SHAKESPEARE, William (1564-1616). Mr. William Shakespear's Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. Published according to the true Original Copies. Unto which is added, SEVEN PLAYS, Never before Printed in Folio. [London: Printed for H. Herringman, E. Brewster, and R. Bentley, 1685.]

Folio (354 x 222 mm.). Woodcut initials. (Lacking the first 6 leaves, H1, 2H5, and the final leaf, all supplied in facsimile, a few leaves with mostly marginal repairs occasionally affecting border and a few letters supplied in pen facsimile, tiny wormhole in lower margin of several leaves at end, some minor soiling, a few rust-holes occasionally affecting letters.) Early 20th-century blind-stamped reversed calf, brown morocco lettering-piece gilt, edges gilt (upper cover detached). Provenance: Louis Auchincloss (1917-2010), American lawyer, novelist and historian (morocco bookplate).

FOURTH FOLIO EDITION, issue unknown. The edition was set from the second issue of the Third Folio. The Fourth Folio is the last edition of Shakespeare's plays published in the 17th century, and was regarded by 18th-century editors, readers and collectors as textually the best edition, until Samuel Johnson and especially Edward Capell demonstrated the superiority of the First Folio. The most immediately striking aspect of the Fourth Folio is its height. Herringman and his co-publishers decided on a larger paper size to increase the number of lines per page and decrease the bulk of the book; thus, including the added plays, the number of sheets in the Fourth Folio is almost exactly the same as that in the First and Second.

Greg III, 1119-21; Pforzheimer 910; Wing S-2916.

Property from the Collection of Edward A. Quattrocchi

SHAKESPEARE, William (1564-1616). Mr. William Shakespear's Comedies, Histories, and Tragedies. Published according to the true Original Copies. Unto which is added, SEVEN PLAYS, Never before Printed in Folio. [London: Printed for H. Herringman, E. Brewster, and R. Bentley, 1685.]