An antique engraving from "Henry IV, Part One" featuring Falstaff, Prince Henry and others - with some interesting previous ownership detail on the back - Dame Ngaio Marsh.

This stipple engraving antique print was published by John and Josiah Boydell, Shakespeare Gallery, Pall Mall on June 4th 1796. The engraver Robert Threw(1758-1802) was "Engraver to HRH The Prince of Wales" and completed 22 Shakespeare plates for the Boydells. The painter Robert Smirke RA(1753-1845) painted a number of Shakespeare scenes for the Boydells. Usually monochromatic, they served well for engraving.

There are copies of this engraving held in the collections of The Met and the British Museum. A 1997 Melbourne Auction estimate for a copy of this engraving was AUD 100-300 and the highest achieved price in 2010, USD 400.

As to the personal ownership - there is a handwritten note at the back stating the engraving was owned by Ngaio Marsh and was "retrieved" from being thrown away in 1989. Dame Ngaio Marsh(1895-1982), one of the world's foremost female crime writers and "familiar sight in Chch driving her sleek black jaguar", was also an accomplished artist. She was a founding member in 1927 of the 'The Group' an avant garde young artist's collective in ChCh. Ngaio Marsh House provides a guided tour of where she wrote her novels and plays and features on display, much of her own paintings - but not this antique engraving print - however, you can.

This engraving is quite large at 60cm by 47cm(the frame 78cm by 66cm), it's protected behind glass, in good condition and ready to hang.

See photos.