[COMBE, WILLIAM] — THOMAS ROWLANDSON [ILLUSTRATOR] | The English Dance of Death. London: J. Diggens at R. Ackermann’s Repository of Arts, 1815, 1816

Property from the Sporting and Travel Library of Arnold "Jake" Johnson
[COMBE, WILLIAM] — THOMAS ROWLANDSON [ILLUSTRATOR]
The English Dance of Death. London: J. Diggens at R. Ackermann’s Repository of Arts, 1815, 1816

2 volumes, 8vo (9 9/16 x 6 1/8 in.; 243 x 155 mm). Hand-colored aquatint frontispiece and title (vol. I), 72 hand-colored aquatint plates after Rowlandson (plate 12 imprint dated July 1, not June 1 as called for in Abbey); some offsetting, one or two closed marginal tears to plates, one closed tear just affecting image ("This is a very break Neck Heat"), some foxing, infrequently affecting images. Full tan calf, boards with gilt rules and filigree cornerpieces, spines with raised bands in six compartments, red morocco labels with gilt text to second, others with repeat overall rules and filigree in gilt, top edges gilt, inner dentelles gilt, marbled endpapers; publishers original cloth bound in, spines sunned, some rubbing to extremities, joints weak.

First edition. "Indispensable to any Rowlandson collection, one of the essential pivots of any colour plate library, being one of the main works of Rowlandson" (Tooley 410).

REFERENCE:
Abbey, Life 263; Ray 35; Tooley 411

PROVENANCE:
Montague Shearman (bookplates to front pastedowns)

Condition Report:
Condition as described in catalogue entry.