The Plays of Shakespeare: The Text Regulated by the Old Copies, and by the Recently Discovered Folio of 1632

Edited by John Payne Collier (1789-1883), this volume is part of the Archives & Rare Books Library’s outstanding Shakespeare holdings. This collection consists primarily of Shakespeare editions in the 1700s and 1800s, and much of it came from another Cincinnati private library that helped found the UC Libraries, that of local businessman Enoch T. Carson. Collier’s 1853 edition here was significant for his supposed reliance on the 1632 Shakespeare folio, aye, but there’s the rub. Collier was accused of forging Shakespeare documents, which he used in his corrections and emendations in the book. But that is all part of the richly broad legacy of Shakespeare in world literature. This particular copy is unique for the letter and autograph of Collier that is tipped into it.

Condition and treatment: This is a mid-19th century brown cloth covered binding that has suffered prior damage and repair. The cloth spine of the textblock was previously lost and has been replaced with a stiff black cloth repair tape. The tape has failed and the boards are loose. The textblock is in fair condition; however the spine linings are brittle and the first few leaves are loose and nearly detached. A letter attached in the front of the textblock is creased. Conservation staff will remove the failed prior repair. The textlbock spine will be relined with a more flexible lining. Loose pages will be reattached. The creased letter will be flattened. The binding will be rebacked with a sympathetic cloth to match the color of the rest of the binding. The repaired binding will be stored in a cloth covered clamshell for long term storage.