Shakespeare, William. Bell's edition of Shakespeare's plays : as they are now performed at the Theatres Royal in London : regulated from the prompt books of each house, by permission, with notes critical and illustrative

Maslen & Lancaster. Bowyer ledgers: 5024
Burnim & Highfill. John Bell: p. 10-13
Folger bibliographic ID: 264106
Folger call number: PR2752 1774b copy 9 Sh.Col
Folger holdings ID: 349715
Accession Number: cs71

Edition

The second edition

Bibliographic format

twelvemo

General notes

Edited by Francis Gentleman Vol. 1-5 of this 9-v. set exist in three separate settings of type; v. 6-9 of all three are the same setting of type. In this edition, which is on slightly larger paper (21 compared to 17 cm), v. 1-5 are gathered in 12's, the individual play title pages are dated 1774, with v.2-5 stating "the second edition". Vol. 6-8, and the unnumbered ninth volume containing the poems, are in 12's. The v. title pages (v.1-8), the individual play titles (v.6-8), and the engraved title page for v. [9] are dated 1774. The following signature marks are directly beneath the identified characters (a space is represented by $): v.1. B1 an -- v. 2. B4 $oth -- v. 3. B3 erva -- v.4. B3 ty$of -- v.5. B3 rutu Plays are paginated and signed continuously. Plays in v.1-5 were frequently bound out of signature order, often in the order of the volume title-pages Engraved illustrations variously lettered by engravers: J. Hall, W. Byrne, M. Liart, Isaac Taylor, P. Mazell, W. Walker, C. Grignion, Js. Basire, I.K. Sherwin, T. Cook, J. Roberts, Parkinson, White, R. Dighton; and artists: N. Dance, E. Edwards, Isaac Taylor, and I.K. Sherwin. Vignettes are dated between 1773-1774; portraits of actors: Published for Bell's edition of Shakespeare, 1775-1776 Not in ESTC; see N474724 and T138849 Not in Jaggard, W. Shakespeare bibliography; see p. 504 An Introduction to Shakespeare's plays, dated 1774, in v. 1. Life of Shakespeare in v. 9 Plays in volumes 1-5 with cast lists. Some plays with bookseller's advertisements Vol. title page order: v. 1. As you like it ; Macbeth ; Othello ; All's well that ends well -- v. 2. Merchant of Venice ; Romeo and Juliet ; King Lear ; Cymbeline ; Much ado about nothing -- v. 3. Measure for measure ; King Richard III ; Hamlet ; Tempest ; Merry wives of Windsor -- v. 4. King Henry IV, part 1 ; King John ; Henry V ; King Henry VIII ; King Henry IV, part 2 -- v. 5. Twelfth-night ; Winter's tale ; Julius Caesar ; Coriolanus ; Timon of Athens Portions of copies 1 and 4 also available as a digital reproduction

Contents

Signature order: v. 1. Macbeth ; As you like it ; Othello ; All's well that ends well -- v. 2. King Lear ; Romeo and Juliet ; Merchant of Venice ; Cymbeline ; Much ado about nothing -- v. 3. King Richard III ; Merry wives of Windsor ; Hamlet ; Tempest ; Measure for measure -- v. 4. King John ; King Henry IV ; Henry V ; King Henry VIII -- v. 5. Julius Caesar ; Timon of Athens ; Winter's tale ; Coriolanus ; Twelfth-night -- v. 6. Two gentlemen of Verona ; Taming of the shrew ; Troilus and Cressida ; Antony and Cleopatra -- v. 7. King Richard II ; King Henry VI -- v. 8. Titus Andronicus ; Comedy of errors ; Midsummer-night's dream ; Love's labour's lost -- v. 9. Poems written by Shakespear

Exhibited

Washington, D.C., Folger Shakespeare Library, 2014. Shakespeare's the Thing. Opening: tp (copy 4 v.5)

Item information about Folger PR2752 1774b copy 9 Sh.Col

Imperfect: King John, Macbeth, King Henry V, King Henry VIII, As you like it, All's well, and Merchant of Venice only. Autographs: Elizabeth Percy (v.1); Henry Percy in ink manuscript on each t.p. Half calf binding with marbled paper boards; deckle edges. Owned by Mr. and Mrs. Folger

Uniform title: Works. 1774. John Bell
Extended title: Bell's edition of Shakespeare's plays : as they are now performed at the Theatres Royal in London : regulated from the prompt books of each house, by permission, with notes critical and illustrative / by the authors of the Dramatic censor

author: Shakespeare, William, 1564-1616
associated with: Gentleman, Francis, 1728-1784
bookseller: Bell, John, 1745-1831
bookseller: Etherington, Christopher, active 1757-1777
printmaker: Hall, John, 1739-1797
printmaker: Byrne, William, 1743-1805
printmaker: Liart, Matthew, approximately 1736-approximately 1782
printmaker: Taylor, Isaac, 1730-1807
printmaker: Mazell, Peter, active 1761-1797
printmaker: Walker, William, 1729-1793
printmaker: Grignion, Charles, 1721-1810
printmaker: Basire, James, 1730-1802
printmaker: Sherwin, J. K. (John Keyse), 1751-1790
printmaker: Cook, Thomas, approximately 1744-1818
printmaker: Parkinson, Thomas, active 1769-1789
printmaker: Dighton, Robert, 1752-1814
illustrator: Dance, Nathaniel, Sir, 1735-1811
illustrator: Edwards, Edward, 1738-1806
illustrator: Taylor, Isaac, 1730-1807
illustrator: Sherwin, J. K. (John Keyse), 1751-1790
signer: Browne, Thomas Beale, d. not before 1774
former owner: Martin, J. U., d. not before 1774
former owner: Washington, George, 1732-1799
signer: Lewis, Attaway, active 1897
signer: Percy, Elizabeth, d. not before 1774
signer: Percy, Henry, d. not before 1774
associated with: Theatre Royal, Drury Lane (London, England)
associated with: Covent Garden Theatre