William SHAKESPEARE.
The Plays of William Shakespeare. London: printed for T. Bensley; for Wynne & Scholey and J. Wallis, 1803-1804. 8 volumes, royal octavo (9 ¼ x 5 ¾ inches; 238 x 148 mm). Each volume has a general title with a wood-engraved vignette; each play has a half-title with a wood-engraved vignette, followed by a divisional title (with cast of characters on the verso). Each play is individually paginated.
Condition of contents: no half-titles at front of each volume (Folger cat. notes that each volume should have a half-title with each general title: this may describe the contents leaf, as the collation does not indicate that anything is missing), occasional light to very light spotting.
Contemporary russia, the covers elaborately tooled in gilt and blind, the tools including a large anthemion-roll, the spines in six unequal compartments with semi-raised bands, lettered in third and fourth compartments, the others tooled in gilt and blind, marbled endpapers, gilt edges.
Condition of binding: splits or cracks to joints, neat repairs to six joints, occasional small chips to head and foot of some spines (see images), occasional light damage to the leather.
Provenance: William Wynne (early armorial bookplate); P. Wynne (inscriptions dated 1910).
Rare large paper issue – probably a subscriber’s copy, probably complete in 8 volumes. A very pretty Russia set, but (as usual) the joints have suffered. Traditionally described as complete in 10 volumes, but the Folger library catalog entry notes that this edition was “Originally offered by subscription in 8 volumes, supplemented by volumes 9-10, per advertisement in v. 9. Some sets were issued on large paper… The two issues are of the same setting of type. This record is for the large paper issue measuring approximately 24 cm with a 2 cm gutter margin. The regular paper issue measures approximately 21 cm with a 1 cm gutter margin.”
Folger quotes Jaggard who notes that the large paper issue was for the full 10 volumes. In the present set, the absence of the 1805 portrait frontispiece, and the 1805 issued vols. IX and X, perhaps indicates that the large paper issue was also available in the 8-volume subscriber’s issue.
Ref: Folger http://hamnet.folger.edu/cgi-bin/Pwebrecon.cgi?BBID=265303; Jaggard, W. Shakespeare bibliography, p. 509.
- Binding Condition: joints weak or repaired
- Overall Condition: acceptable
- Size: 9 ¼ x 5 ¾ inches; 238 x 148 mm
- Sold By: Shadowrock Rare Books
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