The Works of Shakespeare. The text of the First Folio with Quarto variants and a selection of modern readings -
William Shakespeare
1929-1933 - The Nonesuch Press for Random House, Printed at the Cambridge University Press and Bound by A. Bain of London. - Limited Edition. Number 1348 of 1600 copies
Considered one of the finest presentations of Shakespeare and the Nonesuch Press’ most handsome production, in seven volumes.
T.E. Lawrence on the Nonesuch Press Shakespeare - ‘A most marvellous pleasure. I have handled it ever so many times, and read The Tempest right through. It satisfies. It is final, like the Kelmscott Chaucer or the Ashendene Virgil. And it is a book which charms one to read slowly, an art which is almost gone from us in these times. Every word which Shakespeare uses stands out glowing… The tact and grace of your editor have been surpassing. I think I like the size and shape and binding almost as much as the text. The paper, too, is just right. Altogether a triumph.’
‘The Shakespeare represents the chef-d'oeuvre of the Nonesuch Press. This is the finest edition of our greatest poet.’ - [Nonesuch Century] ‘We turn over to the Nonesuch Shakespeare. There you have created a most marvellous pleasure. I have handled it ever so many times, and read The Tempest right through. It satisfies. It is final, like the Kelmscott Chaucer or the Ashendene Virgil. And it is a book which charms one to read slowly, an art which is almost gone from us in these times. Every word which Shakespeare uses stands out glowing. A really great edition. The tact and grace of your editor have been surpassing. I think I like the size and shape and binding almost as much as the text. The paper, too, is just right. Altogether a triumph. One of the best things is that it can be done again. Nobody will ever dare to produce the old type of edition now, while your text stands there to reproach them. It means a permanent improvement in Shakespeares’. - T.E. Lawrence.
The Nonesuch Press was founded in London by Francis Meynell in 1922, generally outsourcing printing to other presses while maintaining meticulous control over the design elements. Generally speaking, the magnificent leather used for Nonesuch bindings was vegetable tanned East-African Niger goatskin, the vegetable tanning allowed the leather to reach it’s full grain shine through hand rubbing, unfortunately, being a natural full grain, without additional coatings of colour it was prone to staining, toning, and wrinkling when not flat (usually the spines), making this set particularly scarce in such clean condition.
References: The Nonesuch Century 69, 47, 58.
7 octavo volumes (24.4 x 16 cm), complete set 32 cm in width. pp. [2] x [2] 590 [1 additional notes] [5]; [8] 647 [1]; [8] 849 [3]; [8] 777 [3]; [8] 804 [4]; [8] 517 [3]; [2] xii 563 [1] [table of errors] [3]. Bound in publisher s full niger morocco by A.W. Bain. Covers with gilt double fillet border, spine in six compartments, lettered in gilt with ends double ruled in gilt, top edge gilt , other edges uncut. Condition: Near fine, hint of the usual toning to spine on one or two volumes, toning to preliminary and final pages of all volumes, some very minor scratches and spots to bindings, but far less so than usually encountered with this set. Ref: 111513 Price: HK$ 28,000
T.E. Lawrence on the Nonesuch Press Shakespeare - ‘A most marvellous pleasure. I have handled it ever so many times, and read The Tempest right through. It satisfies. It is final, like the Kelmscott Chaucer or the Ashendene Virgil. And it is a book which charms one to read slowly, an art which is almost gone from us in these times. Every word which Shakespeare uses stands out glowing… The tact and grace of your editor have been surpassing. I think I like the size and shape and binding almost as much as the text. The paper, too, is just right. Altogether a triumph.’
‘The Shakespeare represents the chef-d'oeuvre of the Nonesuch Press. This is the finest edition of our greatest poet.’ - [Nonesuch Century] ‘We turn over to the Nonesuch Shakespeare. There you have created a most marvellous pleasure. I have handled it ever so many times, and read The Tempest right through. It satisfies. It is final, like the Kelmscott Chaucer or the Ashendene Virgil. And it is a book which charms one to read slowly, an art which is almost gone from us in these times. Every word which Shakespeare uses stands out glowing. A really great edition. The tact and grace of your editor have been surpassing. I think I like the size and shape and binding almost as much as the text. The paper, too, is just right. Altogether a triumph. One of the best things is that it can be done again. Nobody will ever dare to produce the old type of edition now, while your text stands there to reproach them. It means a permanent improvement in Shakespeares’. - T.E. Lawrence.
The Nonesuch Press was founded in London by Francis Meynell in 1922, generally outsourcing printing to other presses while maintaining meticulous control over the design elements. Generally speaking, the magnificent leather used for Nonesuch bindings was vegetable tanned East-African Niger goatskin, the vegetable tanning allowed the leather to reach it’s full grain shine through hand rubbing, unfortunately, being a natural full grain, without additional coatings of colour it was prone to staining, toning, and wrinkling when not flat (usually the spines), making this set particularly scarce in such clean condition.
References: The Nonesuch Century 69, 47, 58.
7 octavo volumes (24.4 x 16 cm), complete set 32 cm in width. pp. [2] x [2] 590 [1 additional notes] [5]; [8] 647 [1]; [8] 849 [3]; [8] 777 [3]; [8] 804 [4]; [8] 517 [3]; [2] xii 563 [1] [table of errors] [3]. Bound in publisher s full niger morocco by A.W. Bain. Covers with gilt double fillet border, spine in six compartments, lettered in gilt with ends double ruled in gilt, top edge gilt , other edges uncut. Condition: Near fine, hint of the usual toning to spine on one or two volumes, toning to preliminary and final pages of all volumes, some very minor scratches and spots to bindings, but far less so than usually encountered with this set. Ref: 111513 Price: HK$ 28,000