CUNNINGHAM, Peter.
The Story of Nell Gwyn: And the Sayings of Charles the Second. Related and Collected by Peter Cunningham, F.S.A.
London: Bradbury & Evans , 1852.
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First edition of Peter Cunningham's The Story of Nell Gwyn: And the Sayings of Charles the Second; finely bound in full morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe
First edition of Cunningham's biography of one of the first actresses on the English stage and the long-time mistress of King Charles II of England and Scotland. Octavo, bound in full crushed camel morocco by Sangorski and Sutcliffe with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, quadruple gilt ruling and fleuron cornerpieces to the front and rear panels, central gilt Coat of Arms of King Charles II to the front panel, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. Illustrated with engravings, tissue-guarded frontispiece, 8 pages of advertisements at rear. In near fine condition.
Eleanor Gwyn was a celebrity figure of the Restoration period. Praised by Samuel Pepys for her comic performances as one of the first actresses on the English stage, she became best known for being a long-time mistress of King Charles II of England and Scotland. Called "pretty, witty Nell" by Pepys, she has been regarded as a living embodiment of the spirit of Restoration England and has come to be considered a folk heroine, with a story echoing the rags-to-royalty tale of Cinderella.
The Story of Nell Gwyn: And the Sayings of Charles the Second. Related and Collected by Peter Cunningham, F.S.A.
$975.00
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