Antique book set, 'The Works of Shakespeare' edited by chess master Howard Staunton, 1861. This is the complete 3 volume set with leather spines and corners with gilt lettering, five raised bands to each spine. All volumes are clean and tight with some wear to spines and exposed corners.
 
Published by George Routledge and Sons, London.
Illustrated by Sir John Gilbert, R.A. Eight hundred and thirty one illustrations.
All title have been inscribed and dated by the original owner, Thomas Leech and labelled by the book binder, T. B. Hamilton of Limerick Ireland.
 
Each volume measures 25.5 x 18 cm (10" x 7") and 5cm (2") in thickness.
 
Howard Staunton was an English chess master who is generally regarded as having been the world's strongest player from 1843 to 1851, in 1847 he entered a parallel career as a Shakespearean scholar, hence the importance of this set. Staunton lent his name to a design of chess set hand numbering the first 500 produced and which today are highly collectable and remain the recommended competition standard.