Marston, Antonio and Mellida, 1603 (A1r)

Thomas Fisher's printer's device, shown on this playbook title page, puns on his name by featuring a kingfisher bird.

Shakespeare, First Folio, 1623 (I2v)

Since this play ends part-way down the page, the remainder of the space is taken up with ruling and a decorative tailpiece.

Shakespeare, First Folio, 1623 (nn4v)

The opening of Hamlet in Shakespeare’s First Folio; like the rest of the plays in this book, the start of the play is marked off with a headpiece and an initial letter.

Shakespeare, Lear, 1608 (A2r)

The play which we now call King Lear was not first published with a much longer title, it also differs in its emphasis on Edgar as the lead of the subplot.

Theobald, Double Falshood, 1728 (A1r)

This half-title page includes the price for the volume printed at the bottom of the page. The full imprint can be found on the full title page on the next leaf.

Theobald, Double Falshood, 1728 (A2r)

Like that of most English playbooks, this title page indicates where the play was first performed as well as its title and author.

Theobald, Double Falshood, 1728 (B7v)

At the bottom of this page is the small press figure "3."

Webster, White Devil, 1631 (F3r)

The blank space at the top of the page, interrupting the headline and the middle of the first seven lines of text, was probably caused by a scrap of paper accidentally getting between the inked type and the blank paper.