George, Weedon and George Jr. Grossmith family theatre collection
Date Published: 1886 to 1911
Binding: No binding & hard cover
George Grossmith was an English comedian, writer, composer, actor, and singer. His performing career spanned more than four decades.
Weedon Grossmith was an English writer, painter, actor, and playwright best known as co-author of The Diary of a Nobody (1892) with his brother.
George Grossmith Jr. was an English actor, theatre producer and manager, director, playwright and songwriter, best remembered for his work in and with Edwardian musical comedies
This collection contains 16 items dating from 1886 to 1911, specifically 6 letters, 2 incomplete letters, 3 photo cards, 1 photo, 2 notes, 1 piece of sheet music, and 1 book.
George and Weedon Grossmith. The Diary of a Nobody. Bristol: J.W. Arrowsmith; London: Simpkin, Marshall, Hamilton, Kent and Co. Limited, 1892. 33 b&w line drawings by Weedon Grossmith. First ed., first state. Original pictorial light brown cloth with blue and black stamping and gilt titling to the spine. 300 pp. + [3] pp. of publisher's advertisements at the rear. Vol. XI in Arrowsmith's 3/6 series and the list on final leaf finishes with Vol. X, Fergus Hume's When I Lived in Bohemia. Rear hinge cracked but binding still solid. Light soiling/handling wear to covers. With the personal bookplate on the front pastedown of Katherine Somerset of the Beaufort family; also affixed to the front free endpaper is the conclusion of an ALS from Weedon Grossmith (“Sorry not to answer your letter earlier but have been shooting in Essex & time has been valuable.”). References. Magee, D. Victoria R.I., 509; Wolff, R.L. Nineteenth century fiction, 2818. A masterpiece of social satire written by the two famous Grossmith brothers, a fictitious diary of Charles Pooter, a middle-aged city clerk living in Brickfield Terrace in London who chronicles his daily routine, including small parties, minor embarrassments, home improvements, and his relationship with a troublesome son.
George Grossmith, Jr. (English actor, theatre producer and manager, director, playwright, song writer, son of Gilbert and Sullivan star George Grossmith).
• ALS to Mr. Smith, 23 December ?, thanking him for his note and hoping to meet him soon: “Curiously my interest in the ‘Second Fiddle’ was not from a musical point of view; but I will explain when we meet.”
• B&w photo postcard of Lionel Mackinder, Edmund Payne, and Grossmith, signed by each actor, circa 1911. Back of photo notes that Payne died in July 1914 and that Mackinder “(husband of Miss Gracie Leigh) - the first actor to be killed in the War. Mackinder served in the Royal Berkshire Regiment. He was killed in action on 9 January 1915 and is buried at Le Touret Military Cemetery, Richebourg-L’avoue, France.
• B&w photo postcard of Grossmith and Ethel Sydney, “The Orchid”, post-marked 12 September 1905.
• B&w photo postcard of Grossmith seated holding a cane, post-marked 5 January 1905.
• B&w photo postcard of Grossman and Gabrielle Ray, n.d.
• Sheet music, The Dollar Princess, book by A.N. Wilner and F. Grünbaum, adapted by George Grossmith, Jr. New York: T.B. Harms and Francis, Day & Hunter, 1909.
Weedon Grossmith (English writer, actor, and painter, co-author of The Diary of a Nobody).
• ALS, n.d. “Dear sir, With pleasure. The photo is a very bad one, no character in it. Raphael Tuck’s are much better. Yours truly, Weedon Grossmith”. With a signed photo postcard of Grossmith.
• ALS (2 pp.) to Frieberger, perhaps his agent, 18 October 1886, sent from Washington, D.C. “After two fearful weeks of work, rehearsing morning, afternoon & midnight, I have now got a few minutes to write to you in answer to your kind letter.” Mentions production of School Mistress (“it will be alright by the time we get to Chicago.”), refers to Miss Fortescu (“the portrait I painted of her”), and Wilson Barrett (“a nice modest fellow quite free from swagger.”).
• ALS addressed Dear Lampton, Vaudeville Theatre letterhead, [1894-6], cannot attend the Edward’s benefit.
• ALS to Mr. Holl, 23 June ?, apologizing for not answering his letter, cannot see him that evening, didn’t know Holl was in town, presumes that Holl will not be “rushing off into country directly.”
• ALS to Miss Bennett, 18 July ?, proud to send his autograph with the greatest pleasure. Incomplete ALS (p. 3) re a court case, “The Jury were entirely in my favour, but the Judge was not going to sum up after that. No thank you!... I would have given him six months – with Curses! Happy New Year.”
• Signed undated note: “I cannot think of anything clever or funny today.”
Collection on consignment with LDRB.
Item #8605
$900.00 USD
$1,241.06 CAD