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Richard III bibliographic descriptions

Richard III, First Quarto, 1597

The tragedy of King Richard the third. Containing, his treacherous plots against his brother Clarence: the pittiefull murther of his iunocent [sic] nephewes: his tyrannicall vsurpation: with the whole course of his detested life, and most deserued death. As it hath been lately acted by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his seruants.
At London: printed by Valentine Sims, [and Peter Short] for Andrew Wise, dwelling in Paules Chuch-yard [sic], at the signe of the Angell, 1597.
[94] p.; 4o

Signatures: A-M4 (last leaf blank?)
References: STC (2nd ed.) 22314; Greg, I, 142(a)

British Library Copy

Shelfmark: Huth 47
Copy notes: Signatures: A-L4 M4 (-M4, blank?). Cropped at head, affecting headlines.
Provenance: John Nixon, sold 1818; Richard Heber, sold 1834; Thomas Thorpe; George Daniel, sold 1864; Henry Huth, bequeathed 1911.
Binding: In a 19th-century English gold tooled dark red goatskin binding with the monogram 'GD' tooled in gold in the centre of the upper cover. Author, title and date of publication are lettered in gold up the light brown flat spine. The edges of the boards and the turn-ins are gold tooled. The edges of the leaves are gilt. With yellow coated paper endleaves. With the book-plate 'EX MVSÆO HVTHII.' and the stamp 'HUTH BEQUEST' on the pastedown of the upper cover and the stamp 'HUTH BEQUEST' on the pastedown of the lower cover.

Richard III, Second Quarto, 1598

The tragedy of King Richard the third. Conteining his treacherous plots against his brother Clarence: the pitiful murther of his innocent nephewes: his tyrannicall vsurpation: with the whole course of the detested life, and most deserued death. As it hath been lately acted by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his seruants. By William Shake-speare.
At London: printed by Thomas Creede, for Andrew Wise, dwelling in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the Angell, 1598.
[94] p.; 4o

Signatures: A-M4 (last leaf blank?)
References: STC (2nd ed.) 22315; Greg, I, 142(b)

British Library Copy

Shelfmark: C.34.k.46
Copy notes: Signatures: A4 (-A1) B-L4 M4 (-M4, blank?). Titlepage supplied in facsimile.
Provenance: J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps, sold 1858.
Binding: In a 19th-century English gold tooled red grained sheep binding. Author, title, place and date of publication are lettered in gold up the flat spine. The edges of the boards and the turn-ins are gold tooled. The top edge is gilt. With comb marbled paper endleaves. A cutting from a bookseller's catalogue is pasted on the verso of the third front flyleaf. MS. notes on B3v. Bound by the British Museum Bindery.

Shelfmark: C.34.k.47
Copy notes: Signatures: A-L4 M4 (-M2-M4). Leaves M2 and M3 supplied in facsimile. Cropped at head, affecting headlines, cropped at foot, affecting signatures and catchwords as well as text on A2v and I2v.
Provenance: David Garrick, bequeathed 1779.
Binding: In a 19th-century English gold tooled red grained sheep binding with the coat of arms of David Garrick tooled in gold in the centre of both covers. Author, title, place and date of publication are lettered in gold up the flat spine. The edges of the boards and the turn-ins are gold tooled. The edges of the leaves are gilt. With comb marbled paper endleaves. MS. note on I2v to supply the text of the last line, which has been cropped. Signed at the top on the turn-in of the upper cover 'TUCKETT. BINDER. BRITISH MUSEUM'.

Richard III, Third Quarto, 1602

The tragedie of King Richard the third. Conteining his treacherous plots against his brother Clarence: the pittifull murther of his innocent nephewes: his tyrannicall vsurpation: with the whole course of his detested life, and most deserued death. As it hath bene lately acted by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his seruants. Newly augmented, by William Shakespeare.
London: printed by Thomas Creede, for Andrew Wise, dwelling in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the Angell, 1602.
[92] p.; 4o

Signatures: A-L4 M2
References: STC (2nd ed.) 22316; Greg, I, 142(c)

British Library Copy

Shelfmark: C.34.k.48
Copy notes: Signatures: A-L4 M2. Cropped at foot, affecting catchwords and text.
Provenance: David Garrick, bequeathed 1779.
Binding: In a 19th-century English blind and gold tooled red grained sheep binding with the coat of arms of David Garrick tooled in gold in the centre of both covers. Author, title, place and date of publication are lettered in gold up the flat spine. The edges of the boards and the turn-ins are gold tooled. The edges of the leaves are gilt. With comb marbled paper endleaves. Signed at the top on the turn-in of the upper cover 'TUCKETT. BINDER. BRITISH MUSEUM'.

Richard III, Fourth Quarto, 1605

The tragedie of King Richard the third. Conteining his treacherous plots against his brother Clarence: the pittifull murther of his innocent nephewes: his tyrannicall vsurpation: with the whole course of his detested life, and most deserued death. As it hath bin lately acted by the Right Honourable the Lord Chamberlaine his seruants. Newly augmented, by William Shake-speare.
London: printed by Thomas Creede, and are to be sold by Mathew Lawe, dwelling in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the Foxe, neare S. Austins gate, 1605.
[92] p.; 4o

Signatures: A-L4 M2
References: STC (2nd ed.) 22317; Greg, I, 142(d)

British Library Copy

Shelfmark: C.34.k.49
Copy notes: Signatures: A-L4 M2. Quire G has been wrongly perfected. The signatures appear in the order G1, [G4], G3, G2. The text runs in the order G1r, G3v, G2r, [G4]v, G3r, G1v, [G4]r, G2v.
Provenance: J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps, sold 1858.
Binding: In a 19th-century English gold tooled red grained sheep binding. Author, title, place and date of publication are lettered in gold up the flat spine. The edges of the boards and the turn-ins are gold tooled. The edges of the leaves are gilt. With comb marbled paper endleaves. MS. notes by J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps written and pasted on the recto of the third front flyleaf. A cutting from a bookseller's catalogue is pasted on the verso of the third front flyleaf. Bound by the British Museum Bindery.

Shelfmark: C.12.h.10
Copy notes: Signatures: A4 (-A1) B-L4 M2. Wanting the titlepage, supplied from the fifth quarto of 1612. Cropped at head, affecting headlines, cropped at foot, affecting signatures, catchwords and text. Titlepage mounted, leaves A2 to M2 framed. See also entry for the fifth quarto of 1612.
Provenance: King George III, presented 1823.
Binding: In a 19th-century English gold tooled red half sheep binding, the boards covered with comb marbled paper. The cypher of King George III is tooled in gold on the flat spine. Author, title, place and date of publication are lettered in gold up the spine. The edges of the leaves are sprinkled red. With comb marbled paper endleaves. MS. notes in an unidentified hand on the titlepage and on B1r. Bound by the British Museum Bindery.

Richard III, Fifth Quarto, 1612

The tragedie of King Richard the third. Containing his treacherous plots against his brother Clarence: the pittifull murther of his innocent nephewes: his tyrannicall vsurpation: with the whole course of his detested life, and most deserued death. As it hath beene lately acted by the Kings Maiesties seruants. Newly augmented, by William Shake-speare.
London: printed by Thomas Creede, and are to be sold by Mathew Lawe, dwelling in Paules Church-yard, at the signe of the Foxe, neare S. Austins gate, 1612.
[92] p.; 4o

Signatures: A-L4 M2
References: STC (2nd ed.) 22318; Greg, I, 142(e)

British Library Copy

Shelfmark: C.12.h.10
Copy notes: Titlepage only, cropped, partly removing imprint. Bound with the text of the fourth quarto of 1605 which is wanting the titlepage. See also entry for the fourth quarto of 1605.
Provenance: King George III, presented 1823.
Binding: In a 19th-century English gold tooled red half sheep binding, the boards covered with comb marbled paper. The cypher of King George III is tooled in gold on the flat spine. Author, title, place and date of publication are lettered in gold up the spine. The edges of the leaves are sprinkled red. With comb marbled paper endleaves. MS. notes in an unidentified hand on the titlepage and on B1r. Bound by the British Museum Bindery.

Richard III, Sixth Quarto, 1622

The tragedie of King Richard the third. Contayning his treacherous plots against his brother Clarence: the pittifull murder of his innocent nephewes: his tyrannicall vsurpation: with the whole course of his detested life, and most deserued death. As it hath been lately acted by the Kings Maiesties seruants. Newly augmented. By William Shake-speare.
London: printed by Thomas Purfoot, and are to be sold by Mathew Law, dwelling in Pauls Church-yard, at the signe of the Foxe, neere S. Austines gate, 1622.
[92] p.; 4o

Signatures: A-L4 M2
References: STC (2nd ed.) 22319; Greg, I, 142(f)

British Library Copies

Shelfmark: C.34.k.51
Copy notes: Signatures: A-L4 M2. Cropped at head, affecting headlines, cropped at foot, removing part of the imprint on the titlepage.
Provenance: David Garrick, bequeathed 1779.
Binding: In a 19th-century English gold tooled red grained sheep binding with the coat of arms of David Garrick tooled in gold on the flat spine. Author, title, place and date of publication are lettered in gold up the spine. The edges of the boards and the turn-ins are gold tooled. The edges of the leaves are sprinkled red. With comb marbled paper endleaves. Bound by the British Museum Bindery.

Shelfmark: C.12.g.14
Copy notes: Signatures: A-L4 M2. Cropped at head, affecting headlines, cropped at the foot, partly removing the imprint on the titlepage, partly affecting text, catchwords and signatures.
Provenance: King George III, presented 1823.
Binding: In a 19th-century English gold tooled red half sheep binding, the boards covered with comb marbled paper. The cypher of King George III is tooled in gold on the flat spine. Author, title, place and date of publication are lettered in gold up the spine. The edges of the leaves are sprinkled red. With comb marbled paper endleaves. Bound by the British Museum Bindery.

Shelfmark: C.34.k.50
Copy notes: Signatures: A-K4. Wanting quires L and M. Cropped at head, affecting title and removing some headlines.
Provenance: J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps, sold 1858.
Binding: In a 19th-century English gold tooled red grained sheep binding. Author, title, place and date of publication are lettered in gold up the flat spine. The edges of the boards and the turn-ins are gold tooled. The edges of the leaves are red. With comb marbled paper endleaves. MS. notes by J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps pasted on the verso of the third front flyleaf. MS. notes in an unidentified hand on the third flyleaf at the back. Bound by the British Museum Bindery.

Richard III, Seventh Quarto, 1629

The tragedie of King Richard the third. Contayning his trecherous plots, against his brother Clarence: the pittifull murther of his innocent nepthewes [sic]: his tiranous vsurpation: with the whole course of his detested life, and most deserued death. As it hath beene lately acted by the Kings Maiesties sernauts [sic]. Newly agmented [sic]. By William Shake-speare.
London: printed by Iohn Norton, and are to be sold by Mathew Law, dwelling in Pauls Church-yeard, at the signe of the Foxe, neere St. Austines gate, 1629.
[92] p.; 4o

Signatures: A-L4 M2
References: STC (2nd ed.) 22320; Greg, I, 142(h)

British Library Copy

Shelfmark: C.34.k.52
Copy notes: Signatures: A-L4 M2.
Provenance: Richard Warner; David Garrick, bequeathed 1779.
Binding: In a 19th-century English gold tooled red grained sheep binding with the coat of arms of David Garrick tooled in gold on the flat spine. Author, title, place and date of publication are lettered in gold up the spine. The edges of the boards and the turn-ins are gold tooled. The edges of the leaves are gilt. With comb marbled paper endleaves. MS. note 'Richard Warner 1748 -' on the titlepage and MS. notes in unidentified hands on several leaves. Bound by the British Museum Bindery.

Richard III, Eighth Quarto, 1634

The tragedie of King Richard the third. Contayning his treacherous plots, against his brother Clarence: the pitifull murder of his innocent nephewes: his tyranous vsurpation: with the whole course of his detested life, and most deserued death. As it hath beene lately acted by the Kings Maiesties seruants. Written by William Shake-speare.
London: printed by Iohn Norton, 1634.
[92] p.; 4o

Signatures: A-L4 M2
References: STC (2nd ed.) 22321; Greg, I, 142(j)

British Library Copies

Shelfmark: C.34.k.62
Copy notes: Signatures: A-L4 M2. Cropped at head, affecting headlines.
Provenance: J. O. Halliwell-Phillipps, sold 1858.
Binding: In a 19th-century English gold tooled green goatskin binding. Five false raised bands divide the spine into six gold tooled compartments. Author and title are lettered in gold across the second spine compartment, place and date of publication are lettered in gold across the third spine compartment. The edges of the boards and the turn-ins are gold tooled. The edges of the leaves are gilt. With comb marbled paper endleaves. Binder's stamp on the verso of the front flyleaf 'BOUND BY F. BEDFORD'.

Shelfmark: C.34.k.63
Copy notes: Signatures: A-D4 E4 (-E2) F-L4 M2. Cropped at head, affecting headlines.
Provenance: David Mather; David Garrick, bequeathed 1779.
Binding: In a 19th-century English gold tooled red grained sheep binding with the coat of arms of David Garrick tooled in gold on the flat spine. Author, title, place and date of publication are lettered in gold up the spine. The edges of the boards and the turn-ins are gold tooled. The edges of the leaves are sprinkled red. With comb marbled paper endleaves. MS. note 'David Mather 1652' on C3r and MS. notes in unidentified hands on several leaves. Bound by the British Museum Bindery.


 
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