Shakespeare, William

folio (326 x 228mm.), 454 leaves, COLLATION: πA6  *4 , A-2B6 2C2, a-y6, 2a-3c6 3d4, THE SECOND COLLECTED EDITION OF SHAKESPEARE'S PLAYS, title-page in Greg’s first variant imprint (“…to be sold at the signe | of the Blacke Beare | in Pauls Church-yard. 1632”), complete with all text leaves, letterpress title with engraved portrait by Droeshout, woodcut head-pieces and initials, text in double column, 66 lines, roman and italic type, headlines and catchwords, near contemporary manuscript annotation "Shakespear" repeated several times on verso of final leaf 3d4, later engraved portrait of Shakespeare by George Vertue (1719) inserted after preliminaries, new endpapers, Glasgow stationer's ticket affixed to lower paste-down (Kerr & Richardson), nineteenth-century blue morocco ornately gilt by Riviere & Son, covers with double fillets with outer border roll of double fleuron-type tools, enclosing inner border of various interlinked laurel- and floral tools, enclosing corner coronets and fleurons, with similar side fleurons repeated with urns, circles, stars and other tools, central lozenge comprising drawer-handle and circular shapes lettered "SHAKESPEARE." at the centre, spine in seven compartments with similar drawer-handle designs interspersed with circles, stars etc, gilt and gauffered edges, 'To the Reader' leaf heavily cut down and inlaid, title page also inlaid with some cropping shaving a few letters (these first two leaves possibly supplied, but if so at an early stage), preliminaries foxed with some staining and a few tears, repairs and creases, some spotting, staining and tears throughout the text (e.g. to outer margin of 2n6), particularly towards the end, final leaf 3d4 cut down and inlaid with text slightly shaved, minor rubbing to extremities of binding, minor scuffing to covers

William O'Brien, bequest booklabel dated 1899, his note recording purchase on endpaper ("£32.10.0 | Richardson Glasgow")

STC 22274a; Greg III, pp.1113-1116; Bartlett 120; Pforzheimer 906; Todd, Studies in Bibliography, Vol.V, 1952, pp.81-108

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, when 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."

THE SECOND FOLIO EDITION OF THE MOST IMPORTANT WORK IN ENGLISH LITERATURE, ALSO CONTAINING THE FIRST APPEARANCE IN PRINT OF JOHN MILTON (an epitaph in 16 verses printed on A5r).

The second folio edition of Shakespeare's plays, which in principle was a page-for-page reprint of the First Folio of 1623, was printed in 1632 by Thomas Cotes, who had taken over the Jaggard shop following Isaac’s death in 1627. Like the First Folio it was printed for a syndicate of publishers, which again included John Smethwick and William Aspley. Although many obvious corrections were made, the printing introduced hundreds of minor changes to the text.