Ending 13th Nov, 2024 20:00
BOOKS, MANUSCRIPTS & WORKS ON PAPER - BATH - TIMED
65
1688 PARADISE LOST - COPY OF CHARLES KILLIGREW, MASTER OF REVELS
1688 Paradise Lost. A Poem in Twelve Books. The Authour John Milton. The Fourth Edition, adorn'd with Sculptures. London, printed by Miles Flesher for Richard Bently. The copy of Drury Lane theatre manager & Master of Revels Charles Killigrew, his ownership inscription to title page. Believed to have been sold as either lot 546 or 547 in the 1725 library sale of Killigrew following his death; unidentified in auction since. A working manuscript document, believed used by Killigrew to plan a play of Paradise Lost at Inner Temple or at the court of Queen Anne in 1711; whether performed or not it is unknown. Heavily annotated throughout to margins, with vocal stress directions underlining, notes and other marginalia & annotations throughout, including symbols. Front pastedown annotated with the names of various barristers at the Inner Temple: Warneford, Scroggs Goad, Warden Cobb, Hele, Blencoe, Wagstaff, Bedford, Beaufort, Adenbrook, Crass de Bury, Ashenhurst, Addison, Drake, Hewel & others. First four blanks heavily annotated with names, key words, thematic material & symbols; first leaves of the printed work far more heavily annotated than later leaves, many of which are illustrated with symbols alone. 6pp of subscribers to this edition bound to rear. Lacking orig. engraved plates, many leaves loose, near disbound but in orig. paper covered boards. Accompanied by a typed description of the vendor's research and findings on the history & use of the document. Folio.
An exceptional document of early 18th century theatrical importance, possibly performed before the Queen herself. Killigrew was a good friend of John Dryden, who had previously adapted Paradise Lost into an unperformed dramatic libretto titled The State of Innocence, published 1677; Dryden is listed as a subscriber to the work at the rear.
Sold for £12,000
Auction: BOOKS, MANUSCRIPTS & WORKS ON PAPER - BATH - TIMED, ending 13th Nov, 2024
Our final specialist Books & Works on Paper sale of the year includes a remarkable fourth edition of Paradise Lost from the library of Master of Revels Charles Killigrew, a beautiful mid 19th century collection of pressed seaweed, an exceptionally scarce first edition of Flatland: A Romance of Many Dimensions by Edwin Abbott Abbott, and beyond that an impressive, smart and diverse collection of modern first editions, antiquarian titles, ephemera, and a specialist map section.
We invite & look forward to welcoming interested bidders to view on Wednesday 13th November from 10am until 5pm, ahead of the sale finishing from 8pm on the 13th.
This is an online-only timed sale - the person with the highest bid when the time runs out, wins the lot. You can bid online across one of the many platforms that host our sales. A bid within the final 10 minutes will reset the timer to 10 minutes.
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Bid live for just 4%(+VAT)
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Wednesday 13th November, 10-5.
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