Beschreibung:

Shakespeare, WilliamThe Tragedy of Hamlet: Prince of Denmark. [London: H. Herringman, 1676]
4to (195 x 147 mm). Collation: B-M4; lacking first two leaves without signature marks. Lacking title and list of players, as stated, dampstaining, closed tears to two leaves, I1 with tear to lower margin costing a few letters. [Wing S2950; Greg I 197(i); Bartlett 84]
[Bound with:] Dryden, John. Aureng-Zebe, a Tragedy Acted at the Royal Theatre… [London: Printed by T.N. for Henry Herringman, 1676]. Incomplete. — Shadwell, Thomas. The Libertine: A Tragedy. London: Henry Herringman, 1676. Upper margin shaved, some crayon markings. [Wing S2857] — Etherege, George. She Wou’d, if She Cou’d. [London: Henry Herringman, 1668]. Lacking title. [Etherege, George] — Roger L’Estrange [pseud]. The Comical Revenge, or, Love in a Tub. London: Henry Herringman, 1669. Some more significant staining. — Porter, [Thomas]. The Villain: A Tragedy. London: H. Herringman, 1670. [Caryl, John]. Sir Salomon; or, The Cautious Coxcomb: A Comedy. [London: H. Herringman, 1671]. Lacking title, lower margin just shaved. — One manuscript leaf, signed “Ben Addlepate” (a comic fictional name), taking the form of a facetious “battle of the sexes” text. — Tuke, Samuel, Sir. The Adventures of Five Houres: A Tragi-Comedy. London: Henry Herringman, 1671. More significant dampstaining, lower margin of title shaved. — Sidley, Charles, Sir. The Mulberry-Garden: A Comedy. London: H. Herringman, 1675. [Wing S2403] — Shadwell, Thomas. Epsom Wells. A Comedy, As it is Acted By Their Majesties Servants. [London: H. Herringman, 1693]. Lacking title, more significant staining. — Wycherley, William. Love in a Wood, or, St. James’s Park: A Comedy. London: H. Herringman, 1672. Lower margin trimmed close, shaved in a few instances. [Wing W3747; Pforzheimer 1100] — Howard, Robert, Sir. The Great Favourite, Or, the Duke of Lerma. London: Henry Herringman, 1668. Incomplete. Covers lost, cracks to spine with red morocco letteringpiece, gilt-lettered “Old Plays.”
The sixth quarto edition of what is arguably Shakespeare’s greatest work, bound with eight other Restoration plays, and constituting 12 works in total (albeit two of these incomplete).
Each of the works featured in this Sammelband was printed by Henry Herringman, one of London’s most prominent publishers and booksellers in the second half of the 17th century. Herringman was noted for publishing Renaissance and Restoration dramas, as present here, and was the first to publish John Dryden. He was also the publisher of Shakespeare’s Fourth Folio (1685). Herringman is now regarded as, in essence, the first wholesale book publisher in England, with 532 publications from his era bearing his imprint. The present Sammelband stands as a unique testament to Herringman’s legacy, as it gathers works across genres, but each specific to the Golden Age of English drama.