Featured The Works of Shakspere Imperial Edition

I picked these up at a local estate sale for $60. Aside from the boards, these seem to be in beautiful condition with minimal foxing. As best I can tell, these two volumes were published in New York around 1870 by Virtue and Yorston and measure roughly 11 x 15. The illustrations are pristine. I would love to learn more about this and would appreciate your thoughts on the redoing the boards. The binding is tight but the boards tattered a bit.

 

Nice set, and nice to see the old spelling of the name. He himself signed it different ways, no consistency in those days.

 

@2manybooks Can you help? @shallow_ocean_spectre is there any advice you can give?

 

Thank you! Aside from the boards, the only really issue is some ink bleeding from the prints to the adjacent page (despite having protective paper between).

 

That is interesting. I had no idea and I was wondering about the spelling.

 

Damn, those are some beautiful books!! I'm drooling, and not just from lack of muscular control.....

I'd say your idea re: date of publication is right on. I don't think the ink offsetting is an issue.

I'm guessing the covers are leather? Book restorationists are rare, at least where I live, but someone who specializes in restoring leather might be able to help, perhaps even a dry cleaner?!?!?! Thinking outside the box here....

 

Thanks ghopper! Not much expertise here with books, aside from a solid collection of Harry Potter first/firsts. That being said, the price was right to take a chance. You are spot on with your assessment of the boards. Leather and quite solid but definitely showing some wear. Am I correct in assuming that these were from an earlier rebinding? Btw, not going to my cleaners. I have a hard time trusting them with my coats!

 

There's some information here:
https://www.worldcat.org/title/works-of-shakspere/oclc/855827487

Sold by subscription. I doubt that it's worth the cost of restoration. This is the sort of publication that people take apart for the prints. In all probability there's more money in selling the prints individually than there is in selling the books entire.

If you want them for yourself, it's an entirely nice compilation, and I wouldn't worry about it showing its age.

 

Good to know. Thank you!

 

I have asked my partner, who knows more about antiquarian books. (He would get his own account, except he already spends too much time on Facebook. ) Here is his reply:

2many's partner here. Virtue was a Victorian-era publisher specializing in the coffee-table books of the day: travel, view, and other illustrated books with those nice steel engravings. That's an original binding - probably the deluxe version; there was also almost certainly a version in decorated cloth, and maybe one with just a leather spine & corners. It would be absurdly expensive to have that binding replicated, hundreds of $ if not over a thousand, and not at all worth it. I have a similar three-volume set languishing at $400. @moreotherstuff is right, many of these have been broken for their prints, it being easier to admire a butterfly pinned to a wall than to chase it through the brush. But if they're intact, it's a kind of murder to take them apart - we do it, but only to irreparable or incomplete volumes. You MIGHT be able to track down a conservator who could touch up the rubbed spots and treat with a leather dressing, though not all conservators recommend that kind of treatment these days. My advice, if the binding is sound, is to leave them alone, let them have the dignity of their history.

 

Great info, 2manybooks' partner!

I like that "it's a kind of murder" statement. True enough!

I still say you can get the leather restored, if you find it unsightly. If not at the dry cleaner's, then some kind of leather specialist. A beautiful set of books!

 

Here's the Autolycus print on eBay:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/Shakespear...-GOODS-1867-Art-Print-Engraving-/371995307866

From the British Quarterly Review of 1873:

 

Good to know. Thank you. Based on your input, I have decided to retain them as they are and just safely store them away.

 

I was composing this when you posted your excellent decision. But just in case you need more support:
I agree with my partner - if the bindings are still strong, it would probably be best to leave the boards alone. The leather appears to be of good quality, not the kind subject to "red rot" deterioration. Any attempt at improving the appearance has a good chance of introducing potentially harmful materials that will increase the chance of deterioration down the road.

 

Please convey my appreciation to your partner as well!

 

Oh, I do love that comparison and shall appropriate it for my own use, when applicable.

 

Already done.

 

This particular spelling was favoured during most of the 19th century.