JOHN PHILIP KEMBLE’S COPY: The English Monsieur. A Comedy as it is Acted by His Majesty’s Servants.

Restoration comedy owned by the Shakespearian actor John Philip Kemble (1757-1823) with well-documented subsequent provenance, passing through the Arbury library of Sir Francis Newdigate-Newdegate via George D Smith (Anderson Galleries 1920); unsold at Sotheby Parke Bernet 1972), later owned by the Pennsylvania State literary scholar Robert D Hume.

Full calf-gilt Riviere-style restoration to a neo-classical binding c1800, laying down the backstrip; with its label ‘J P Kemble’s Copy’; inner dentelles and marbled endpapers; book-stamp of ‘Robert D Hume’ to the verso of the first flyleaf. As was his custom Kemble has had the leaves inlaid, sometimes touching page numbers. On the title-page of the play he was written ‘Collated & Perfect. J.P.K. 1798’, and has identified the play as a ‘First Edition.’ The play does indeed collate complete: A2, B-I4, K2.

Brother of Sarah Siddons and a leading actor in his own right John Philip Kemble (1757--1823) was a keen bibliophile whose acquistions are delightfully easy to identify.