Lot 244: 1867 Globe Edition Works of Shakespeare

Description

Description:

A handsome antique volume of "The Globe Edition: The Works of William Shakespeare," edited by William George Clark and William Aldis Wright and published in Philadelphia by J.B. Lippincott & Co. in 1867. The Globe Edition, first issued in England in 1864, quickly became one of the most widely used and trusted single-volume Shakespeare texts of the 19th century, prized for its careful scholarly editing and complete, compact single-volume format that made the complete works genuinely portable for the first time. This copy is bound in black leather with gilt-decorated raised spine bands and marbled paper boards, a classic and attractive period binding style. The front flyleaf carries a period ownership inscription, "Florence McGallaird, 1879," giving the book a nice personal history alongside its literary content. A solid, displayable example for collectors of antique literature, Shakespeareana, or 19th century leather bindings.

Condition Report:

Good antique condition, wear commensurate with age and use. The leather spine and corners show notable wear with rubbing and losses at the extremities, and the marbled boards show scuffing and some loss/rubbing to the marbled paper, particularly on the front board. The spine remains intact with the title and "Globe Edition" lettering legible in gilt. Internally, pages show scattered foxing and toning typical of the period; the text block appears complete and the binding holds securely. This is a well-used, genuinely aged copy rather than a pristine example.

Keywords:

Globe Edition Shakespeare, antique Shakespeare book, 1867 leather binding, Lippincott Philadelphia, William George Clark, William Aldis Wright, marbled boards antique book, 19th century literature, Shakespeareana, ownership inscription antique book

Dimensions: H: 1.75", W: 4.75", L: 7"