 17” x 10”, plus margins; original color, bright; pinholes to margins; early holograph title to upper margin. $175
This handsome and brightly hand-colored print was intended to be used with a boîte d’optique. It depicts various masquerade revelers around the Chinese building (the Rotunda in the background) at the London pleasure gardens.
[RAVEL TROUPE.] A broadside playbill for the farewell benefit of François Ravel at Philadelphia’s Walnut Street Theatre, 19 April, 1854. 8 3/4” x 19 3/4”; light folds and offsetting; two small (and early) blots of text to left margin; tissue-thin stock. $70
François featured in five speaking characters in the farce The 3-Faced Frenchman, clown in the comic pantomime Magic Trumpet, and with other members of the Ravel Troupe in Jerome Ravel’s comic ballet pantomime of Mons. Dechalumeau. Other highlights were a Chinese dancing ensemble and “the great Russian artiste” Mlle. Yrca Mathias dancing in the divertissement, La Prima Donna. Well preserved for having been printed to tissue-thin stock.
[RAVOGLI, Guilia.] A two-page autograph note, signed, from Ravogli to a Mrs. Champeneys. London: [February 1897]. Small 8vo leaf, folded; pale-blue stock; original folds; with the original stamped envelope. $95•The famed contralto writes Champeneys about the impossibility of bicycling and briefly mentioning music.
[RAYMOND, John T.] A photogravure portrait of Raymond as Col. Sellers in The Gilded Age. [New York]: Gebbie, 1888. 8 1/2" x 11 1/2", plus wide margins; a hint of spotting to outermost margins. $10
REDMOND DE SAINTE ALBINE, [Pierre]. LE COMÉDIEN. Ouvrage Divisé en Deux Parties. Nouvelle Édition, augmentée & corrigée. Paris: Vincent, 1749. Contemporary calf, worn; joints cracked, but firm; top of lower joint repaired; dust soiling to edges of title-page; engraved vignette to title-page; three engraved vignettes in the text. $100
[REEVE, Adah.] A photographic postcard, signed by Reeve, [c. 1900]. Adhesion marks to three margins. $15
[REEVE, William.] The sheet music, “Ah Could My Fault’ring Tongue Impart.” [New York: n. p., c. 1800.] Large 4to; removed; two pages of engraved text and music. $40
The words and music to Reeve’s song as “sung by Mrs. Hodgkinson at the New York Theatre with great applause in Paul and Virginia.”
[REHAN, Ada.] A photogravure portrait of Rehan as Katharine in The Taming of the Shrew. [New York]: Gebbie, 1888. 8 1/2" x 11 1/2", plus wide margins; very slight foxing to margins. $15
[REICHHARDT, Johann F.] An engraved costume plate, “Hercules 1tes Costume in dem Melodrama: Der Tod des Hercules.” [Berlin: L. W. Wittich, 1812.] 4 1/2” x 8 3/4”, plus margins; original hand coloring; bright. $40
A full-length portrait of an actor standing, a large club held over his left shoulder. His costume incorporates the pelt of a lion (as headdress and cape) and sandals. The sandals are depicted in an enlarged view to the left. The costume relates to a production Reichhardt’s melodrama at Berlin’s Königlich National-Theater.
[REINHARDT, Max.] An illustrated program, “Die Schauspieler im Theater in der Josefstadt unter der Führung von Max Reinhardt,” including a four-page bill for a performance of Galsworthy’s Gesellschaft, 1928. 4to; original color decorative wrappers; paper label to upper cover; illustrated; prospectus inserted. $20
[REMEZOV, Ivan.] [Carmen. Opera....] [Moscow: Upravleuie Teatrami], 1934. 12mo; stiff wraps; color illustration to upper cover; spine worn, with loss at ends; lower fore-corner of front cover creased; seven illustrated plates; vignette illustrations. $30
RESATZ, Gustav. KASPERL-GEHEIMNISSE. Bearbeitet von Siegfried Hornauer. Wien: Fährmann, [1949]. Cloth-backed boards; illustration to upper cover; illustrations and figures to text; one large folding plan to inner rear cover. $25
A revised edition of Resatz’s introduction to the history, theory, and practice of Kasperl puppet plays -- illustrated essays on the primary characters, play texts, etc. Folded in at the back is a pattern for hand puppets.
[RÉVILLY, ?] A lithographed portrait, “Melle. Révilly, rôle de Thérésa, dans La Val d’Andorre.” Paris: Martinet- Hautecoeur, [c. 1849]. 6 3/4” x 10 3/4”, including margins: hand colored; faint finger soiling to edges. $20
This Gallerie Dramatique portrait shows the singer, full length, in the costume of her role in Halévy’s opera (Ópera Comique, November 1848).
[RICKARDS, J. H.] A juvenile drama portrait of Rickards as Richard the Third. London: W. Webb, [c. 1857]. Very good. $30
[RIGAUD, (?).] A hand-colored lithograph portrait, “Mme. Rigaud, Rôle d’Ines, dans l’Alcade de la Véga.” Paris: Noel, [c. 1825]. 10 1/2” x 15 1/2”; colored by hand; minor spotting to margins; image very good. $40
[RISTORI, Adelaide.] A holograph quotation, signed. London: 1856. 4to leaf, folded; embossed crest to upper corner; pink stock; original folds. $65
Two lines from Alfieri’s Mirra, boldly signed, on the personal stationery of the prima attrice.
[RISTORI, Adelaide.] A photogravure portrait of Ristori as Lady
Macbeth. [New York]: Gebbie, 1887. 8 1/2" x 11 1/2", plus wide margins. $12
A bust portrait.
[RISTORI, Adélaide.] LETTRES SUR LA RISTORI, et Considerations sur l’Art Théatral en France. Par D. B. Paris: G. Havard, 1856. 16mo; disbound. $60
[RISTORI, Adelaide.] MEMOIRS AND ARTISTIC STUDIES OF ADELAIDE RISTORI. Rendered into English by G. Mantellini. With Biographical Appendix by L. D. Ventura. Illustrated from photographs and engravings. New York: Doubleday, Page, 1907. Pictorial cloth, rubbed and soiled; frontisportrait; plates. $25
ROMAGNESI, [Jean-Antoine] and [Antoine-François] RICCOBONI. LES ENNUIS DU CARNAVAL, Comedie. Paris: Prault, 1735. First Edition. 16mo; disbound; lacking half-title; very minor dusting. $45
A one-act comedy in verse, first performed at the Théâtre Italian in February 1735. The satirical characters include Carnaval (complaining of his recent sojourn to Paris). Plaisir (his guide), and Epimenide (after the Cretan philosopher).
[ROMER, Emma.] A playbill for Romer’s benefit at the Theatre Royal, Plymouth, 27 August, 1841. Very good. $30
ROSIER, [Joseph-Bernard]. LA LUNE ROUSSE. Comédie.... La France Dramatique au Dix-Neuvième Siècle. Variétiés. Paris: Barba [and others], 1839. Thin 8vo; decorative wrappers, slightly soiled; backstrip frayed; text in double columns; unopened. $20
This piece premiered at the Théâtre des Variétès in December 1839. The first edition.
[ROSSI, Ernesto.] OTHELLO. Tragedie... de W. Shakespeare. Traduction Italienne de Guilio Careano. Paris: Lévy Frères, 1866. Tall 8vo; disbound; untrimmed; very minor foxing to a few fore-edges; text in double columns. $20
A dual-language (Italian and French) text of Shakespeare’s tragedy as presented by Rossi (himself portraying Othello) at Paris’ Théatre Impérial Italien from 29 May, 1866.
[ROSSINI, Giocchino.] A Covent Garden playbill for Rossini’s Cinderella, 4 May, 1830. Pale blue stock. $25
[ROSSINI, Gioacchino.]
A playbill for Rossini's Cinderella at the Theatre Royal, Birmingham, 28 May, 1832. Lightest of foxing, very good. $30
The opera was followed by Vandenoff's The Roman Actor, with Vandenhoff, Webster, and Vining.
[ROSSINI, Gioacchino.] A Covent Garden playbill for The Maid of Judah, 9 March, 1830. Minor fraying to side edges; very good. $25
This production of Lacy’s opera (an adaptation of Deschamps’ Ivanhoe), with music by Rossini featured Paton as Rebecca, Diddear as Robin Hood, and Bartley as Friar Tuck.
[ROSSY, ?] A stipple-and-line engraving, “Costume de Melle. Rossy, rôle de Palmyre, dans la Figurante.” Paris: Hautecouer-Martinet, [c. 1838 (?)]. 5” x 7 1/2”; colored by hand. $25
The singer is shown full length in costume as she appeared in Clapisson’s comic opera at the Opera Comique (premiere August 1838).
[ROTT, Moritz.] An engraved portrait, "Hr. Rott als Grosscanon." Vienna: Theaterzeitung, [c. 1850 (?)]. 6 1/2" x 9", plus margins; original hand coloring. $40
[ROUSSEAU, Jean Jacques.] J. J. ROUSSEAU CITOYEN DER GENÈVE, A MR. D’ALEMBERT... sur son Article Genève dans le VIIme volume de l’Encyclopédie et Particulierment, sur le project d’éstablir un Théatre de Commédie en cette Ville. Amsterdam: Marc Michel Rey, 1759. 12mo; contemporary mottled calf; extremities scuffed; gilt to spine; morocco spine labels; marbled endpapers and edges. $500
The first edition of an important essay. Rousseau was disturbed by the increasing influence of worldly (i. e. Parisian) ideas on Geneva. An article appeared in D’Alembert’s Encyclopédie arguing Geneva was wrong to outlaw theatres. This prompted Rousseau to respond and cast himself in the role of modern-day Plato by defending a Calvinist republic from corruption. He unifies in a secular source the arguments of a number of his moralist fore bearers and categorizes the theatre as mere diversion to be judged as dispensable distraction. The imprint is most probably false -- coming from the same press (Desaint and Saillant) as Jean Andrés’ Refutation du Nouvel Ouvrage de... Rousseau.
ROY, J. -J. -E. HISTOIRE DE JEAN RACINE. Contenant des Détails sur sa Vie Privée et sur ses Ouvrages et Fragments de Sa Correspondance. Tours: Mame et Fils, 1876. Contemporary quarter hard-grain morocco; hinges rubbed; gilt to spine; engraved frontisportrait; some dampstaining to foot of gutter of a few leaves early on; sporadic foxing; marbled endpapers. $30
A scarce survey.
[ROZET, Jean François.] A broadside for the strongman Rozet at the Augsburger Stadt-Theater, 14 March, 1831. 10” x 14 1/2”; text enclosed by decorative woodcut border; minor creasing to side (blank) margin; very good. $250
This densely worded bill lists numerous feats performed by the “Hercules von Lyons.” His exhibition was divided into two major parts, the first appears to be presentations of living statuary and the second of stunts of lifting and strength. We are unaware of any bills or notices for Rozet prior to 1840 when he appeared in Rostock, Hamburg, and Hanover. After about 1843 he disappears, but intriguingly a J. Rozetto, “French Hercules” was in America, with Foley’s Circus (September 1850), the National Circus in San Francisco (1852/53), and Lee and Marshall’s Circus (April 1854) — see Koon’s Gold Rush Performers.
[RUSSELL, Annie.] ANNIE RUSSELL IN A ROYAL FAMILY. As Produced at the Lyceum Theatre. New York: R.H. Russell, 1900. 4to; decorative stiff red wraps; minor wear to backstrip; contents printed to heavy stock; stitching loose; frontisportrait; illustrated; internally fresh. $30
RUSSELL, John. DON CARLOS; or, Persecution. A Tragedy... Second Edition. London: Longman [and others], 1822. Disbound; dusting and a bit of wear to terminal leaf. $20
The first of two tragedies by the Whig politician, a translation of Schiller’s drama. It was performed at the Surrey in June 1848 at the time Russell was serving his first period in office as prime minister.
[RYLEY, Samuel W.] A one-page letter to Ryley, presumably from James Winston, unsigned. [London]: 19 March, 1818. to leaf; original folds. $50
The correspondent writes on behalf of a theatrical board, regretfully declining “any further assistance to Dramatic entertaining at other Theatres in London,” but giving him the liberty to ask for support from theatres 20 or 30 miles away from the capital. Ryley was the author of the extraordinary autobiographical novel, The Itinerant, based on his experiences as a strolling player.