Tales from Shakespeare Illustrated by George Soper

Ruskin House, Museum Street, London: George Allen & Unwin, 1929. No date; circa 1929. Large 6 3/4" x 8 1/2" design. Dark blue full cloth boards, black cover and spine titles, design, moderate shelf wear, bow, discoloration. Beautifully designed cover features the theatrical happy and mad faces with mask droppping away and fairy nymph emanating below black banner with stylized titles in relief. Classic spine titles with image of fairy holding a lyre and George Allen & Unwin, Ltd. at heel. Pages very good, clean. Small antiquarian navy bookstore label with gold text inside cover: "Chas. Thurman, Carlisle". Also, antiquarian prize plate inside cover: "Education Committee Prize Awarded to Name: 'Helena Forsyth,' School: 'Keeble Terrace,' Date: 'Year ending 1926'". Red and black bordered plate and design features crest for the Council of Cumberland County. Pictorial endpapers in monochromatic red at front and back feature parade of characters following blind-folded winged cherub with maidens laying petals ahead of their path; moderate toning. Frontispiece color plate of Titiana. Illustrated title page with Cupid, Pan and nymphs. Features a dozen very unique and richly colored plates by George Soper. Also, three painterly full-page designs in sepia, and nine full-page black & white designs also by Soper. Additionally, entertaining b&w headers grace at the start each tale. Bind good, square; hinges intact. Rare original wrapper in beige, some chip, rub; unclipped Four Shillings and Six Pence Net, protected in new clear sleeve. Front panel features sharp title and retains the mounted color plate. Back panel features Gift Books Illustrated in Colour by George Soper. Missing spine area which has been neatly mended utilizing acid-free document repair adhesive with facsimile of material from an original complete wrapper. Fairly attractive and uniform considering, and serves purpose aesthetically and presents spine titles. Near very good volume in this charmingly illustrated collection preserved with intact wrapper. Contents adapted by Mary and Charles Lamb: "Preface; Romeo and Juliet; Timon of Athens; King Lear; Othello; The Tempest; A Midsummer Night's Dream; The Winter's Tale; Much Ado About Nothing; As You Like It; The Gentlemen of Verona; The Merchant of Venice; Cymbeline; MacBeth; All's Well that Ends Well; The Taming of the Shrew; The Comedy of Errors; Measure for Measure; Twelfth Night, Or, What You Will; Hamlet, Prince of Denmark; and, Pericles, Prince of Tyre." Printed in Great Britain by Headley Brothers; and 18, Devonshire Street. 323 pages. Insured post.. First Edition Thus. Hard Cover. Very Good/Fair. Illus. by Soper, George . 8vo - over 7¾ - 9¾" Tall.