Gretchen [Eric Quayle's copy with his bookplate and note] by Gilbert, W. S. [Gilbert, Sir William Schwenck] - 1879

London: Newman & Co., 1879. First Edition (?). Hardcover. Very good. A Very Good copy of either the first or the second edition -- see below, (with some mild rubbing), in the Publisher's original cloth having an EXCELLENT PROVENANCE, being the copy of noted British bibliophile, collector, historian, and author Eric Quayle whose bookplate (dated 1965) graces the volume's front pastedown. W. S. Gilbert was the famed English dramatist, librettist, poet and illustrator best known for his collaboration with composer Arthur Sullivan, a collaboration which produced fourteen comic operas, with the best-known of them likely being "H.M.S. Pinafore", "The Pirates of Penzance", and "The Mikado", one of the most frequently performed works in the history of musical theatre. "Gretchen" is one of Gilbert's scarcest works as attested by a note by Eric Quayle, written and initialed in pencil on the verso this copy's front free endpaper reading as follows: "a difficult Gilbert / first edition / E.Q." Quayle describes this copy as the "first edition" and his bookplate on the front pastedown is dated 1965 within the bookplate. Searle in his bibliography of Gilbert's works describes this copy as the second edition, but that bibliography was issued much earlier (1931) than Quayle's bookplate is dated. Thus, Quayle clearly would have had access to Searle's bibliography. If one sides with Quayle, this is a first edition copy. Even if Searle happens to be correct, putting Quayle's and Searle's determinations together reveals the scarcity of this copy even if Searle is correct as to its edition. A Very Good copy, with an EXCELLENT PROVENANCE WITH A NOTE INITIALED BY ERIC QUAYLE FROM WHOSE COLLECTION IT COMES. QUITE SCARCE INDEED.