Shakespeare

London: J. Nichols, F.C. and J. Rivington et al., 1813. 21 volumes, 9 1/2 inches tall. A remarkable and beautiful Regency full tree calf binding with gilt bands, triple labels, including charming olive volume number labels, and lovely gilt tooling to the panels. The striking tree calf boards are framed within a rather jaunty gilt roll. A name has been removed from the head of the title page of the first volume, there are a few scratches, a little superficial loss to the ubiquitous defunct insect and occasional light foxing but overall a splendid bright set in wonderful condition with absolutely no splitting. With notes by Samuel Johnson and George Steevens, revised by Isaac Reed with is a particularly respected edition with a large, highly readable text.

London: Charles Griffin & Co. (1865). Full morocco, 7 3/4 inches tall. A fabulously bound volume by Zaehnsdorf with gilt raised bands and a superb stylized floral device in the panels and en masse on the boards. Gilt tooled dentelles and all edges gilt. With the leather bookplate of W.A. Foyle of Beeleigh Abbey. Rubbing but perfectly firm. The frontispiece and 12 further images represent famous Shakesperean characters or creations. These are followed by 2 pages of illuminated text relating to the characters. We can find very few examples of this work in institutions and no other copies in the trade.

London: Virtue & Co., 1875. 2 volume set, 15 inches tall. A tall and magnificent full morocco by Flude, Birch & Skelt, and with their ticket, with twin gilt raised bands and splendid gilt and blind tooling to the panels and boards. With fine gilt dentelles and all edges. Bookplate. Complete with all 39 full page engravings and 2 engraved vignettes on the title pages. Some light foxing and offsetting from a few plates, overall an usually clean and neat set of this monumental edition.

London: Printed by T. Bensley for Wynne, Scholey and J. Wallis, 1803-1805. 10 volume set, 8 1/2 inches tall. A delightful Regency tree calf binding with wide gilt bands on a smooth back with triple labels, including impressively tooled green labels listing the plays within, and a fine gilt centre tool. The portrait of Shakespeare in volume is, along with it's tissue, foxed, the charming vignettes which illustrate all the plays are clean despite the foxing on some of their tissues. The edition, that of Mr. Steevens, is excellent, as is the type. Speckled edges. A splendid set.

London: Charles Knight, 1842. 8 volume set, 9.5 inches tall. A stunning extra gilt full morocco with gilt raised bands, fine gilt tooled panels and spectacular gilt tooling to the boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Armorial bookplate. Occasional abrasions. A splendid set of this celebrated edition which is illustrated throughout.

London: London Printing and Publishing Company, c 1870. 3 volume set, 11 inches tall. Sparkling full morocco with gilt raised bands and superb gilt tooling to the panels and boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. With Splendid vignettes and full page illustrations by Kenny Meadows. A pristine set of this entertaining edition.

London: Bickers and Sons, 1864. 4 volume set, 9 inches tall. A classic Victorian full calf with gilt raised bands, elaborate gilt tooling to the panels and densely tooled labels. The prize block of Rugby School is on the upper boards and a neat ink inscription is on the reverse of the free endpapers dated Midsummer 1865. Offsetting facing the portrait frontispiece, otherwise perfectly clean. A splendid set of all of Shakespeare's works including his Sonnets.

London: Allason, Maynard and Blair, 1819. 9 volume set, 6 1/2 inches tall. A delightful Regency set in full straight grain calf with gilt raised bands and splendid gilt tooling to the panels. Frontispiece. Sporadic light foxing.

London: Longman, Rivingtons et al., 1847. 8 volume set, 8 3/4 inches tall. A very good looking Victorian full calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and ornate gilt tooling to the panels. Twin gilt and a blind fillet frame the splendid blind device on the boards. Portrait. There is a neat ink inscription, dated 1853 on the first blank. There are some minor scratches, nibblings of a long defunct insect and a couple of small splits not affecting the integrity of the binding. This edition 'Accurately printed from the Text of the Corrected Copies Left by the Late George Steevens, Esq., and Edmond Malone, Esq.,.... (with) a history of the Stage, & A Life of Shakspeare; by Alexander Chalmers'.

London: Routledge, 1858. 3 volume set, 10 inches tall. A splendid full hard grain morocco with raised bands, finely gilt panels and elegant gilt tooling to the boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Edited by Howard Staunton and illustrated with engravings by John Gilbert. Slightly rubbed but overall a super copy of this celebrated edition.

London: J. Valpy, 1832. 15 volume set, 6 1/2 inches tall. A splendid William IV half vellum with fine contrasting calf labels, gilt bands and extra gilt tooling to the panels. Speckled pink edges. Some marks and stains and foxing on the preliminaries and plates, otherwise clean. With a previous owner's name (Edmund Salwey Ford) on the paste-down endpapers. With 170 line engravings after the plates in Boydell's edition. With a life, glossary and notes.

London: Routeledge, Warne, and Routledge, 1862. 2 volume set, 9 1/2 inches tall. A rather magnificent full morocco with gilt raised bands, extra gilt panels and superb ornate gilt tooling around a heraldic crest to the boards. Gilt dentelles and all edges. Double column. Engraved portrait of Shakespeare, engraved title page, full page engravings of scenes from Shakespeare's Plays and 45 full page extra illustrated engravings of Shakespeare's heroines. Some rubbing to the binding, loss of both free end papers and slight foxing to the tissues and portraits but still an impressive set.

London: Dent, 1925. 3 volume set, 8 inches tall. A neat half calf by Riviere with gilt raised bands, twin labels and delicate gilt tooling to the panels. Gilt top edges. Decorated with 39 photogravures by E.J. Sullivan. Slight fading but still a bright and good looking set in lovely condition.

London: Longman et al., Printed by Gedge and Barker, Bury, 1812. Full calf. 5.75 inches tall. A fine example of this curious and rare title. With gilt raised bands, extra gilt panels, dentelles and all edges. Portrait of Shakespeare. Not signed but bound by Clarke and Bedford toward the end of the Victorian era. Expert repair to the top corner of the title page and slight stain to upper board, but overall a splendid copy.

London: Smith, Elder, & Co., 1898. Full calf, 7 1/2 inches tall. A most attractive binding by Zaehnsdorf with gilt raised bands, extravagant floral gilt tooling to the panels and contrasting red label. With the gilt embossed crest of Uppingham School on the upper board and their prize bookplate on the paste down end paper. Gilt dentelles and all edges. With portraits and facsimiles.

Portland, Maine: Thomas B. Mosher, 1907. Full morocco, 7 inches tall. A fine binding for Hatchards of Piccadilly with raised bands and neat and simple gilt tooling framing the panels and boards, blind 'strapping' around the bands and onto the boards. Gilt title on the upper board. Handmade paper with gilt top edge and other edges left untrimmed. The bookplate of Gwendolyn Field and neat ink inscription, dated 1918, on the first blank. The spine is faded though still bright. A good looking copy of this fine edition of Shakespeare's sonnets.

London: Sampson Low, Marston, Searle, & Rivington, 1876. 2 volumes bound in 1, 7 inches tall. Half crushed morocco by H. Wood with raised bands and gilt centre tools and top edge. A scarce and curious edition 'Freed from all objectionable matter, and altogether free from notes' allowing it to be read aloud! 2 volumes, comprising 'Cymbeline'; 'Merchant of Venice', 'As You Like It'; 'King Lear'; 'Much Ado About Nothing'; 'Romeo And Juliet'; Twelfth Night'; 'King John'. Foxing to the preliminaries and a small stain in the top corner affecting the last two plays not touching the text.