[SHAKESPEARE, William]. BOYDELL, John (1720-1804). A Collection of Prints From Pictures Painted for the Purpose of Illustrating the Dramatic Works of Shakespeare By the Artists of Great Britain. London: John and Josiah Boydell, 1803 [but 1805].

2 volumes in one, large folio (plates: 824 x 557 mm; text: 716 x 505 mm). 100 stipple-engravings, comprising: 2 frontispiece portraits depicting George III and Queen Charlotte, 2 title-page vignettes, and 96 plates ALL IN AN EARLY OPEN-LETTER STATE, after works by Reynolds, Fuseli, Romney, Westall, Northcote, Hamilton, Threw, Opie, Porter, Smirke and others ["Shakespeare Nursed by Tragedy and Comedy" in a smaller format measuring 420 x 572 mm and tipped to a larger sheet.] (Some light spotting to a few plates, otherwise fresh.) 19th-century calf gilt, marbled edges (portions of joints just starting, some very light rubbing). Provenance: A.W.F. (morocco gilt bookplate).

LARGE-PAPER OPEN-LETTER PROOF ISSUE of Boydell's illustrations for Shakespeare's works, first published in smaller format to accompany George Steevens's edition of Shakespeare's works from 1791-1802 in 18 parts forming 9 volumes. Upon its completion, the plates were published again in 1802, and were published in a large-format edition for the first time in 1803. In 1805, the large-format plates were issued yet again with a new preface and dedication. "There can be no doubt that Boydell's Shakespeare...was the most splendid of bibliophile editions undertaken in the 18th-century or at any other time...No printing press, which has hitherto existed, ever produced a work...so uniformly beautiful" (Franklin).

EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED by the addition of four mezzotint portraits tipped to larger sheets: a proof before letters of George the Third by Dickinson after Reynolds; a proof before letters of Queen Charlotte by Houston after Zoffany; an open-letter proof of "Mr. Kemble in the Character of Coriolanus" by Meadows after Lawrence; and an open-letter proof of "Mrs. Siddons in the Character of the Tragic Muse" by Howard after Reynolds.


Property from the Dorros Family Collection