1804 THE BRITISH DRAMA 5 Vol Set Sir Walter Scott William Miller Leather Antique For Sale

1804 THE BRITISH DRAMA 5 Vol Set Sir Walter Scott William Miller Leather Antique📋 Item SpecificsFieldValueBindingLeather / Fine BindingSubjectLiterature & FictionTopicDrama, Plays, Theater, Comedies, Miller (London)PrinterJames Ballantyne (Edinburgh)Year Printed1804Special AttributesIllustrated, 1st Edition Thus, Antique, Provenance (Signed)Author / CompilerSir Walter Scott(Attributed/Anonymous Compilation)📖 Detailed Item DescriptionTitle:The British Drama; Comprehending the Best Plays in the English Language.
Publication Details:London: Published by William Miller, Old Bond-Street. Printed by James Ballantyne, Edinburgh, 1804.Up for sale is a scarce, early 19th-centurycomplete 5-volume setofThe British Drama, a monumental anthology of classic English theater. This comprehensive collection is historically significant as it was anonymously compiled and edited by the legendary Scottish authorSir Walter Scott.The set is organized into three distinct genres:

• Tragedies(Vols. I & II)
• Comedies(Vols. III & IV)
• Operas and Farces(Vol. V)

Each volume opens with beautifully engraved title page vignettes designed by classical artists (such as Howard A.R.A.) depicting theatrical allegories.🔍 Condition Report

• Bindings:Bound in full contemporary mottled calf/leather with heavily gilded spines and blind-stamped borders. The boards feature beautiful tree-calf style marbling.
• Exterior Wear:Shows honest, age-appropriate wear. There is rubbing to the edges, scuffing on the boards, and heavy bumping to the spine ends. Notably, some joints are cracked or split along the spine edges (as shown in detailed photos), but the boards remain attached and one is supported by tape.
• Interior:The text blocks are generally firm and tightly bound. The pages show moderate foxing, spotting, and natural toning consistent with 220+ year-old rag paper.
• Provenance:Features an elegant contemporary ink signature on the title pages reading\"A. A. Robertson, 14th July 1842\", adding a lovely layer of historical provenance.

💎 Rarity & Market Insights

• Rarity Status:Scarce.Complete 5-volume sets of this specific 1804 William Miller edition are quite hard to find on the market; most surviving examples appear as broken or incomplete sets (missing volumes or split parts).

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