COMIC METAMORPHOSES Dr. W. Valentine 1st Ed 1855, Barnum Circus Performer, RARE
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Comic Metamorphoses. Being a Perfect Encyclopedia of Fun and Humor, Containing Comic Lectures, Songs, Poetry, Delineations of Eccentric
Characters, Such as "Frenchman," "Irishman," Dutchman," and "German of
Color." By Dr. W. Valentine, First Edition First Printing HC — 1855 Barnum Circus Performer — Very Scarce!
Publisher: Dick and Fitzgerald, New York (1855)
Very rare, first edition from 1855 of Comic Metamorphoses. Being a Perfect Encyclopedia of Fun and Humor, Containing Comic Lectures, Songs, Poetry, Delineations of Eccentric Characters, Such as "Frenchman," "Irishman," Dutchman," and "German of Color." (...) By Dr. W. Valentine. A book of humorous character sketches by the 19th-century
performer William Valentine, a noted impersonator. He was a favorite of
Barnum's and performed at his New York Museum. Valentine's specialty was
the "comic lecture with instant personality change." This book has four
plates showing the famous characters he played — Mr. Honeyface, Mr. Sourcrout, Seth
Stokes and Mrs. Jamimah Doolittle. The boards and binding are solid and tight. Shelfwear and small chipping to spine ends with rubbed corners. The pages are crisp and clean. An excellent and scarce copy of wit and humor from a noted circus impersonator of the mid-19th century.
