WITH 25 STEEL-ENGRAVED PLATES DEPICTING SHAKESPEAREAN FEMALE CHARACTERS

JAMESON, (Anna Brownell). Characteristics of Women. New York: William H. Appleton, circa 1870. Quarto, publisher's full brown morocco, raised bands, elaborately gilt-decorated spine and boards, patterned endpapers, all edges gilt. $1850.

Later edition, illustrated with engraved frontispiece and title page and 23 steel-engraved plates of female characters from Shakespeare's plays.

"Carlyle calls her the 'celebrated Mrs. Jameson,' an epithet achieved through the success of Characteristics of Women, Moral, Poetical and Historical (1832), later more popularly known as Shakespeare's Heroines… Her second travel book, Winter Studies and Summer Rambles in Canada (1838), confirmed her literary reputation" (ODNB). Portraits include Portia from Merchant of Venice, Rosalind from As you Like It, Juliet from Romeo and Juliet, Ophelia from Hamlet, Desdemona from Othello, Cordelia from King Lear, Cleopatra from Anthony and Cleopatra, and Lady Macbeth from Macbeth. First published in 1832. Sabin 35731. Lande 2165. Lowndes, 1190.

Scattered foxing to plates and text, binding beautiful and fine.