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Antiquarian, Rare & Collectable Books, and South East Asian Art & Antiques
Antiquarian, Rare & Collectable Books, and South East Asian Art & Antiques
Shakspere's Hamlet, the First Quarto, 1603, A Facsimile in Photo-Lithography by William Griggs, Frederick J. Furnivall, c. 1881. House of Lords Library copy with theatre production notation

Shakspere's Hamlet, the First Quarto, 1603, A Facsimile in Photo-Lithography by William Griggs, Frederick J. Furnivall, c. 1881. House of Lords Library copy with theatre production notation

£200.00
SKU LAN9272

The first of the Shakspere Quarto Facsimiles produced on behalf of F.J. Furnivall, Founder and Director the New Shakspere Society by Mr. W. Griggs. This copy has the added benefit of being a former copy from the House of Lords Library, including armorials to front and rear and bookplate to the first pastedown.

Shakspere's Hamlet: The First Quarto, 1603, A Facsimile in Photo-Lithography by William Griggs. With Foreword by  Frederick J. Furnivall, M.A., Published by W. Griggs, London. First edition thus. Undated, but the New Shakspere Society was founded in 1873. This was their first Quarto in the series they produced, but we date the book to 1881 due to the presence of a promotional flyer advertising a theatre production of this version of Hamlet dated to 1881. This facsimile of the 1603 version of Hamlet was reproduced from the Duke of Devonshire's original Quarto.

It is not clear whether this flyer would have been included in all copies of this Quarto as this particular bound copy has extensive annotations to the script which contain detailed notes and stage directions, and a pencil diagram of the stage, so clearly it was once the copy of somebody closely associated with this theatre performance, which adds to book's interest.

A good maroon hardback with leather spine and corners, with cloth over boards and gilt titles. Some bumping and wear to extremities and outer joints. Cracked endpapers at inner hinges, but all securely bound. The House of Lords Library bookplate is of striking design. Endpapers have feathered marbling. 2 library ink stamps to title.

Text is very good throughout - bright and clean with edges slightly age-toned. Occasional small spot and a few small marginal page tears. Gilt top edge. A fascinating publication.

xii + 64pp + 2pp. This copy also contains an additional bound-in flyer advertising a performance of the 1603 Hamlet at St. George's Hall, Langham Place, London on April 16th 1881.

Weight approximately 330g (unpacked).

Approx Dimensions: 

219mm high x 160mm wide x 13mm deep.