The Story of 50 Years of Opera in English & A History of the London Coliseum (Deluxe, Signed Limited Edition)

Deluxe, numbered and limited edition, this being No. 13.  Signed on a bookplate on the front free endpaper by both Lord Goodman (respectively Chairman and Managing Director of the English National Opera).  Two booklets – The Story of 50 Years of Opera in England and The London Coliseum: A History of London’s Coliseum 1904-1981- bound into a single volume.  Richly illustrated throughout.  Blue velveteen covered boards with white lettering on the front.  All edges gilt.  Deep blue endpapers.  4to.  Velveteen boards are a little brushed and dusty with a short split of around 1.5 inches at the base of the front joint.  Previous owner’s name neatly and flamboyantly on the front free endpaper.  The last two leaves of the first book in the volume have a little chipping on the fore edge, else internally neat. clean, bright and tight.

A rather nice volume covering the history of the English National Opera from its early origination from the Sadler’s Wells theatre and of its home at the London Coliseum theatre.  The binding is pleasing and unusual if not fine but the two booklets it contains were cheaply produced in the first place somewhat spoiling the overall impression.  Very hard to find volume.