The Tragedie of King Lear

by William Shakespeare

woodcuts by Claire Van Vliet 

Limited edition, signed by the artist.  Bangor Maine:  Theodore Press, 1986 

Hardback is overall in NEAR FINE condition.

• Birch covers are clean, decorated by the artist.  Corners are sharp. 
• Spine is bright with firm ends.
• Binding is strong.  
• Handmade paper end papers/ pastedowns show little to no sign of age or wear.
• Illustrations are bright and clear.  
• Interior exhibits minimal signs of age and wear.  Inside pages are free of writing and intentional marks.
• Text block edges have deckle fore and foot edges. 
• Protective wrap has black cloth over boards.
• Slip case has gray marl buckram over boards, paper label on spine.
• PS20241120

136 pages. 10 1/2 x 14 3/8 inches

A handsome volume, near fine on all points, that marries literature and book arts.  The text of Shakespeare's King Lear comes from the 1623 First Folio.  As the Colophon explains, "the spelling, lineation, use of italics and punctuation of the First Folio edition were substanitally retained, but modern letter-usage was adopted, undoubted typographical errors were quietly corrected, a few stage directions were added, and consistently spelled whole names were used for speech prefixes, in lieu of the First Folio's abbreviations."

As for the book, it is a limited, numbered edition from the Theodore Press in Bangor, Maine.  Michael Alpert (b. 1945) established the press in 1979, and the typography, setting, and presswork were done by him.

The edition features woodcut illustrations by Claire Van Vliet (b. 1933).  Van Vliet printed the woodcuts at her own private press, the Janus Press, in West Burke, Vermont.  The birch covers were individually decorated by Van Vliet, who also designed the binding with Nancy Southworth of Lancaster, New Hampshire.  

Full information on the edition is in the Colophon.  This is copy #102/160.  Signed on the Colophon by the artist. 

Please see photos. More photos available upon request.

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