1444200 1724 Shakespeare. Othello. Duodecimo.

 

Shakespeare, William. Othello, the Moor of Venice: a tragedy, as it hath been divers times acted at the Globe, and at the Black-Friers: and at the Theater-Royal, by His Majesty's servants. Written by W. Shakespear.  London: printed by John Darby, for Mary Poulson, and sold by A. Bettesworth, R. Caldwell, and F. Clay, 1724.   Duodecimo. 96pp. A6-H6. Modern half calf over marbled boards.  There exist three editions of the 1724 Othello, cataloged separately: the original edition ’A’; edition ’B’, a pirated line-by-line reprint of ’A’; and a reprint edition ’C’, which has different settings of type and ornaments. In editions ’A’ and ’B’, the final ornament on p. 96 depicts two nudes sitting on an urn; in ’C’, it is a shield with two birds on top. In editions ’A’ and ’C’, "Poulson" falls underneath "John$Dar" in the imprint (where $ symbolizes a space); in edition ’B’, "Poulson" falls underneath "$John$Da (slightly modified to make sense).  This copy is the original edition (A).