Shakespeare, William. Ellen Terry Complete Works of William Shakespeare, in 40 volumes. Bryce, David & Son. Glasgow. 1904. Complete Works. [Large revolving bookcase].

Title: Complete Works [in original revolving bookcase]. 

Publisher: Glasgow & NY David Bryce and Son.

Publication Date: 1904

Binding: Hardcover

Book Condition: Very Good

Edition: 1st Edition

This is a complete 40-volume miniature book set of Shakespeare's works. Complete with frontispieces and portraits. Edited by J.Talfourd Blair. Dedicated to the actress Ellen Terry and printed in 1904 in Glasgow by David Bryce and Son and published jointly in New York by Frederick A. Stokes Company. Red silk place markers. Original black endpapers. All edges red.  Contemporary ink inscription on verso of front free endpaper, dated 1906. Henry V has indentations and wear to the cover and spine; all 39 other volumes are in very good condition or better. The books measure 38 x 55 mm. Original pale green cloth with gilt triple rose motif decoration on the spines (some minor rubbing to the edges of the spine and some cover edges. A couple of the books have front hinges starting to crack or a small crack in the text block, but still holding firmly). Housed in the original light stained 8-compartment revolving wooden sycamore bookcase - four sides with two compartments in each side, each holding 5 books (minor slight chipping to some edges). It is on a matching small wooden pedestal and rotates to imitate a full-size version of such a bookcase. Of the Ellen Terry series, Louis Bondy wrote that these volumes are "Bryce's greatest achievement as a leading promoter of miniature books," and, in particular, he describes the Shakespeare as "the most prodigious of these sets" (Bondy, p.114). Most of the sets were printed in 1904. Included are all the plays, the sonnets, a biographical sketch, and glossary. A beautiful and sought after Shakespeare set that is more commonly found in reverse calf or ivorine bindings. Bromer, 51. Garbett, 41. Spielmann, 459. Welsh, 6264. American Art Association, 182. This is an uncommon complete miniature book set, meticulously printed and bound for the David Bryce Company in Glasgow, noted for their miniature book production.

Bromer, 51.Garbett41. Spielmann, 459. Welsh, 6264. OCLC, . WorldCat locates copies worldwide. 9 firsts2024