Lot 15: BROUGH, ROBERT BARNABAS. 1828-1860. The Life of Sir John Falstaff, with a Biography of the Knight, from Authentic Sources. London: Longman, Brown, Longmans, and Roberts, 1857-58.

The Life of Sir John Falstaff, with a Biography of the Knight, from Authentic Sources. London: Longman, Brown, Longmans, and Roberts, 1857-58.
10 parts. 4to (260 x 180 mm). With 20 engraved plates by George Cruikshank. Original buff-colored wrappers. Custom cloth chemise and half leather slipcase. Occasional faint foxing touching a few plates, mild soiling and wear to wrappers, light chipping to spine of part 10, front wrapper of part 1 partially detached.
Provenance: William Armstrong (bookplate inside front wrapper of 5 parts); William Fortes/Fortis, Esq. (period ownership inscription to upper corner of wrappers of four parts).

FIRST EDITION IN ORIGINAL MONTHLY PARTS. Cruikshank's illustrations for this imaginary biography of one of Shakespeare's greatest creations are considered by many to be his best work of his later years. Illustrating specific scenes from Henry IV parts I and II and The Merry Wives of Windsor. Cohn 96.