S. W. Ryley - The Itinerant, or, Memoirs of an Actor

London, Taylor and Hessey, 1808-27. First edition. Leather. A scarce to find first edition set of Samuel William Ryley's fantastical autobiography. The first editions.Complete in nine volumes.A rare theatrical work, especially scarce to find the first editions as a set.Bound without half-titles.Samuel William Ryley's fictional autobiography, a wild and and fantastic tale in the style of 'Tristram Shandy&apos. Ryley purports the work to be in some respects autobiographical. Ryley was a strolling actor whose life was plagued by debt. He wandered around the country finding small parts and putting on his own plays, but never to much success.Volumes I-VI are subtitled 'Memoirs of an Actor', Volumes VII-IX 'The Itinerant in Scotland&apos. Volume I, published in 1808. Volume II, published in 1808.Volume III, published in 1808.Volume IV, published in 1816.Volume V, published in 1817.Volume VI, published in 1817. Volume VII, published in 1827.Volume VIII, published in 1827. The title page and page 3/4 are provided in a neatly handwritten facsimile. Volume IX published in 1827. Label of the Nottingham Reference Library to the front paste downs of all but Volume VI. In a half calf rebacked binding with cloth to the boards, Volume VI is rebound in modern cloth and is in a very smart external condition. Externally, boards and spines are rubbed, with some loss of leather to the joints and extremities. A little bumping to the head and tail of the spines and to the extremities. A little fading to the head and tail of the boards. Loss to the head of the spine of Volume VIII, with heavier wear to the leather to the joints. Volume V lacks the bottom spine label. Aged taped to the tail of the front joint of Volume V. Top spine label of Volume VII is torn. Small amount of loss to the head of the spine of Volume IX, loss to the bottom spine label. Front board of Volume I may detach with further handling. Small cracks to the joints, not to Volume VI. Hinges of Volume I and III are starting but firm. Hinges of Volume VII are starting. Front hinge of Volume IX is starting. Institutional label to the front paste downs of all but Volume VI, recto to the front endpaper of Volume II, III, IV, V, VII, VIII, and IX. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are age-toned with some occasional spots and handling marks. Frontispiece of Volume I is detached but present, title page is working loose. Blind stamp to the frontispiece and title page of Volume I, title page of Volume II, III, IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, and IX. Ink marks to the first few pages of Volume I. Page 391/392 of Volume III is detaching. Prior owner's ink inscription to the head of the title page of Volume V. Good . Ill.: Not Stated. Good .

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