Description
The Letterpress Shakespeare Synopsis
Between 2007 and 2014 the Folio Society embarked on an ambitious project to publish a limited edition set of what many consider to be the finest editions of Shakespeare ever produced: The Letterpress Shakespeare. The volumes were colour-coded: comedies in green, histories in blue, tragedies in red, and the stand-alone volume of sonnets and poems in turquoise.
The first twelve volumes in the series were published with a limitation of 3,750 numbered copies. This set is number 1,130. The volumes with this limitation were
A Midsummer Night’s Dream,
Anthony and Cleopatra,
As You Like It,
Coriolanus,
Hamlet,
Julius Caesar,
King Lear,
Macbeth,
Othello,
The Tempest,
Titus Andronicus,
and Twelfth Night.
Each copy comes in four pieces—a solander box, the letterpress volume itself, a companion volume, and a cardboard divider.
Each main letterpress-printed volume is half-bound in Nigerian goatskin leather. The spine is blocked with the title in gold and the boards are covered in hand-marbled paper. The volumes have sewn binding with a colour-coordinated head and tail band. End papers match the colour of the volume itself and there’s also a single matching ribbon marker.
The text is printed letterpress on Zerkall mould-made paper. The top edge is gilded, while the bottom and fore edges are deckled.
The companion volumes are octavo-sized. Each is Smyth-sewn and bound in buckram coloured to match the rest of the set. The title is printed on a plain label affixed to the front of the volume, and blocked on the spine. The content of these companion volumes is identical to the paperback Oxford Shakespeare editions.
The solander presentation boxes are covered in buckram, and lined with paper to match the colour of the rest of the set. Each is identified by a leather label, blocked in gold, that is affixed to the spine.
Please contact us if you would like more details or to see more images of The Letterpress Shakespeare.
About William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world’s pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England’s national poet and the ‘Bard of Avon’. His extant works consist of some 39 plays, 154 sonnets, 3 long narrative poems, and a few other verses, some of uncertain authorship. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. He remains arguably the most influential writer in the English language.
Why buy The Letterpress Shakespeare from Daker Books?
Daker Books is an independent bookshop in the village of Kibworth, south Leicestershire, specialising in rare and collectable treasures, signed copies, pre-loved and beautiful editions. We have a large collection of Folio Society books too. We pride ourselves on our friendly, professional service and place customer relations and environmental sustainability at the heart of business.
Come and meet the books in person in our cosy, newly-renovated bookshop, or we can mail out any orders under £150 within the UK for just £4 postage and packing, or for free on orders over £150. We can gladly post books out to anywhere overseas too; please see our Delivery Options for more details.
If you also like brand new books, check out our sister bookshop Kibworth Books.
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