1825 The Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare, with notes, life. King, New York

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An early American edition, in two volumes, of the Dramatic Works of William Shakspeare, printed by S. King in New York in 1825. Bound very handsomely.

Works include:

v. 1. Life of William Shakspeare / by Mr. Nicholas Rowe. Merry wives of Windsor ; Twelfth-night ; Tempest ; Two gentlemen of Verona ; Measure for measure ; Much ado about nothing ; Midsummer night's dream ; Love's labour's lost ; Merchant of Venice ; As you like it ; All's well that ends well ; Taming of the shrew ; Winter's tale ; Comedy of errors ; Macbeth ; King John ; King Richard II ; King Henry IV ; Henry V --

v. 2. King Henry VI ; King Richard III ; King Henry VIII ; Troilus and Cressida ; Coriolanus ; Julius Caesar ; Antony and Cleopatra ; Timon of Athens ; Cymbeline ; Titus Andronicus ; Pericles ; King Lear ; Romeo and Juliet ; Hamlet ; Othello.

Worldcat OCLC #9041622

This edition matches the two volumes printed in Philadelphia (1825) by Carey and Lea, but without Ellis' engravings. These two each have a frontis illustration.

Physical Attributes -

Each measures approx. 23 x 14 x 4 cm. Likely calf, but possibly sheep, decorated with stripes (caused by acid solution). Boards framed by gilt and blind tool rolls. Spines in five compartments, four with rich gilt, and one with the author and volume in gilt on black moroccan. Marbled endpapers. Sprinkled edges. Frontis portraits. Pages - v1 - 477, v2 - 496.

Condition -

See pictures. Vintage patina with edge wear and shelf rubbing. Crack starts at the joints. Sunning and craquelure to spines. Two ex libris marks on first unpaginated blank page. Foxed and toned throughout. Heavy smell of old book, but I don't see any fuzzy mold so... I'm not sure why. Repeat of ex libris signature at top of title page, no text affected. Occasional page edge chip, dog ear, etc..Last 20 leaves of volume two, moisture mark at very bottom corner, no text affected. Repeat of one ex libris mark in blank page of volume two. Some notes, in pencil, in Othello, at rear of volume two. A little chipping at v.2 spine head. Handsome books, entirely readable, but the text blocks are not in the best condition. This could be due to the quality of paper available to the U.S. printers in 1825, as many books I find from this period are similar.

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