THE FOLIO SOCIETY
BEAUTIFUL ILLUSTRATED BOOKS
The Letterpress Roman Tragedies
William Shakespeare
Published price US$1,580.00
Offer price US$1,380.00
Save US$200.00 (13%)
Production Details:
Limited to 3,750 copies, individually numbered on a special limitation page
Each volume is Quarter-bound in goatskin leather, blocked in gold with hand-marbled paper sides; gilded top edge and ribbon marker.
Set in 16pt 'Monotype' Baskerville, printed by letterpress on mould-made paper.
Presented in a gold-blocked slipcase, book size: 14" x 10¾".
Available as slipcased editions at a special members’ price.
Julius Caesar — Anthony and Cleopatra — Coriolanus — Titus Andronicus
Everyone has a favourite Shakespeare play, whether it is Anthony and Cleopatra with its lyrical grandeur or the sparkling, enchanted A Midsummer Night's Dream. The opportunity of owning these masterpieces in editions worthy of their content is rare indeed. Enormous care has gone into ensuring that the design and production standards of The Folio Society's Letterpress Shakespeare measure up to the love and affection in which the plays are held. For the first time, the plays are now available in slipcases, offered at a special members’ price – our lowest ever.
The Roman Tragedies
From the seductive charms of Cleopatra to Brutus' stoic nobility, our view of real historical figures has been unalterably shaped by the characters portrayed by Shakespeare in his Roman tragedies. Shakespeare used these classical stories to hold a mirror up to his own time, and the questions – ethical, political, personal – which he raised intrigue and engage each new generation, just as his characters continue to resonate with us today. These four plays – the latest volumes in our Letterpress Shakespeare series – are available to reserve now at a special introductory price.
Julius Caesar
The tragedy of an ‘honourable’ man who discovers too late that the consequences of a single act of violence cannot be predicted or controlled – Julius Caesar is perennially relevant. With Caesar’s triumphant return from the Civil War, Brutus fears that his friend may become a tyrant and dismantle the Republic. Even if Brutus’ motives are honourable, a potent mixture of resentment and lust for power are the real inspiration for the actions of his fellow conspirators.
Not that I loved Caesar less, but that I loved Rome moreAct 3, Sc. II
Anthony and Cleopatra
Anthony and Cleopatra is not only one of Shakespeare’s greatest love stories, but also a sweeping political drama of unparalleled force. From the rich vein of comedy that runs through it to the play’s great tragic ending, it reveals a writer at the height of his powers and confidence. Shakespeare’s incomparable poetry and his capacity to combine intimate moments with tragic grandeur give his hero and heroine an irresistible glamour which, for all their flaws, has continued to seduce audiences through the centuries.
Give me my robe, put on my crown – I have Immortal longings in meAct 5, Sc. II
Coriolanus
An aristocrat and warrior, Coriolanus has nothing but contempt for the plebeians of Rome, spitting curses when more wily politicians woo the crowd with empty speeches. His inflexibility may reflect his honesty, but when Coriolanus turns to attack Rome, neither his military brilliance nor his personal honour can hide the fact that he has sacrificed patriotism to pride. In the play’s bleak vision, military might, democracy and even heroism are put to the test and found wanting.
Better it is to die, better to starve, Than crave the hire which first we do deserveAct 2, Sc. III
Titus Andronicus
Believed by many to be Shakespeare’s earliest work, Titus Andronicus was probably written in the 1580s or early 90s. The play is Shakespeare’s bloodiest, with rape, mutilation and fourteen killings, nine of them on stage. Yet the violence and spectacle of the play never overshadows the verse – Shakespeare’s command of language and his vivid characters provide a fascinating foretaste of the great tragedies.
So, now go tell, an if thy tongue can speak, Who’twas that cut thy tongue and ravished theeAct 2, Sc. IV
Four new volumes to collect as boxed or slipcased editions.
Several of our members have commented that space restrictions prevent them buying more of their favourite plays. In response we are now offering members the chance to collect the plays as slipcased editions, without the solander box and commentary volume, but still with a numbered limitation page.
From the choice of text and meticulously designed pages to the mould-made paper and unsurpassed art of letterpress printing, attention has been lavished on every facet of the reading experience.
The result is a fit and harmonious balance between the internal and external: a volume which is not only a delight to look at and hold, but a joy to read; formed not for mere display, but to satisfy the passion for his language felt by all those who love Shakespeare.
Produced to the highest standards, using only the finest materials and processes, each volume is a work of art in its own right.
Beauty of Typography
The layout of words on a printed page is as much an art as such ancient techniques as Chinese or Arabic calligraphy. Here, the text is designed by eye and set on a manual machine, not a computer. Each letter of type has been created from hot metal in the rarely used 16-point font of 'Monotype' Baskerville, chosen for its clarity and elegance of form. Tiny irregularities testify to the hand-crafted nature of the process, since the shape of each line, the very gap between letters, is adjusted by hand to create the most pleasing overall effect.
Quality You Can Touch
A book is a pleasure of many senses: the feel of it in the hands, even the smell of the leather and ink all contribute to the enjoyment. Running your fingers over the paper, the difference between letterpress and litho printing is instantly discernable. You can feel the indentation where each letter has been impressed into the mould-made paper. This high quality paper is made from cotton rags and wood fibres dried on a cylindrical mould which produces the feathered edge known as the ‘deckle’. The quarter-binding is of finest goatskin leather, dyed to a rich colour. The pattern on the hand-marbled paper sides is unique to each volume.
Creating The Letterpress Shakespeare
The craftsmen and women who work on these volumes are rightly proud of their involvement in the project. From the hand-sewing of the pages to the blocking of each label in 24-carat gold, few books have had such care lavished on them. You can be confident that these exceptional editions will give pleasure for generations to come.
Cotton mixed with pure wood fibres dries slowly on a cylindrical mould to make this specialist paper. When the sheets are removed, the feathered edge at the sides is called the 'deckle'. The high cotton content ensures the paper is stronger and will retain its distinctive quality for generations, which is why artists and galleries choose it for fine art prints and etchings. The pages are folded in sections of eight for a perfectly flat opening to the spine, and only the top edge is trimmed.
Top edge gilding is a traditional finish, protecting books' exposed tops from dust, moisture or atmospheric pollution. The three-quarter binding of finest Nigerian goatskin leather is dyed for an exact match, but the gold and scarlet pattern on the hand-marbled paper sides is unique to each volume, since the exact pattern of droplets can never be repeated.
Total limitation 3,750. Each copy will be numbered on a limitation page.
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