AUTHOR: WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE

LANGUAGE: ENGLISH

DATE: 1623

PAGE #: 461

REPRODUCTION DIMENSIONS: 11.25 X 8.75 IN

HISTORY/DESCRIPTION: PRINTED ON THE LARGE “FOLIO” SIZE, THE FIRST FOLIO IS THE FIRST COLLECTED EDITION OF THE PLAYS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE. IT WAS PUT TOGETHER AFTER HIS DEATH IN 1616 BY TWO FELLOW ACTORS, JOHN HEMINGE AND HENRY CONDELL, AND IT WAS PUBLISHED IN 1623. THE BOOK CONTAINS THE COMPLETE TEXT OF 36 OF SHAKESPEARE’S PLAYS. THE PRINCIPAL PUBLISHERS WERE EDWARD BLOUNT, 1565-1632, A LONDON BOOKSELLER AND PUBLISHER, AND ISAAC JAGGARD, DIED 1627, SON OF WILLIAM JAGGARD, 1568-1623, A PRINTER AND PUBLISHER LING ASSOCIATED WITH SHAKESPEARE, WHO DIED THE YEAR THE FOLIO WAS PRODUCED. HOW MANY COPIES OF THE FIRST FOLIO WERE PRINTED IS UNKNOWN, BUT THE EDITION MOST LIKELY WAS QUITE SMALL: PROBABLY NO MORE THAN 750 COPIES. THE FOLGER SHAKESPEARE LIBRARY IN WASHINGTON, DC HOLDS 82 COPIES OF THE FIRST FOLIO, ABOUT A THIRD OF THOSE STILL IN EXISTENCE NAD BY FAR THE LARGEST COLLECTION IN THE WORLD. PRESENTED HERE IS COPY 68 IN THIS COLLECTION.

REPRODUCTION DETAILS: OUR HARDCOVER BOOKS ARE MADE WITH REAL WOOD FOR THE INTERIOR OF THE FRONT AND BACK COVERS AS WELL AS THE SPINE. THE LEATHER IS A 4 OZ COWHIDE, FROM A SMALL SUPPLIER IN NORTH CAROLINA. THE LEATHER IS ADHERED TO THE COVERS WITH GLUE AND MOLDED INTO THE SHAPE AT THE HAND OF OUR LOCAL ARTISANS. THE SIGNATURES/PAGES ARE HANDSEWN USING A LIBRARY BINDING METHOD. THE SEWN BOOK IS BOUND WITH A STRONG ADHESIVE GLUE THAT MAKES THE BINDINGS LAST, ESPECIALLY FOR THE LARGER BOOKS. WE ALSO ADD A THICK MULL CLOTH TO THE OUTSIDE OF THE BINDING, DRYING IN BETWEEN EACH LAYER, A TRADITIONAL WAY TO MAKE THE BINDING STIFF, STRONG, AND RESILIENT FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.

NOTE: ALL OF OUR FACSIMILES ARE MADE TO ORDER. PLEASE ALLOW 4-6 WEEKS FOR NOTIFICATION OF SHIPMENT.