The works of Mr. William Shakespear : in six volumes ; adorn'd with cuts

The first edition published after the four folios; the text is based on the fourth folio

Contains the plays only

This is the ordinary paper issue with gutter margin 10 mm; height of text block 19.5 cm. There is also a large paper issue in 6 v. with gutter margins of 16 mm and text block heights of 22.5 cm

There are two issues of the 1709 works printed on ordinary paper in 6 volumes. This is the first issue, where v. 1, leaf A1, the armorial headpiece is present and signature A is under the 'G' of "Goodness"; v. 6, signature A4 is under "here." See Ford p. 10-11 for a full description of differences between the two issues

Vol. 1. Signatures: pi² A⁴ a-b⁸ c⁴ B-2G⁸. Pagination: [12], XL, 463, [1] p., [9] leaves of plates. -- v. 2. Signatures: [A]1 B-2K⁸. Pagination: [5], 468-975, [1] p., [8] leaves of plates. -- v. 3. Signatures: [A]1 B-2N⁸. Pagination: [5], 980-1535, [1] p., [8] leaves of plates. -- v. 4. Signatures: [A]1 B-2L⁸ M⁴. Pagination: [5], 1540-2072 p., [7] leaves of plates. -- v. 5. Signatures: [A]1 B-2O⁸. Pagination: [5], 2076-2647, [1] p., [8] leaves of plates. -- v. 6. Signatures: A⁸ ( -A1) B-2N⁸. Pagination: [5], 2656-3324 p., [10] leaves of plates

With a general title page in volume 1; each volume with a volume title page; each play with an individual play title page with the imprint: Printed in the year 1709

Engraved portrait frontispiece plate lettered: M. Vdr. Gucht sculp.; frontispiece included in each volume. Engravings for plays lettered for pagination, attributed to artist Boitard and engraver Kirkall (see H.A. Hammelmann, Shakespeare's first illustrators, Apollo, supplement "notes on British art" p. 1-4, August 1968)

Paged continuously; numerous errors in paging