Description:

18th C. British Theatre
n.p., n.d. but ca. 1771-1830
"The West Indian," Comedic Play Possibly Published for 18th/19th C. American Market
Pamphlet/Booklet

"The West Indian," Comedic Play Possibly Published for 18th/19th C. American Market

An early printed copy of Richard Cumberland's comedic play "The West Indian," possibly produced for an American market listing a cast from Philadelphia or New York. N.d. but ca. 1771-1830. N.p. The full title page is printed: "The West Indian. / A Comedy, / By R. Cumberland, Esq." This copy lacks a definitive publisher or publication date, and we can only estimate the date based on the names of the cast members listed on the first front loose endpaper. Bound but with both front and back covers missing and with significant loss to the original spine binding. Expected wear including toning, water stains, and grubbiness confined to mostly the last pages of front and back; the inner pages are bright and mostly clean. Else good to very good. 96pp. 4" x 6.25" x .5." 16mo.

"The West Indian" was the most popular comedy penned by British playwright Richard Cumberland (1731/32-1811). "The West Indian" is a fish-out-of-water story relating the adventures of one Belcour, heir to a Jamaican plantation, who travels to England to seek his love interest's father's approval. First staged at Drury Lane under the direction of David Garrick in 1771, the play enjoyed considerable success and ran there for 28 performances before moving on to the London theatre circuit. The play was sympathetic in its portrayal of the far-flung parts of the British Empire usually skewered as provincial, and as a result, it was popular in British North America, the West Indies, the Channel Islands, and the United States. For example, George Washington saw "The West Indian" performed in Annapolis, Maryland in 1772, just one year after it debuted in London.

The cast members listed on the first front loss endpaper appear to be from American theatrical circles - notably those of New York and Philadelphia - although this contention is complicated by the fact that many of the actors and actresses from this period were British, Irish, and American, and performed in theatres in all of the above places. More research is definitely needed!

We are proud to include items consigned by the Manuscript Society in this auction. These items come from the estate of well-known manuscript dealers Forest G. & Forest H. Sweet and Julia Sweet Newman. Forest G. Sweet was an early leader of the Manuscript Society as well as a rare book scholar. The proceeds from your purchase of these items will benefit the work of the Manuscript Society. You can learn more about them, and become a member of the Manuscript Society, at www.manuscript.org.

This item comes with a Certificate from John Reznikoff, a premier authenticator for both major 3rd party authentication services, PSA and JSA (James Spence Authentications), as well as numerous auction houses.

WE PROVIDE IN-HOUSE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE!

  • Dimensions: 4" x 6.25" x .5"
  • Medium: Pamphlet/Booklet

Accepted Forms of Payment:

ACH, American Express, Discover, MasterCard, Money Order / Cashiers Check, Personal Check, Visa, Wire Transfer

Shipping

Unless otherwise indicated, we do our own in-house world-wide shipping!

Applicable shipping and handling charges will be added to the invoice. We offer several shipping options, and remain one of the few auction houses that proudly provides professional in-house shipping as an option to our clients. All items will ship with a signature required option, and full insurance. Most items are sent via Federal Express, with P. O. Box addresses being sent through USPS. We insure through Berkley Asset Protection with rates of $.70 per $100 of value, among the lowest insurance rates in the industry. Our shipping department cameras document every package, both outgoing and incoming, for maximum security. In addition, we compare our shipping and handling rates against those of other auction houses, to ensure that our charges are among the lowest in the trade.

Upon winning your item(s), you will receive an invoice with our in-house shipping and handling fees included. ***We will ship to the address as it appears on your invoice. If any changes to the shipping address need to be made, you must inform us immediately.***

International shipments: In order to comply with our insurance provider, all international shipments will be sent via Fed Ex and customs paperwork will show a value of $1.00. International buyers should contact our office directly with any questions regarding this policy.

Third-Party Shipping Option: If a third-party shipper is preferred, the buyer is responsible for contacting them directly to make shipping arrangements. For your convenience, we have provided some recommended shippers. For your protection, we will require a signed release from you, confirming your authorization for us to release your lots to your specified third-party. At that point, our responsibility and insurance coverage for your item(s) ceases. Items picked up by third-party shippers are required to pay Connecticut sales tax. Items requiring third-party shipping due to being oversized, fragile or bulky will be denoted in the item description.

Please see our full terms and conditions for names of suggested third-party shippers.

After payment has been made in full, University Archives will ship your purchase within 10 business days following receipt of full payment for item.

Please remember that the buyer is responsible for all shipping costs from University Archives' offices in Wilton, CT to the buyer's door. Please see full Terms and Conditions of Sale.

April 23, 2025 10:00 AM EDT
Wilton, CT, US

University Archives

You agree to pay a buyer's premium of 25% and any applicable taxes and shipping.

View full terms and conditions

Bid Increments
From: To: Increments:
$0 $99 $10
$100 $299 $20
$300 $499 $25
$500 $999 $50
$1,000 $1,999 $100
$2,000 $2,999 $200
$3,000 $4,999 $250
$5,000 $9,999 $500
$10,000 $19,999 $1,000
$20,000 $49,999 $2,500
$50,000 + $5,000