Plays of William Shakspeare

London: Printed by T. Bensley; for Wynne and Scholey, 1803. TAYLOR & HESSEY. A Magnificent Set of Shakespeare Bound by Taylor & Hessey SHAK[E]SPEARE, William. The Plays of William Shakspeare. London: Printed by T. Bensley; for Wynne and Scholey, 1803-1804. Eight octavo volumes (9 3/16 x 5 7/8 inches; 234 x 148 mm). With woodcuts by J. Thurston, after W.H. Pyne and P.J. Loutherbourg. Includes Rowe’s life of the poet. Each play is separately paged, and selected observations are appended. Contemporary calf by Taylor & Hessey (stamp-signed in gilt on fore-edge of front cover of each volume). Covers elaborately paneled in gilt and blind, spines elaborately tooled in gilt and blind and lettered in gilt in compartments, board edges and turn-ins decoratively tooled in gilt, marbled edges and endpapers. A little foxing. Armorial bookplate of Joseph Robertson Raines, 1831, on front pastedown of each volume. A magnificent set, bound by Taylor & Hessey, who very well-known for their fine bindings and fore-edge paintings. This is the only set we have seen bound by Taylor & Hessey, usually they are just individual volumes. Jaggard, p. 509. HBS 68452. $12,500.