Robes of Thespis, Costume Designs by Modern Artists

London: Ernest Benn, 1928. First edition. Cloth. Near Fine/Very Good. 11.5" by 9.5". Not Stated. The first edition of this richly illustrated study of theatre costume, in the scarce publisher's original dust wrapper. In the publisher's original dust wrapper, price unclipped.Illustrated throughout, with a frontispiece and one-hundred and nine plates, many in colour, and each retaining the original captioned frontispiece. Collated, complete.The ethos behind this text was to 'bring to light unknown artists' and to enable them to have a chance of success hitherto denied. It publicly recognises the vision and work of costume designs from a variety of performances.The text has divided the costume depicted into eight sections: 'Fantasy in Costume', 'Historic or Period Costume', 'Irish Dramatic Costume', 'Costume', 'Costume At The Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith', 'Revue', 'Costume for Ballet' and 'The Artist in The Dressing Room'.With the former owner's inscription of Roe Luck, 1930, to the front free endpaper.A lovely first edition of this beautifully illustrated work. In the publisher's original cloth binding, with price unclipped dust wrapper. A touch of shelf wear to back strip head and tail, otherwise externally fine. Pencil inscription to front free endpaper. Small loss to back strip tail and tail of front wrap, with edgewear and small closed tears running the tail of the dust wrapper, and shelf wear to back strip head. Small closed tear to head of fold of front free flyleaf. Light handling marks to dust wrapper. Internally, firmly bound. Pages clean and bright, with the odd spot to page perimeters, most concentrated to the rear of the work. Near Fine