The Complete Works of Shakespeare from the Original Text.

3 volumes, 4to full leather illustrated with gilt title and gilt edges. Bindings show some wear at spine joints and edges, spines show some wear marks. Also, one volume top cover is somewhat bent and warped. Endpapers show some tears and are somewhat fragile, one endpaper has significant tear, table of contents page from one volume is loose. Some foxing and normal aging, and one plate has 1 ½ inch tear. Text and illustrations are quite good. What sets this collection of Shakespeare apart, which is edited by Charles Knight, are the illustrations. Included are numerous steel engravings of famous 19th century American actors. Among the notables are James E. Murdoch, Edwin Forrest, whose rivalry with a British actor ended in a riot with more than 50 people killed or wounded. Actor Edwin Booth, the brother of John Wilkes Booth is also featured.