A large antique engraving from "Hamlet, Act I Scene IV" featuring Hamlet being confronted by the ghost of his murdered father - 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 Sept 29 1796. The engraver Robert Thew(1758-1802) was "Engraver to HRH The Prince of Wales" and completed 22 Shakespeare plates for the Boydells. The painter Henry Fuseli RA(1741-1825) was renowned for his nude figures in strained and often violent poses. He 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. The highest auction price that I've seen for an R Thew Shakespeare engraving for the Boydells is USD 400.

As to the previous 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, many of her paintings - but not this antique engraving print - however, you can.

The 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.