1614 The French Academie. Maybe interesting Shakespeare tie-in. Missing leaves.

The French Academie was an "academy", wherein four noblemen's sons discuss topics of learning (for educational purposes, noted for being pious); this copy with an odd and unexpected Shakespeare tie-in that may appeal to some (see below). That being said, this copy only contains 390 of the original 446 leaves (also, see condition description below).

The Shakespeare tie-in:

As a bookseller, who has many 16th century books pass my desk, I keep a copy of the six known Shakespeare signatures on my desk in case I am ever to come across his name (the great lottery, as I consider it).

I was surprised, when I opened this book, to see the name "William" and "Wm. Sh." written on the exposed pasteboard of the front cover, in the "secretary hand" of the time of the Victorians.

That being said, it quickly revealed itself as "William Shepard", as George ("Geo. Shepard") and James Shepard ("Js. Shepard") also wrote their names in the book. Also, a "Thomas" (also on the pasteboards) and a "John" (who wrote his name largely on the front cover). Shepard was a protestant name, and based on all the names claiming this book, it seems likely they're the names of the family of the Rev. Thomas Shepard, who helpfully wrote a biography of his family naming these people. That's conjecture, but the French Academie being considered "overly pious" also points towards this family, as well as the "secretary" style writing (with abbreviations and flourishes). This family lived in Towcester, which is about thirty miles from Stratford-upon-Avon.

Now the tie-in, with Shakespeare, is this: in the period handwriting style of Shakespeare's time, possibly written within 30 miles of Stratford-upon-Avon, a William Sh. wrote both "William" and "Wm. Sh.". It's a silly tie-in, but one just the same. It was enough for me to double-check my known examples and I found some striking similarities. The lean on the signatures is quite the same. The "Wm" is written much as Shakespeare signed the Blackfriar's Mortgage and the "h" in the "Sh" is written much as Shakespeare wrote his "h" in several examples.

Some big differences (among others) are: Shakespeare's known signatures are oddly shaky, in my example "W"s trend inward where Shakespeare's trends outwards and none of the known Shakespeare examples use a cursive S.

Also, the name "Shepard" being written several times in the book is a big glaring clue to the "Sh" abbreviation.

So, it is not Shakespeare's signature, but about as close as I'm likely ever to find :)

I know, this is pointless. But I'm bookish enough to appreciate it, and maybe you are too.

Bibliographic Details -

English Short Title Catalogue (ESTC) number S108295, not particularly rare but the auction house I bought it from claimed it's rare to auction. They also failed to disclose the missing leaves, hence I'm trying to just simply recover the money I have in buying and importing it.

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 19.5 x 14 x 4.5 cm. Calf binding, with some blind fillet frames to boards. Spine with four raised bands. Gatherings of eight (octavo).

Collation - it's easiest for me to go about this in this way. A complete copy has the gatherings A-Ccc8, Ddd2. My copy is missing A2-A3, G1, R1, Bb1-Gg8, Ccc7-8 and Ddd1-2.

Condition -
See notes below on missing leaves; total of 56 leaves are missing. 390 of 446 present.

See pictures. Binding very worn with rubbing, edge and corner wear, etc. Names written on boards, but very faded (hard to see). Spine joints started. Large part of top spine compartment chipped away. Head and tailband missing. Name written on boards. No pastedowns or flyleaves; many names, etc. on pasteboards.

Some gatherings shaken, and proud (sticking out). Text block heavily toned at front and back, with some toning throughout and occasional rust spots, ink spots, thumbing, page edge chips, dog-eared corners, etc.

Leaves A2 and A3 missing. “Academicall Assembly” written at top of page 7. Missing G1. Candle ember spot on leaf G3. O gathering loose. Occasional moisture mark in bottom margin. Missing leaf R1. Underline and strikethrough on page 323. Text block split after Aa gathering. Gatherings Bb-Gg missing (pages 359 to 455, six gatherings/48 leaves). Hh, Ii and Kk gatherings loose. Some stain marks to Hh gathering. “World” written on 516. Missing leaves Ccc7-8 and Ddd1-2 (four leaves, at the end).