The Works of Mr. William Shakespear. In Ten Volumes. Publish'd by Mr. Pope and Dr. Sewell. London, Printed for J. & J. Knapton, C. Rivington, et. al. in 1728.
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The famous Alexander Pope edition of William Shakespeare's works. The first corrected edition of William Shakespeare's works following the first Pope edition a few years earlier in 1723-25, very rare indeed to find complete with all ten volumes such as this example. One of the earliest sets of the works of Shakespeare following the folio editions, and thus one of the earliest obtainable editions of Shakespeare at a price less than the huge cost of the folios, the 1709 Rowe edition, or indeed the first Pope edition.
A really beautiful edition of Shakespeare's works with an illustration and half title preceding each play with lovely typography. A very readable and enjoyable edition of Shakespeare's works.
Condition:
[i-liv, 1-383], [384], [454], [476], [408], [360], [371], [427 + index (37ff)], [426, advertisements (3ff)], [xii, 453, 1ff].
Collated as complete through each volume including the scarce (and very interesting) advertisements, the 37ff index, the small table at the rear of the tenth volume, all frontispieces and half titles, etc. Some wear to the spines with some loss, notably at the extremities. Black tooled morocco labels to all spines appear to be a bit later than the bindings. Shelf wear etc. Rubbing across joints with all boards attached, some slightly fragile but most very secure. Page edges very good, a little dulled as typical. Edge toning to endpapers as commensurate with the bindings. Some rubbing/scuffs to boards with minor losses. Text blocks are very clean, mildly toned as typical but internally as excellent as one could hope for in this set. Light wormholing affecting the first few leaves of the sixth volume else other leaves unaffected through the other vols.
