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London: John Bell, 1785-1788. 38 volumes, 5.5 inches tall. Full straight grain dark blue morocco with gilt bands, titles, dentelles and all edges. Tiffany bookplates. Some slight foxing to the plates but generally very clean. Engraved frontispieces, title pages and plates throughout. Although this celebrated Bell's Edition first appeared in 38 volumes it is very unusual to find it in this form, with each volume bound individually, rather than with every 2 or 3 volumes bound together. There is no splitting or loss at all. An absolutely exceptional set.

ondon Reeves and Turner, 1874. 15 volume set, 9 inches tall. Superb full calf by Mansell. A very fine binding with gilt raised bands, triple labels and dense gilt floral panels. Gilt dentelles and top edges.One of only a handful, possibly as few as 10, tall large paper copies on handmade paper were printed. With the armorial bookplate of Horatio Noble Pym, celebrated author and bibliophile who used the finest bookbinders of his day. This is a splendid set of this important collection of early English plays, largely from the 16th century, with more than 30 being added to this enlarged edition.

London: Edward Moxon, 1843-1846. 11 volume set, 8.75 inches tall. A truly splendid full hard grain morocco by one of the greatest binders of the period, White of Pall Mall. With gilt raised bands, unusual dense gilt tooling to the panels and gilt dentelles. All the edges are gilt over marbling. The heraldic crest on both boards is framed within magnificent gilt rolls and individual tooling. The crest with the motto 'Sic Donec' is that of William Tatton Egerton, 1st Baron Egerton of Tatton Park. A wonderful set of the Works of these two early 17th century English playwrights, often considered successors to Shakespeare.

Paris: De l'Imprimerie de Fr. Ambr. Didot l'Ainé, 1783. 2 volume set, 12 inches tall. A magnificently bound set with raised bands, fillets, dentelles and all edges gilt. Celebrated edition of just 200 copies. Some ink staining to the lower board of volume 1, otherwise in excellent condition. Armorial bookplate and the tiny stamp of Selbourn Library to the reverse of the title page.

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: Chapman & Hall, 1866. 9 volume set, 8.75 inches tall. An exceptionally handsome set in full red morocco with gilt raised bands, gilt titles, panels and all edges. the boards are framed with gilt and blind tooling. With the Royal cipher of Marie Therese. A fine copy of the celebrated Dyce edition of the Complete Works of England's greatest playwright.

London: John Bell, 1791. 7 volumes, 6 inches tall. Full straight grain morocco with label, gilt bands, titles, superb centre tools, all edges and dentelles. This is the first 7 volumes of Tragedies, part of John Bell's British library series. Containing many plays all individually paginated. Each also has a superb engraved frontispiece and title page. An exceedingly pretty run.

LONDON: Cassell, Petter and Galpin, c.1870. 3 volume set, 10.5 inches tall. A very handsome set with gilt raised bands, twin labels and ornate gilt 'theatrical' centre tools. A gilt prize block on the upper boards and an ink prize inscription on the first blank. Illustrated throughout. A splendid set.

London: Nicol, Rivington et al, 1813. 4 volume set, 9 inches tall. A simple but very fine later half crushed morocco by Ramage with gilt raised bands, titles and top edges. Bookplate. Portrait. A splendid set of the second edition of the dramatic works of this great seventeenth century English playwright.

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: Virtue, c.1880. 8 volume set, 10.5 inches tall. A handsome robust binding with gilt raised bands, gilt tooling to the panels and a gilt blocked portrait of the Bard on the upper boards. Illustrated profusely throughout with full page engravings and vignettes.

London: Virtue & Co., c. 1870. 2 vol set, 15 inches tall. Handsome Victorian half calf with gilt raised bands, ornate gilt centre tools and twin labels. Some marks to the foot of volume one and some scuffing otherwise a neat clean set of this classic tall edition. With vignettes to both title pages and a further 39 full page steel engravings.

Argentorati (Strasbourg) Johannis Georgii Treuttel 1786-1789. 4 volume set, 9 inches tall. A superb 18th century straight grain morocco with gilt raised bands and dense blind tooling to the panels. The straight grain boards are framed with elaborate blind rolls and exquisite gilt corner tooling. Gilt dentelles and all edges. There is slight rubbing and discolouration which is common with this shade of blue from this period. There is no loss or splitting and this is a wonderful set whose gilt corner tooling should lead to the identification of the binder. This set contains all 7 surviving plays by this great Greek playwright. In the original Greek with Latin notes.

Paris: Chez Prault pere, 1758. 10 volume set, 6 inches tall. A most attractive set in full speckled calf with gilt bands, twin labels, fine floral gilt tooling to the panels and pink edges. An early, revised and augmented, edition of this great French dramatist's works published just 4 years after his death.

London: Charles Tilt, c 1840. 8 volume set, 4 inches tall. Full morocco with gilt panels, gilt blocks to the boards and all edges gilt. A charming little set with a few small nicks to head and tail caps, otherwise in pristine condition.

Paris: Didot, 1803 (AN XI). 5 volume set, 5.5 inches tall. A delightful set in full straight grain morocco with gilt bands, centre tools, gilt roll framing the boards and all edges gilt. In the original French.

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: Harding, Triphook and Lepard, 1825. Full morocco, 6.5 inches tall. A superb Georgian binding with gilt raised bands, label, gilt framed panels and boards, dentelles and all edges. Engraved portrait and title page. Sold at Sotheby's 29th February 1856. Contains all six of Terence's plays, viz. Andria (The Girl from Andros) 166 B.C.; Hecyra (The Mother-in-Law) 165 B.C.; Heauton Timorumenos (The Self-Tormentor) 163 B.C.; Phormio 161 B.C.; Eunuchus 161 B.C.; Adelphoe (The Brothers) 160 B.C.. A fine copy in the original Latin.

Mahon: Gilles Lanlois,1756. 3 volume set 6.5 inches tall. Fine full mottled calf with gilt raised bands, twin labels and gilt floral centre tools. Pink edges. Frontispiece and woodcut ornaments. Slight damage to the headcap of volume 1 otherwise in superb condition. A lovely set of this very rare title.