SHAKESPEARE, William (1564-1616). The Merchant of Venice [Extracted from the First Folio]. [London: Isaac Jaggard..., 1623]. Folio (307 x 199 mm). Comprising 22 pages (pp. 163-184) on 11 leaves (O4-Q2). (Lower gutter margin with some wormtracks repaired, short tear crossing two lines of text on upper margin of O6, short internal tear near gutter on final leaf Q2, a few rule borders slightly shaved, some minor marginal dampstaining, wear and soiling.) Modern calf gilt; morocco folding case. FIRST FOLIO PRINTING of this Shakespeare comedy. The Merchant of Venice was first published in a quarto edition in 1600 which is generally regarded as being accurate and reliable. It is the basis of the text published in the 1623 First Folio, which adds a number of stage directions, mainly musical cues. See STC 22273; Pforzheimer 905 (for First Folio).