Life of an Actor, The
by EGAN, Pierce; LANE, Theodore, illustrator
- Used
- first
- Condition
- See description
- Seller
-
Calabasas, California, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Printed for C.S. Arnold, 1825. Acting is the Perfect Idiot's Profession" (Katherine Hepburn).
"The Art of Acting Consists in Keeping People from Coughing" (Benjamin Franklin).
EGAN, Pierce. LANE, Theodore, illustrator. The Life of an Actor... Dedicated to Edmund Kean, Esq. The Poetical Descriptions by T. Greenwood. Embellished with Twenty-Seven Characteristic Scenes, Etched by Theodore Lane. Enriched also With Several Original Designs on Wood, Executed by Mr. Thompson. London: Printed for C.S. Arnold, 1825.
First edition. Royal octavo (9 3/4 x 6 1/8 in; 247 x 158 mm.). xvi, 272 pp. Hand-colored aquatint frontispiece, woodcut vignette title-page, twenty-six fine hand-colored aquatint plates and eight woodcuts in the text.
Bound ca. 1920 by Mercier Sr. de Cuzin (stamp signed on verso of front free endpaper) in three-quarter red morocco over marbled boards ruled in gilt. Spine elaborately tooled and lettered in gilt marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, others uncut. A spectacularly clean and large copy (Abbey's copy measured 9 3/8 x 5 3/4 inches) with the original printed paper covers and spine bound in. With the small leather bookplate of Bibliophile Réne Descamps-Scrive (1853-1925) on front blank.
Originally published in nine parts, the work follows the vicissitudes of actor Peregrine Proteus, who quits his apprenticeship with a printer in a quest for thespian greatness. He achieves a modicum of success, falls prey to 'excesses and dissipation' and ends up in prison. Suitably chastened by adversity, he eventually rises, through his own character and talent - not to mention a fortunate matrimonial match and subsequent inheritance, to a position of eminence and prosperity in the theatrical community. The popular reception of Pierce Egan's Boxiana let to the serial publication of his famous Life in London, the success of which is described in the Dictionary of National Biography as "instantaneous and unprecedented', and the Life of an Actor is a derivative wok no doubt meant to capitalize on the popularity of its predecessors. It is the chief work of Theodore Lane (1800-1828), who subsequently produced illustrations for other books by Egan.
The woodcut engravings by John Thompson (1785-1866) are highly esteemed by Abbey. "The book contains nine woodcuts... all by John Thompson, perhaps the ablest exponent of the style of wood-engraving; he cut, in 1839, Mulready's design for the penny postage envelope, and in 1852 designed the figure of Britannia still in use on Bank of England notes; he engraved on wood many designs of Grandville, Johannot &c. for the great Paris publishers." (Abbey).
Tooley 195. Abbey, Life 414. Prideaux. p. 308.
"The Art of Acting Consists in Keeping People from Coughing" (Benjamin Franklin).
EGAN, Pierce. LANE, Theodore, illustrator. The Life of an Actor... Dedicated to Edmund Kean, Esq. The Poetical Descriptions by T. Greenwood. Embellished with Twenty-Seven Characteristic Scenes, Etched by Theodore Lane. Enriched also With Several Original Designs on Wood, Executed by Mr. Thompson. London: Printed for C.S. Arnold, 1825.
First edition. Royal octavo (9 3/4 x 6 1/8 in; 247 x 158 mm.). xvi, 272 pp. Hand-colored aquatint frontispiece, woodcut vignette title-page, twenty-six fine hand-colored aquatint plates and eight woodcuts in the text.
Bound ca. 1920 by Mercier Sr. de Cuzin (stamp signed on verso of front free endpaper) in three-quarter red morocco over marbled boards ruled in gilt. Spine elaborately tooled and lettered in gilt marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, others uncut. A spectacularly clean and large copy (Abbey's copy measured 9 3/8 x 5 3/4 inches) with the original printed paper covers and spine bound in. With the small leather bookplate of Bibliophile Réne Descamps-Scrive (1853-1925) on front blank.
Originally published in nine parts, the work follows the vicissitudes of actor Peregrine Proteus, who quits his apprenticeship with a printer in a quest for thespian greatness. He achieves a modicum of success, falls prey to 'excesses and dissipation' and ends up in prison. Suitably chastened by adversity, he eventually rises, through his own character and talent - not to mention a fortunate matrimonial match and subsequent inheritance, to a position of eminence and prosperity in the theatrical community. The popular reception of Pierce Egan's Boxiana let to the serial publication of his famous Life in London, the success of which is described in the Dictionary of National Biography as "instantaneous and unprecedented', and the Life of an Actor is a derivative wok no doubt meant to capitalize on the popularity of its predecessors. It is the chief work of Theodore Lane (1800-1828), who subsequently produced illustrations for other books by Egan.
The woodcut engravings by John Thompson (1785-1866) are highly esteemed by Abbey. "The book contains nine woodcuts... all by John Thompson, perhaps the ablest exponent of the style of wood-engraving; he cut, in 1839, Mulready's design for the penny postage envelope, and in 1852 designed the figure of Britannia still in use on Bank of England notes; he engraved on wood many designs of Grandville, Johannot &c. for the great Paris publishers." (Abbey).
Tooley 195. Abbey, Life 414. Prideaux. p. 308.
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Details
- Bookseller
- David Brass Rare Books, Inc. (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 03780
- Title
- Life of an Actor, The
- Author
- EGAN, Pierce; LANE, Theodore, illustrator
- Book Condition
- Used
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Publisher
- London: Printed for C.S. Arnold, 1825
- Keywords
- LANE, Theodore, illustrator
Terms of Sale
David Brass Rare Books, Inc.
We will extend to you a 48-hour approval period on all items that are purchased sight unseen. If you are not completely satisfied with the item simply contact us within 48 hours after receipt, and then return it in the same condition you received it for a full refund, less freight charges, or any related costs including credit card transactions, taxes, and duties levied, especially when returning from other countries.
About the Seller
David Brass Rare Books, Inc.
Biblio member since 2007
Calabasas, California
About David Brass Rare Books, Inc.
David Brass Rare Books, Inc. specializes in buying and selling only the finest examples of English, American and European Literature, Children\\\'s Books, Color-Plate Books, Illustrated Books, Early Printed Books, Private Press Books, Fine Bindings, Original Artwork, Manuscripts, High Spot Modern First Editions, Rare Books and High Spots.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Bookplate
- Highly sought after by some collectors, a book plate is an inscribed or decorative device that identifies the owner, or former...
- Marbled boards
- ...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
- Morocco
- Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...
- Vignette
- A decorative design or illustration placed at the beginning or end of a ...
- Top Edge Gilt
- Top edge gilt refers to the practice of applying gold or a gold-like finish to the top of the text block (the edges the pages...
- Octavo
- Another of the terms referring to page or book size, octavo refers to a standard printer's sheet folded four times, producing...
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- Verso
- The page bound on the left side of a book, opposite to the recto page.
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...