Fifty Comedies and Tragedies
London: Printed By J. Jacock, for John Martyn, Henry Herringman, Richard Marriot, 1679. Folio. Item #029019
Second collected edition. What was rather stunning is during this time, 1679, Henry Herringman, Richard Marriot and John Martyn financed a new edition of plays under the braced names of Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher. They resequenced the plays choosing to open the edition with The Maid's Tragedy, Philaster, and A King and No King. Their decision to situate these plays at the beginning was informed by the success of all three on stage during the seventeenth century and was the major way scholars have studied the plays for the next three centuries. This edition also includes the first folio appearance of The Two Noble Kinsmen which is also attributed to Shakespeare though not found in the Shakespeare folios. The most important early edition of written Francis Beaumont and John Fletcher with 18 plays not found in the first edition where they announce that they are gentleman producing the plays "all in one volume; published by the authors original copies, the songs to each play being added." It is this 2nd folio which Cyrus Hay calls "the canon of Beaumont and Fletcher. [References: Woodward, G.L. Check list of English plays, 1641-1700,; 35; Carl H. Pforzheimer Library,; 54; English Short Title Catalogue; R1376] As with all known copies, the pagination is quite problematic as one will see in this copy in the following collation. Lacks frontispiece. Title page repaired and laid down with the left portion in facsimile missing portions of publisher's names and left side of decoration. "To the reader" repaired and laid down with some loss of text. p. 1 lower corner repaired and laid down with some loss of text. 143 mis-numbered 135, marginal closed tear repair to p. 199. p. 209 mis-numbered 223. p. 281 mis-numbered 279 and with small tear repair to upper corner. Following page is numbered 280 therefore restarting the pagination. P. 315 with lower corner repaired with loss only of catchword "on". p. 319 lower corner repaired with some loss of text. p. 351 minor marginal corner repair. p. 359 with marginal upper corner repair. P. 492 marginal repair to bottom edge. p. 559 marginal repair to bottom edge. Text ends at p. 578, then pagination begins p. 1 of The Queen of Corinth. Pp 15 mis-numbered 13. P. 61 and 62 mis-numbered 59 and 60. Marginal tear repair to upper edge near gutter pages 97, 99 and 101. P. 107, 108, p. 109 and 110 mis-numbered 91, 92, 93 and 94. p. 112 mis-numbered 121. p. 210 mis-numbered 212.p. 293 mis-numbered 292. p. 297 mis-numbered 304 and with marginal repair to upper edge. p. 299 mis-numbered 290. p. 304 mis-numbered 297. p. 330 and 331 mis-numbered 320 and 221. P. 415 closed tear repair. P. 424 mis-numbered 422. P. 426 mis-numbered 447. P. 431 mis-numbered 442. P. 459 mis-numbered 462. p. 462 mis-numbered 459. p 476-477 mis-numbered 452 and 453. p. 523 mis-numbered 522.p. 545 mis-numbered 552. p. 552 mis-numbered545. P. 553 two closed tears repaired. p. 555 repair near gutter and edges then laid down. P. 557 repaired and laid down. All earlier repairs were professionally and magnificently done. Bound in a modern paneled leather, raised bands with compartments decoratively stamped in blind, lettering gilt, endpapers renewed, only an occasional spots of foxing or staining, just a couple of leaves with very light damp staining to upper edges.
Price: $2,250.00