William Shakespeare
Carr did not indicate in his History of the QTP how many impressions of the work of William Shakespeare (1564-1616) he had published, which is usually taken to mean only one, but I think that was an omission as it was one of the first small books that Carr published. All impressions contain the same sonnets but there are three different covers, at least. The last three covers are the same but they are different internally; the last two impressions are printed on different colour paper and use different colour type face.
(Last updated on 22/11/2020)
SBP-SHA1: First edition
Title: Sonnets William Shakespeare
Publisher: J.L. Carr Publisher, 27 Milldale Road, Kettering
Year:
ISBN:
Size: 127 x 93 mm
Pages: 16
Staples: 1
Binding: White glossy printed card
Paper: White
Editor: (J.L. Carr)
Cover artist: (J.L. Carr)
Internal illustrations: None
Number in series: not stated
Colophon: Sun face with address and phone number
Telephone number: Kettering 4995
Printing history: None stated
Number of other titles listed: 15
Printed by: Harry Richardson
Content: Short biography; quotation from Matthew Arnold. Poems: To Mr W.H.; To the Dark Lady
Rear and front covers (click to enlarge)
Inside rear cover (click to enlarge)
Notes: I was right: I suspected that the first edition listed 15 titles and was printed by Harry Richardson. I found this 50-year-old copy in immaculate condition in June 2020. It is probably not the impression that was given an ISBN, which is the next, as the first 15 titles were all published in the early 1970s.
SBP-SHA2: Second impression: Sonnets
Title: William Shakespeare Sonnets
Publisher: J.L. Carr Publisher, 27 Mill Dale Road, Kettering
Year: (December 1976)
ISBN: 0900847662
Size: 130 x 98 mm
Pages: 16
Staples: two
Binding: white printed matt card covers
Paper: white
Editor: (J.L. Carr)
Cover artist: (J.L. Carr on rear cover)
Internal illustrations: none
Number in series: not stated
Colophon: house
Telephone number: none given
Printing history: none stated
Number of other titles listed: 27
Printed by: not stated
Content: Brief biography; facsimile signature; Quotation from Matthew Arnold. Poems: To Mr. W.H.; To the dark lady.
Rear and front covers (click to enlarge)
Inside rear cover (click to enlarge)
Notes: This is presumed to be the second impression, published in 1976 and given an ISBN. It list 28 other titles whereas the first editions of earlier poems, such as the first impressions of Flecker and Arnold, list Shakespeare among only 15 other titles.
SBP-SHA3: Third impression: Sonnets
Title: Sonnets. Master William Shakespeare. Poet
Publisher: J.L. Carr Publisher, 27 Mill Dale Road, Kettering
Year:
ISBN: none
Size: 130 x 98 mm
Pages: 16
Staples: one
Binding: white printed matt card covers
Paper: white
Editor: (J.L. Carr)
Cover artist: (J.L. Carr on front cover)
Internal illustrations: decorations at top and bottom of each page
Number in series: not stated
Colophon: house
Telephone number: none given
Printing history: none stated
Number of other titles listed: 32
Printed by: Seddon Packaging and Print Limited, Dryden Street, Kettering
Content: (To Mr. W.H.); To the dark lady; drawing by Carr on last page about the identity of Mr W.H. and the dark lady.
Rear and front covers (click to enlarge)
Inside rear cover (click to enlarge)
Notes: Carr revised the cover design for this impression, but the content remained the same. Seddon Packaging also printed the first edition of George Mackley.
SBP-SHA4: Fourth impression: Sonnets
Title: Sonnets. Master William Shakespeare. Poet
Publisher: J.L. Carr Publisher, 27 Mill Dale Road, Kettering
Year:
ISBN: none
Size: 130 x 98 mm
Pages: 16
Staples: two
Binding: white printed matt card covers
Paper: black type on white paper
Editor: (J.L. Carr)
Cover artist: (J.L. Carr on front cover)
Internal illustrations: decorations at top and bottom of each page
Number in series: 50
Colophon: none
Telephone number: (0536) 514995
Printing history: none stated
Number of other titles listed: none
Printed by: not stated
Content: (To Mr. W.H.); To the dark lady; O mistress mine; Seals of love; drawing by Carr about the identity of Mr W.H. and the dark lady moved to inside the rear cover (see left).
Rear and front covers (click to enlarge)
Inside rear cover (click to enlarge)
Notes: This and the next impression were numbered 50 in the series but an impression of Shakespeare was among the first 15 titles published as it is listed with 14 others in the first editions of poems by Arnold, Clare and Donne.
SBP-SHA5: Fifth impression: Sonnets
Title: Sonnets. Master William Shakespeare. Poet
Publisher: J.L. Carr Publisher, 27 Mill Dale Road, Kettering
Year:
ISBN: none
Size: 130 x 98 mm
Pages: 16
Staples: two
Binding: white printed matt card covers
Paper: green type on cream paper
Editor: (J.L. Carr)
Cover artist: (J.L. Carr on front cover)
Internal illustrations: decorations at top and bottom of each page
Number in series: 50
Colophon: none
Telephone number: (0536) 514995
Printing history: none stated
Number of other titles listed: 28
Printed by: not stated
Content: Brief biography; facsimile signature; Quotation from Matthew Arnold; To Mr. W.H.; To the dark lady.
Notes: See notes for impression above.
Rear and front covers (click to enlarge)
Inside rear cover (click to enlarge)