[Rarebooks] FS: Shakespeare (4 titles)

[Clare Murphy]

1.  [RACKHAM, ARTHUR] SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM.  TEMPEST, THE. London: 
William Heinemann, Ltd., (1926). Illustrated by Arthur Rackham with 
twenty-one mounted color plates and twenty-five black and white 
drawings, there is an extra color plate in this edition that is not 
in the trade edition. First edition. Limited to 520; number's 1-260 
for sale in Great Britain and Ireland, number's 261-520 for sale in 
USA, this is #236. White parchment boards with vellum back, gilt 
pictorial stamping on the cover and spine with gilt lettering at the 
spine, teg. Housed in a custom-made tri-fold pull-case within a half 
morocco slipcase with gilt lettering, designs and marbled boards, 
probably by Sangorski and Sutcliffe. Signed by Arthur Rackham. 4to. 
[185 pgs] Very good/none/Near fine. From the collection of Frank 
Crowninshield, art editor of Century Magazine and personal friend to 
Arthur Rackham. He commissioned half-morocco slipcases, of different 
colors and styles to be custom-made for each of his Rackham books. 
Old dampstain to rear board and rear paste-down. Light scattered 
foxing to first and last pages. Front inner hinge is starting at top. 
Parchment covering front board is scraped at fore-edge. Pull-case is 
stained. Slipcase is fine but some minor abrasion to the leather at 
top and bottom of front panel.  Latimore & Haskell, p. 61-62. 
$1900.00

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2.  SHAKESPEAR (SHAKESPEARE), WILLIAM.  LIFE OF HENRY VIII...IN WHICH 
ARE INTERSPERSED, HISTORICAL NOTES, MORAL REFLECTIONS...IN RESPECT 
TO..CARDINAL WOLSEY, THE. London: Printed for D. Browne et al, 1758. 
Period half calf with marbled boards, marbled end papers and red 
leather title label. 12mo (approx. 8" high). [116, 200 pgs] Very 
good. '"Never before published. By the author of The History of the 
Life and Times of Cardinal Wolsey". Dedicated to Colley Cibber. Bound 
with this, is George Cavendish's (1500-1562) Life of Wolsey. Although 
the title says "Adorned with several copper-plates", there are no 
plates. Front hinge starting, else fine. Very little foxing. 
Cavendish must have taken down notes of Wolsey's conversation and 
movements, while in his employ, for many years passed before his 
biography was composed. He wrote it out in its final form in 1557. It 
was not, however, possible to publish it in the author's lifetime, 
but it was widely circulated in MS. Evidently one of these MSS. fell 
into William Shakespeare's hands, for that poet made use of it in his 
Henry VIII. Cavendish's biography was finally published in 1641. This 
present joint publication is scarce.  $325.00

3.  SHAKESPEAR (SHAKSPEARE), WILLIAM.  PLAYS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE 
IN FIFTEEN VOLUMES. WITH THE CORRECTIONS AND ILLUSTRATIONS OF VARIOUS 
COMMENTATORS. TO WHICH ARE ADDED, NOTES BY SAMUEL JOHNSON AND GEORGE 
STEEVENS, THE. London: T. Longman et al, 1793. Illustrated by 
facsimiles of Shakespeare's writing, a plate showing his home and a 
large fold-out plate showing the 12 Morris-dancers (9" x 17"). 146 
plates, 17 woodcuts, 4 tables. Fourth edition. 15 volumes. Tree calf 
with gilt rules and dentelles with gilt design bands, embossed 
compartmental designs; two burgundy title labels with gilt lettering. 
8vo. Near fine. Complete. The first fourteen volumes are in wonderful 
condition and very handsome. They have a previous owner's (Bowes) 
eighteenth century armorial bookplate at each front paste-down. 
Volume VII has a small bit of bookworm damage at rear interior board, 
does not affect contents or exterior of board.  Overall this set is 
stunning, clean with negligible foxing and the bindings are sound 
with only minor wear to the leather extremities. Volume XV, does not 
match the first fourteen volumes.  It is contemporary mottled calf 
with raised bands and compartmental designs at the spine and a black 
leather title label; the boards are detached, but present, the spine 
leather is dry and discolored.  The contents of this volume are 
complete, clean and sound. Considered the best edition. The other 14 
volumes are, of course, in fine condition. Jaggard 506. $6500.00

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4.  SHAKESPEARE, WILLIAM.  COMPLETE WORKS OF SHAKSPERE (SHAKESPEARE), 
REVISED FROM THE ORIGINAL EDITIONS. WITH HISTORICAL AND ANALYTICAL 
INTRODUCTIONS TO EACH PLAY, ALSO NOTES EXPLANATORY AND CRITICAL, AND 
A LIFE OF THE POET. TWO VOLUMES OF THREE; HISTORIES AND TRAGEDIES, 
THE. London and New York: John Tallis and Company, 1860. Edited by J. 
O. Halliwell. Illustrated by portraits engraved on steel, from 
daguerreotypes of the greatest and most intellectual actors of the 
age, taken in the embodiment of the varied and life-like characters 
of our great national poet. 2 volumes. Red  moroccan leather with 
gilt embossed rules and designs to all boards, four raised bands with 
gilt compartment designs and lettering at the spine; all edges gilt. 
4to. [488/496 pgs] Near fine. Minor wear at extremities.  Half inch 
stain at upper edge of plates, some with minor foxing, does not 
affect text contents. Otherwise contents are clean and tight.  $250.00

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Clare Murphy
Payson Hall Books
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USA

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