Crotchets and Quavers: or, Revelations of an Opera Manager in America
New York: S. French, 1855. Hardcover. 346, [14] p.: illustrated advertisements; 19 cm. Publisher's dark green cloth with gilt-stamped spine title and gilt-stamped illustration of conductor on spine; both boards have the same illustration blind-stamped in the center within elaborate blind-stamped frame. Pale yellow endpapers. Final 14 unpaginated pages contain one page of advertisements for S. French, and for H. Long & Brother a 5-page excerpt from The Watchman, an illustrated advertisement for The Watchman, and 6 additional pages of advertisements for: Wm. North's The Slave of the Lamp; The Life and Beauties of Fanny Fern; Harry Coverdale's Courtship; The Pride of Life by Lady Scott; Dow Jr.'s Short Patent Sermons vol. 3; and The Old Doctor. Both S. French and H. Long & Brother were shown as being located at 121 Nassau St., N.Y. Four of H. Long & Brother's advertisements contain nearly full-page illustrations. Former owner's name on blank leaf preceding title page: Henry Johnson, Mount Holly. First edition. Czech violinist and composer Max Maretzek (1821-1897) came from Europe in 1848 to the United States, where he founded the Max Maretzek Italian Opera Company which he led in tours throughout the United States and Mexico. Crotchets and Quavers was his first book of memoirs; in the first section, a letter to Hector Berlioz, he describes the infamous Astor Place Riot, which occured at the Astor Opera House in 1849. In Very Good Condition: ends of spine are frayed, with minor loss of cloth at tail; corners are rubbed; cloth is lightly soiled; lacking front free endpaper; light soiling and foxing throughout; solid with no writing other than former owner inscription. Very Good. Item #004212
Price: $45.00