A rare set of William Shakespeare’s first four collected works is expected to fetch up to £4.5 million ($6 million) at auction next month. The set, which includes the First, Second, Third, and Fourth Folios, will be sold by Sotheby’s on May 23, marking the first time since 1989 that these editions have been offered together as a single lot. The auction is scheduled to coincide with Shakespeare’s 461st birthday, adding to the significance of the event.
The First Folio, published in 1623, is considered one of the most important publications in English literature. Compiled by Shakespeare’s fellow actors John Heminges and Henry Condell, this volume contains 36 plays, half of which were published for the first time. Without the First Folio, some of Shakespeare’s greatest works, including “Macbeth,” “The Tempest,” and “Twelfth Night,” might have been lost to history. Of the original 750 copies printed, only around 230 survive, most of which are housed in museums and libraries. A First Folio in private hands sold for an impressive $9.9 million at auction in 2020.
The success of the First Folio led to the publication of the Second Folio in 1632, followed by the Third Folio in 1663 and the Fourth Folio in 1685. While the First Folio is the most valuable, the Third Folio is the rarest. Only 182 copies are known to exist, partly due to the destruction of some stock in the Great Fire of London in 1666. The Third Folio also includes seven additional plays, though only “Pericles, Prince of Tyre” is widely believed to be Shakespeare’s work.
The set’s auction value is expected to be between £3.5 million and £4.5 million, a testament to the enduring legacy and cultural significance of Shakespeare’s works. These four folios represent a unique and invaluable collection that continues to capture the imagination of literature lovers and collectors around the world.
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