About this Item
Full Description: [SHAKESPEARE, William]. The Gallery of Illustrations for Shakespeare's Dramatic Works. Originally Projected and Published by John Boydell. Reduced and Re-Engraved by the Heliotype Process With Selections from the Text. Edited by J. Parker Norris. Philadelphia: Gebbie & Barrie, Publishers, 1874. In the 25 original parts. Large quarto (14 3/8 x 11 1/4 inches; 365 x 286 mm). xvi pp Each part with 4 heliotype engraved plates for a total of 100 engraved plates. Each plate accompanied by a leaf of text from the corresponding play. A title-page and preliminary pages are found split between parts 24 and 25. Part 25 with a message to the subscriber about publisher's binding options. We could find not other copy at auction in the original parts. Each part in publisher's original blue printed wrappers. Wrappers are are a bit brittle and with some tears to a few. Internally all leaves and engravings are extremely clean. Housed together in a cloth clamshell. Very good. The front wrappers read: "The Boydell Shakespeare. Now First Reproduced by the Heliotype Process from the Original Plates Accompanied by Selections from the Text of the Dramas Illustrating Each Scene Represented by the Painter." This selection of 100 illustrations is taken from 200 plates engraved from 170 paintings contained in Boydell's illustration of Shakespeare's Works, and the Boydell Shakespeare Gallery. "Any lover of Shakespeare, desiring to possess an original copy of Boydell's great work, (if willing to pay the now almost fabulous price required for a brilliant copy-would have to wait and watch perhaps for years; and those who do not care to invest so much, will find in the present publication, a repro-duction, faithful in all its details, somewhat reduced in size-a necessary step to bring the book within the reach of the many thousands who desire such a work-but, to many, really preferable from its greater portability. The work will contain 100 plates, all of which are perfect studies, in every variety of grouping and composition, and every human expression faithfully delineated. There will be 25 parts, imperial 4to. size, each part containing 4 plates, with text, from that edited by Clark & Wright, under the supervision of J. Parker Norris, Esq., who also contributes to this work an Essay on the Genius of the Painters and Engravers of Boydell's Shakespeare. The parts will be published at ONE DOLLAR each, thus offering to the American public, for twenty-five dollars, a reproduction (about one-half the scale) of what was originally published at $1,000 gold, at a cost of $5,000,000 gold, and the pecuniary ruin of the celebrated originator. John Boydell. (From the Prospectus) Jaggard, pg 542. Shaksperiana, HBS 69575. $1,500.
Seller Inventory # 69575
Contact seller
Report this item
