Real life mystery

[Angrist]

Ok I have this weird problem and maybe you can help me unsolve it.

Some years ago, I found 'The Complete Works of Shakespeare', 2 volumes of each 570 pages. Together they cost €3, which I thought was a bargain for so much literature. Last week, I started reading Romeo and Juliette in volume 1.

Now the question is, how old are these books?

Watch the following pictures and description:
1: The books in question.
2: No date is given here!
3: This is the only date I can find, 1853.
4: The pages aren't the same length, weren't cut to be so. It looks old.
5: €1.50 per volume.

So can you help me out with this? I did some googling, but couldn't find anything useful. I find it hard to believe that I own 2 books from 1853, in good condition. I assume the original print was in 1853, and this is some reprint from maybe 1920 or so.

The person who answers the question gets a mention on my blog. :D

[Teuthida]

The fact that they have dust jackets makes me think they aren't from 1853. Did they have dust jackets back then? I got a copy of David Copperfield sitting next to me from 1919 and it looks as old as hell...although the paper is smoothly cut. I got some modern books with the ragged edge cut like yours. Don't think you can use that as a gauge for age. It is weird there isn't a more recent date on them though.

Found this: http://www.alibris.com/search/books/qwork/1245665/used/The%20complete%20works%20of%20William%20Shakespeare%20arranged%20in%20their%20chronological%20order

The 1911 edition is leather bound. But there's one from 1853 too....sounds like yours....I really don't know. It just looks to be in such good condition for the age.

What's on the other side of that first page. Sometimes the date is hidden quite well.

Nelson Doubleday's publishing company didn't begin until 1897 so we can rule out it being from 1853 which is before Doubleday was even born.

I'm thinking 1960 at the oldest.

[Typhoid]

Well considering it's published by Nelson Doubleday INC, and Wikipedia states:

"Nelson Doubleday (June 16, 1889 in Brooklyn - January 11, 1949 at Oyster Bay, Long Island) was a U.S. book publisher."

It makes it nearly impossible that this book was published before his own birth. However, that doesn't mean that it couldn't have been printed then.

Well, at least I narrowed it down for you.
Somewhat.

[Angrist]

I'll look a bit better for a date.

And that's some useful info. It pretty much rules out that it's from 1853.

It's weird, because it seems to be the same book as here: http://www.alibris.com/booksearch.detail?invid=9653494252&browse=1&qwork=1245665&qsort=&page=1
And they don't mention another date than 1853.

An ebay seller here said that it doesn't mention a date, but he expects it's from the 60s, maybe a bit older.

Thanks guys, it helped. :) I'll write a semi-funny story on my blog, I'll link it when it's done.

[Dyne]

It looks like a 1950-60s book. 1853 must be some serial number or something. If it was older, the pages would be brown, wouldn't they?