COOLIDGE, CASSIUS M.[ARCELLUS]
King Gallinipper. A comic opera in three acts. New York: C.M. Coolidge, 1890. Mounted text (from the original libretto) accompanied with original watercolor illustrations by Coolidge, for an illustrated edition that was never published. Original hand-lettered boards, leather-backed. 10 1/2 x 16 3/4 inches (17 x 43 cm). 18 ff. (including section titles), bristol board on guards. The cheap binding (possibly from a sketchbook) is quite worn, with some separation on the joints and hinges. A few leaves have bumped or chipped corners, not affecting Coolidge's designs.
The illustrations are extremely witty and of exceptional quality, with superb draftsmanship. This is quite possibly the only opera ever written on mosquito eradication. Sold with the original 148 page manuscript musical score, printed libretto (in two forms), a photograph of the original cast, and the original typescript with hand drawn cover by Coolidge.
Cassius Marcellus Coolidge ("Cash"), was a prodigiously inventive and ingenious American artist. He was an accomplished cartoonist, and was the originator (see next lot) of the life-sized boardwalk cutouts for photographers. In 1903 he contracted with the advertising firm of Brown and Bigelow to create 16 oil paintings of dogs in various human-like situations. Among these scenes were the first of the "Dogs playing Poker" genre.
Provenance: Marcella Coolidge, daughter of the artist, by descent from the estate of the artist.