Doves Press--Shakespeare, William

small 4to, ONE OF 265 COPIES, OF WHICH THIS IS ONE OF 250 ON PAPER, INSCRIBED BY T.J. COBDEN-SANDERSON ("The Doves Bindery | C - S 1909") on the rear pastedown endpaper, green initial on first page of text added by hand by Edward Johnston, printed in red and black throughout, original full limp speckled vellum, lettered in gilt on spine, collector's tan morocco folding box by Sangorski and Sutcliffe, one very small chip to vellum near foot of spine on upper wrapper

Ransom, Doves Press 17; Tidcombe DP17

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, where appropriate.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Inscribed by the printer Thomas James Cobden-Sanderson, who in 1900 had established the Doves Press at Hammersmith in partnership with Emery Walker. Over the next seventeen years, they published numerous works of great literature unadorned with any illustration or decoration (aside from the occasional hand painted initial), "just the words printed with care on handmade paper", an approach which later  became "a visual model for the reform of typography in Britain, Europe, and America" (ODNB).

For this edition of Hamlet, the text of the second Quarto edition was used with some corrections by Cobden-Sanderson, who also "tried to improve the punctuation" (Tidcombe).