AUD 
CAD 
EUR 
HKD 
PLN 
SGD 
CHF 
USD 
+44 01225 448831
sales@rookebooks.com
Performing Arts
All the performing arts are here, with wonderful illustrations dancing across the page for you.
-
1923 Crossings: A Fairy PlayNew York: 1923The first edition, first printing in the publisher's original blue cloth with decorative gilt, with sheet music by C. Armstrong Gibbs, and twelve full-page plates and further illustrations by Dorothy P. Lathrop. -
1903 Absalom, a Chronicle Play in Three ActsLondon: 1903The first edition of Thomas Sturge Moore's epic play concerning the famous biblical tale of Absalom's betrayal of his father, King David of Jerusalem. -
1901 Aphrodite Against Artemis, a TragedyLondon: 1901The first edition of prolific writer Thomas Sturge Moore's first play. Praised by W.B. Yeats. -
c1850 Oeuvres de Jean RacineParis: c1850beautifully bound collection of plays by French dramatist, Jean-Baptiste Racine, edited and with an introduction by L. S. Auger, in red cloth binding with gilt decoration. -
1920 Le Mémoire de Mahelot, Laurent et d'autres décorateurs de l'Hôtel de Bourgogne et de la Comédie-FrançaiseParis: 1920The first edition of this illustrated French memoir on 17th-century art and decor in France, in half blue morocco with blue cloth boards, featuring forty-nine original monochrome plates drawn from Mahelot's manuscript. -
1900 The Gay Lord Quex A Comedy in Four ActsLondon : 1900A smart copy of the comedic play exploring the romantic entanglements of the character Lord Queux, half bound in morroco with binder's stamp. -
1859 A Selection of Fifty of Moore's Irish Melodies, Harmonized for Four VoicesLondon: 1859A collection of Moore's Irish Melodies harmonized for four voices, with the original musical score from Michael William Balfe. -
1821 A View of the English Stage; Or, A Series of Dramatic CriticismsLondon: 1821The scarce first edition, second issue of William Hazlitt's volume of early 19th century theatrical criticism, a work that helped establish him as one of the greatest critics and essayists in the history of the English language. -
1935-1936 A Collection of London Theatre Programmes Bound TogetherLondon: 1935-1936A generous collection of mid-20th-century London theatre programmes, presented here in a single volume. -
1951 Royal Festival Hall: The Official RecordLondon: 1951The first edition of this uncommon record of the Royal Festival Hall in London and its design, with vibrant illustrations throughout and in the original dust wrapper. -
1765-7 Sammelband of Seven Eighteenth Century PlaysLondon: 1766-7A collection of seven plays bound together, including David Garrick's dramatic play 'Cymon', bound in half calf. -
1719 The Works of Mr Edmund Smith, Late of Christ-Church, OxfordLondon: 1719A collection of theatrical and poetical works from Edmund Smith, including his popular work 'Phaedra and Hippolitus', an excellent copy of this scarce collection in modern cloth. -
1750-3 Sammelband of Four Tragic Plays: The Siege of Damascus, The Tragedy of Jane Shore, Tamerland, and CatoLondon: 1750-3A sammelband of four popular eighteenth century tragic plays, bound together in one volume and bound in quarter calf. -
1761-9 Eleven Comic Plays Performed at the Theatre Royal on Drury LaneLondon: 1761-9A collection of eleven scarce eighteenth century plays which were performed at the Theatre Royal on Drury Lane, including first and early edition of these scarce comic plays, and including 'The Cunning-Man', and bound in contemporary calf. -
1905 The Art of the TheatreEdinburgh & London: 1905Illustrated throughout, this is the uncommon first edition of Gordon Edward Craig's charming and detailed history of theatre. -
Signed
1983 Edward Gordon Craig: The last eight years 1958-1966, letters from Ellen Gordon CraigAldoversford: 1983A limited edition biographical work on Edward Gordon Craig, the noted theatre actor and director, told through letters from his daughter, and signed by his son Edward Craig. -
2016 Absolutely on Music: Conversations with Seiji OzawaLondon: 2016The first UK edition, first impression, of this insightful collection of conversations between writer, Haruki Murakami, a jazz enthusiast and record collector, and Ozawa, the renowned Japanese conductor. -
1826 Reminiscences of Michael Kelly of the King's Theatre, and Theatre Royal Drury LaneLondon: 1826Michael Kelly's memoir of his life and experiences in the theatre, bound in a smart crushed half morocco binding, extra illustrated with several portraits. -
1941 Nut-Cracker Suite Sheet Music Illustrated by Ida Rentoul OuthwaiteMelbourne: 1941A very scarce book of sheet music for the nut-cracker suite, beautifully illustrated in colour by the Australian illustrator, Ida Rentoul Outhwaite. -
1904 Souvenir of Becket by Alfred, Lord Tennyson; First Presented at the Lyceum Theatre, 6th Feb., 1893London: 1904A charming piece of theatrical ephemera, the souvenir edition of Tennyson’s Becket with twelve lithographed plates of portraits and stage scenes. -
1895 Musical Haunts in LondonLondon: 1895A richly illustrated first edition exploring London’s concert halls, theatres, churches, and salons with musical anecdotes and architectural history. -
1905 The Worshipful Company of MusiciansLondon: 1905A scarce second edition of this illustrated commentary on the Worshipful Company of Musicians. -
1864 Street Music in the MetropolisLondon: 1864William Hutchins Callcott's own copy of this very scarce first edition discussion of noise pollution and busking, a work which includes a letter from Callcott himself on the subject. -
1912 Royal Performances in London TheatresLondon: 1912Illustrated throughout, this is the very scarce first edition of Richard Northcott's account of the theatrical performances attended by the Royal Family throughout history. -
1925 The Story of the Lyric Theatre, HammersmithLondon: 1925Vibrantly bound in quarter morocco, this is the illustrated first edition of Nigel Playfair's account of the history of the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith. -
Signed
1895 Musical Haunts in LondonLondon: 1895A lovely first edition of this study of the locations in London associated with music, with a signed loosely inserted letter from the author. -
1931 Popular Entertainments Through the AgesLondon: 1931A richly illustrated first edition tracing the history of English popular entertainments, complete with four colour plates and the vanishingly scarce original dust wrapper. -
Signed
1930 Early Keyboard Instruments, From Their Beginning to the Year 1820London: 1930A presentation copy of the first edition of Philip James's history of keyboard instruments, with a tipped in signed letter from the author to furniture designer Ambrose Heal. -
1983 The Theatre of Music: Series A, Volume ITunbridge Wells: 1983A pleasing copy of this uncommon facsimile collection of music for theatres originally published by Henry Playford and Robert Carr. -
1879 A Complete Illustrated Catalogue to the National GalleryLondon: 1879A richly illustrated 1879 catalogue by Henry Blackburn, illustrations concise notes on the National Gallery’s holdings when the Trafalgar Square collection was still relatively small. -
1950 The London Theatre in the Eighteen-ThirtiesLondon: 1950A scarce first edition from the Society for Theatre Research, offering Charles Rice’s contemporary account and study of London’s theatrical world in the eighteen-thirties. -
1944 Daly's: The Biography Of A TheatreLondon: 1944A smart first edition of Forbes-Winslow’s richly illustrated history of Daly’s Theatre, the Leicester Square home of Edwardian musical comedy, complete with the original unclipped dust wrapper. -
1951 Showmen and SuckersLondon: 1951An excellent volume on the world of entertainment from Irish journalist Maurice Gorham, illustrated by Edward Ardizzone. -
1930 The Complete Opera Book: The Stories of the Operas, together with 410 of the Leading Airs and Motives in Musical NotationNew York; London: 1930A scarce ninth impression of this landmark opera reference work, finely rebound in crushed half morocco and richly illustrated with over 60 photographic plates. -
1932 Penny Plain Two Pence ColouredLondon: 1932The first edition of this study on the historical entertainments for children, illustrated with colour plates. -
1777 The Beauties of the English Drama; Digested Alphabetically According to the Date of Their PerformancesLondon: 1777A beautifully original binding on this four volume collection of theatrical and poetical passages from a series of renowned authors, such as Shakespeare, Milton and Dryden, bound in full calf.