Rowlandson. -[Combe, W.], The english dance of death. 2 vols. - The english dance of life. - A total of 3 vols. With a total of 2 coloured aquatint frontispieces, 2 engraved titles with coloured vignette and 96 coloured aquatint plates by Th. Rowlandson. London, J. Diggens for R. Ackermann 1815-17. Later smoothed dark-red leather bindings with gilt stamped corner florets on the covers and rich gilt spine, and double gilt fillet borders and top edge gilt. Large 8vo. 2 ll., VII, 295 pp.; 3 ll., 299 pp.; 4 ll., 285 pp
Abbey, Life 263. - Tooley 410-11. - Houfe p. 440. - Sawyer/Darton II, 193. - Ray p. 26. - Rümann p. 37. - First edition of the rare sequel of The dance of the death and the so-called counterpart The dance of life. - Affectionately drawn and carefully coloured caricatures by Thomas Rowlandson (1756-1827). "He was one of the major caricaturists to become an extensive book illustrator" (Houfe). "Indispensable to any Rowlandson collection, one of the essential privots of any colour plate library, being one of the main works of Rowlandson" (Tooley). - Only slightly browned and partly slightly stained. Cover rubbed, binding partly restored. All in all afine and decorative copy.
Lot 69
