Description

[004347] Harness, W. (Ed) Shakspeare’s Dramatic Works: With a Life of the Author, and a Selection of Notes, Critical, Historical and Explanatory. ill. Swaine, J. And Scriven, E.. London: J. F. Dove, 1830. First Thus. 8vo. Hardback. Good. Eight volumes complete – Volume One – [7]-viii, [1], ii-clxxxi, [4], 2-233pp, [1]; Volume Two – [7], 4-407pp, [1]; Volume Three – [7], 4-454pp; Volume Four – [7], 4-423pp, [1]; Volume Five – [7], 4-505pp, [1]; Volume Six – [7], 4-545pp, [1]; Volume Seven – [7], 4-476pp; and Volume Eight – [7], 4-470pp, [5], 6-152pp. Contemporary half morocco and marbled paper over boards, smooth spine divided into five panels by gilt pallet, title and volume number to second panels, names of plays to fourth, remaining panels with central rectangle made up of a lozenge, surrounded by small fleurons and volutes, all edges marbled, with marbled endpapers

Worn to extremities, but all joints are firm and holding well. Internally some light occasional foxing, some off setting from portraits, signature S in the sixth volume is browned

Large bookplate of a former owner to front pastedowns (G. W. White), a couple of volumes have a small bookseller’s label to front pastedown. Half titles bound after titles

With an engraved frontispiece portrait of Shakespeare engraved by J. Swaine, (probably John Swaine (1775-1860)), after Droeshout, and another likeness after a copy of the Chandos picture by Ozias Humphrey, engraved by E.[dward] Scriven (1775-1841)

Jaggard appears to call for three plates, calling for, “Droeshout portrait engraved by Swaine; the Stratford bust and the Chandos portrait, engraved by E. Scriven”, so it is seemingly lacking an engraving

Jaggard, page 519