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THE PLAYS.
(London: Printed for F. C. and J. Rivington et al. 1805). 238 x 145 mm. (9 3/8 x 5 3/4"). 10 volumes. Edited by George Steevens and Alexander Chalmers.
EXTREMELY PRETTY CONTEMPORARY DEEP PURPLE STRAIGHT-GRAIN MOROCCO, VERY ELABORATELY DECORATED IN GILT AND BLIND, covers with frame featuring heavy gilt stippling and tooling, spine compartments densely gilt, gilt-rolled turn-ins, leather hinges, all edges gilt. EACH VOLUME WITH AN ATTRACTIVE FORE-EDGE PAINTING featuring scenic views of waterways, bridges, cottages, and castles, and one figurative scene. With frontispiece portrait, engraved ornament pasted down on title page (apparently to cover up the mention of the engravings, which this set was evidently issued without). A Large Paper Copy. Jaggard, p. 510; Lowndes IV, 2264. Just a hint of wear to joints and extremities (and this expertly refurbished), a small gouge on rear board of volume I, internally with occasional mild browning, scattered foxing and stains, but the bindings lustrous and glittering with gold, the fore-edge paintings well preserved, and the interiors clean and fresh. AN EXTREMELY ATTRACTIVE COPY OF QUITE A SPECIAL ITEM.
Enriched with learned essays and commentary, this handsome printing of Steevens' acclaimed edition of Shakespeare's dramatic works comes in a lovely contemporary binding, with later--but impressive--fore-edge paintings. Our set is the 10-volume version of Steevens, printed on royal octavo paper (a slightly less desirable nine-volume set on thinner octavo paper was also available). While the set was offered with plates, the professionally printed and applied engraved ornaments covering the title page reference to engravings suggests that the publisher also sold sets without them (auction records bear out this theory). The original owner may have chosen to save money on plates so he could splash out on the present richly gilt full morocco bindings that make an impressive appearance on the shelf. Then that owner, or (more likely) a somewhat later one, commissioned the paintings of the 10 fore edges. These are richly detailed, crispy executed compositions mainly showing exterior scenes featuring castles or old city buildings. Although they do not necessarily have a clear connection with any individual play in any specific volume, they do communicate the feeling of the period of Shakespeare's life. And most important, they are skillfully done by an unusually deft painter. Steevens (1736-1800) had originally published his revision of Johnson's edition of Shakespeare in 1773, the revision being praised by Lowndes as combining "the native powers of Dr. Johnson with the activity, sagacity, and antiquarian learning of . . . Steevens." Volume I contains prefaces by Pope, Johnson, and Chalmers, a sketch of Shakespeare's life by Chalmers, Shakespeare's will, and a history of the stage by Malone. Considered in all its aspects--as an esteemed edition of the bard's works, as a gloriously decorated set on the shelf, and as 10 expert fore-edge paintings--this item has much to recommend it. (ST19580)
Price: $18,000.00