The Works of William Shakespeare. Life, Glossary, &c. [Fore-Edge Painting].

SHAKESPEARE, William.

The Works of William Shakespeare. Life, Glossary, &c. [Fore-Edge Painting].

London: Frederick Warne and Co , nd.

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Finely bound example of Shakespeare's collected works; finely bound in full morocco with a fore-edge painting of Shakespeare and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth

The "Chandos Poets" edition of Shakespeare's collected works. Octavo, bound in full morocco with gilt titles and tooling to the spin in 5 compartments within raised bands, elaborate gilt ruling and decoration to the front and read panel, inner dentelles, all edges gilt with a fore-edge painting displaying portraits of William Shakespeare and Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, tissue-guarded frontispiece portrait of Shakespeare. In near fine condition.

The first known example of a disappearing fore-edge painting (where the painting is not visible when the book is closed) dates back to 1649. Around 1750, the subject matter of fore-edge paintings changed from simply decorative or heraldic designs to landscapes, portraits and religious scenes, usually painted in full color. The technique was popularized in the 18th century by John Brindley (1732-1756), publisher and bookbinder to the Prince of Wales and Edwards of Halifax, a distinguished family of bookbinders and booksellers. The majority of extant examples of fore-edge paintings date to the late 19th and early 20th century on reproductions of books originally published in the early 19th century, including the present volume.