Beschreibung:

A personal scrap album relating to the actress Helena Faucit, mostly circa 1864-67, comprising numerous playbills, news cuttings and reviews of plays featuring Helena Faucit, some with pen or pencil dates and sources added, together with fifteen albumen print photographs of her, all but one carte-de-visite sizes, one engraved medallion portrait and one hand-coloured lithographic print, plus 32 autograph letters addressed to Lady Martin tipped in, mostly fan mail and friends, correspondence including Geraldine E. Jewsbury (x3), Hannah Maria Hall (x3 including 1 loose), Arthur Helps, Alice Helps, S.C. Hall, Alfred Crowquill (in the third person), J. Doran, Eliza M. Bushell, John Mitchell Charles Swan, William Smith Shirley Brooks, Sarah (?)Fring (x3), R. Fechter, Charles Fechter, J.R. Herbert, A.A. Elsor, R.J. Lane (x2), Art/A.G.T., (?)de Fremy, various lengths, mostly 8vo, the collection arranged on 51 leaves, some spotting, hinges cracked, contemporary half roan, somewhat worn with slight loss at head of spine, folio (36.5 x 28 cm) Faucit's first professional appearance was at Covent Garden in 1836 where she was a spectacular success. Though sometimes received coldly by critics she was a favourite of playgoers. Under William Charles Macready she played numerous Shakespearean roles including Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, and later Lady Macbeth and Desdemona. In 1851 she married Theodore Martin, who was later knighted, making her Lady Martin. She continued to act occasionally for charity. She wrote a series of essays, published as 'On Some of Shakespeare's Female Characters'. In this project she was encouraged by Queen Victoria for whom she sometimes gave private readings. Along with her husband she was often a guest of the Queen and like him the recipient of various presents over the years. Theodore Martin published a biography of her in 1900. (1)