Le Morte Darthur.

First edition of the first truly scholarly edition of Malory's Arthurian epic, presentation set inscribed by the editor Dr H. Oskar Sommer on the half title of the first volume, "To Mr Herbert Beerbohm Tree, with the author-editor's compliments and best wishes, H. Oscar Sommer" and again in the last volume (printed three years later), "H. Beerbohm Tree Esq, With H. Oskar Sommer's compliments and best wishes." An interesting association: Herbert Beerbohm Tree (1852-1917) was a famous English actor and stage manager, who was during the time of these inscriptions the manager of the prestigious Haymarket Theatre. Tree's literary adviser and manager at the Haymarket at the time of this was J. Comyns Carr. In 1893 Carr left the Haymarket to branch out on his own. Carr's King Arthur (1895), a blank verse play inspired by the writings of Malory and Alfred Tennyson, as well as by the visual images of the Pre-Raphaelites, was produced by Henry Irving in the Lyceum Theatre. It starred Irving and Ellen Terry, with music composed by Arthur Sullivan and sets, costumes and artwork designed by Carr's friend Edward Burne-Jones. This spectacular production was a success for Irving and ran for over 100 performances, also touring North America. The 861-page first volume (bound here as two) prints word-for-word the preface and full text of Caxton's 1485 Morte Darthur first edition – Sommer was working from the Althorp copy in the British Library, one of only two then known. The latter two volumes comprise much bibliographical and critical discussion, including an essay by Andrew Lang, a list of names and places, and a glossary.

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