A Midsummer Night's Dream - Antique Fairies

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is a comedy play written by William Shakespeare in about 1595 or 1596. The play is set in Athens, and consists of several subplots that revolve around the marriage of Theseus and Hippolyta. One subplot involves a conflict among four Athenian lovers. Another follows a group of six amateur actors rehearsing the play which they are to perform before the wedding. Both groups find themselves in a forest inhabited by fairies who manipulate the humans and are engaged in their own domestic intrigue. The play is one of Shakespeare’s most popular and is widely performed. Reference: Wikipedia

Below are some examples and price guides of antiques and books depicting A Midsummer Night’s Dream including a Sadler teapot and and a play illustrated by Arthur Rackham.

A TICKET TO THE PREMIERE OF A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM
Warner Bros., 1935. Extravagantly designed ticket to the star-studded premiere of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, framed. Accompanied by de Havilland’s 1939 copy of William Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream (annotated but not by de Havilland); two souvenir programs from the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago; and a souvenir program from the Milwaukee Auditorium.

Sold for US$1,530 inc. premium at Bonham’s in 2023

[ILLUSTRATED BOOKS]. [RACKHAM, Arthur (1867-1939), illustrator]. — SHAKESPEARE, William (1564-1616). A Midsummer Night’s Dream. London and New York: William Heinemann; Doubleday, Page & Co., 1908. Folio.
40 color tipped-in plates and 30 drawings by Rackham. Original gilt decorated and lettered parchment vellum, original silk ties intact, top edge gilt, others uncut (few spots of light soiling to spine, top edge bumped at rear joint, else fine).

LIMITED EDITION, number 680 of 1000 copies SIGNED BY RACKHAM. A fine and well-preserved copy. Latimore and Haskell, p. 32; Riall, p. 87.

Sold for US$1,500 at Potter & Potter Auctions in 2023

Sadler Staffordshire porcelain teapot with William Shakespeare A Midsummer Nights Dream motif. Defect to print on one side, small chip to interior rim. Measures approx. 7.5 x 3.75 x 6.5 inches. Trademarked to underside.

Sold for US$100 at The Benefit Shop Foundation Inc. in 2023

Forster Robson (fl.1888-1906 British) ”A Midsummer’s Night Dream” 1893 Watercolor and Gouache on Board 30”x40” Image. Museum quality pre-raphaelite composition with nymph. Signed and dated l.r. Original title label on verso. Ornate gilt framing 39”x49”. Excellent condition.

Sold for US$3,500 at MBA Seattle Auction in 2023

A stipple etching after the work by Henry Fuseti depicting a scene from Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream. Subjects in print include: Oberon, Queen of the Fairies, Puck, Bottom, and Fairies attending. Originally from “A Collection of Prints, from pictures painted for the purpose of illustrating the dramatic works of Shakespeare, by the artists of Great Britain,” 1803 published by Boydell.

Sold for US$200 at Locati, LLC in 2023