The Works of Mr Francis Beaumont and Mr John Fletcher, printed for Jacob Tonson at Shakespeare’s Head (The Strand, London) in 1711 in 7 uniformly bound full calf volumes. The highly scarce first edition of these works in the original full calf bindings.
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Beaumont and Fletcher are some of the most famous playwrights in the Jacobean era along with Ben Jonson and William Shakespeare, with whom they collaborated. It is generally accepted that Fletcher co-wrote Henry VIII and The Two Noble Kinsmen with William Shakespeare, and they collaborated with Ben Jonson in 1607 on Volpone.
The set contains two portrait frontispieces of the authors in the first volume with plates throughout each volume for every play totalling 52 (6+7+8+8+7+8+8, vols 1-7). The plate for the Masque of Gentleman is lacking as called for in the first edition, as well as pp.4074-4075 being misnumbered as pp.4075-4074 as required for the first edition.
This is the Beaufort family copy of these works, belonging to Henry Duke of Beaufort, 2nd Duke of Beaufort (1684-1714). He was also the Earl of Glamorgan and Marquess of Worcester prior to becoming the Duke of Beaufort in 1700. He married three times, notably to Mary Sackville. He was born at Monmouth Castle and entertained Queen Anne at Badminton. He was admitted a member of the Brother’s Club in 1711 despite opposition from Jonathan Swift (writer of Gulliver’s Travels and other works), and appointed a knight of the garter in 1712. He likely obtained these books at the date of publication, and definitely between 1711 and 1714 and it’s likely these stayed in the Beaufort family for a very long time.
Beaumont and Fletcher were playwrights writing in the same time as William Shakespeare. Beaumont died in the same year as Shakespeare in 1616.
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Condition: Good Plus / Very Good Minus (G+/VG-)
Repair to spine of first volume with most of the original spine preserved but rebacked on to calf matching the boards. Other spines to volumes 2-7 rubbed but generally quite nice with tooled labels bright (potentially contemporary to binding). Spine gilt dulled and volume labels faded but legible. Bindings are original which is significant as they contain the bookplate of Henry Duke of Beaufort. Boards VG+, lightly rubbed. Hinges and joints mostly VG but completely deteriorated to the front of the second and seventh volume with those two boards detached, and the hinge+joint to the front board of the sixth volume more cracked. Headcaps to volumes 2,3,6,7 lacking and damaged to 4 and replaced to volume 1. Page edges VG+/near fine. Text blocks mildly toned but exceptionally clean and complete (with the exception of the plate to one play but this is as it was originally published). All volumes first edition first state with required bibliographical points. An incredible set with fantastic provenance in original bindings.
