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The Playactress by S.R. Crockett, 1895, Inscribed to Mrs. J.M. Barrie
The Playactress by S.R. Crockett, 1895, Inscribed to Mrs. J.M. Barrie
SKU: antactress
Title
The Playactress
Author
S.R. Crockett
Signed by S.R. Crockett to Mrs. J.M. Barrie, wife of Brithish writer and dramatist Sir James Matthew Barrie, author of Peter Pan
Publisher
London: T. Fisher Unwin
Date
1895
Binding
Fine signed full leather binding by Henderson & Bisset of Edinburg. Full green leather with gilt lettering to the spine, raised bands, gilt top edge, gilt decorated dentelles, ruling at the corners with floral endpapers.
Details
A sentimental Scottish tale presented by S.R. Crockett to Mary Barrie, a stage actress who met J.M. Barrie in 1891 while appearing in his play “Walker London.” They married in 1894 and divorced in scandal in 1909 after Mary Barrie's affair with Gilbert Cannan, a young writer employed as a secretary to J.M. Barrie. She married Cannan in 1910 at the beginning of his prolific but troubled literary career.
The book measures approximately 7.5” x 3.75” and contains 209 pages. Stated third edition.
Signed in ink on the front flyleaf: Mrs. J.M. Barrie / from / S.R. Crockett. The same page bears the later ownership signature of "M.K. Cannan 1910." Our research determined the signature to be that of Gilbert Cannan's sister, [Margaret Kennedy] Cannan. Additionally, the later bookplate of American writer and critic Joseph Vincent Ridgely is tipped to the facing page.
Condition Report
The book is in Very Good+ condition with some spine darkening and rubbing along the joints. A strong binding and clean, unmarked text. Overall, an elegant little volume with notable provenance of both the Barrie and Cannan families. A book that was evidently in Mary and J.M. Barrie’s personal library from the 1890s up until the dissolution of their marriage.
Photographs of the books spine and cover as well as the signature treatment appear below. Although the photographs may appear digitized as thumbnails, you can view them in the photo viewer by clicking on the thumbnail.
