first folio

Rare Shakespeare Work Sells for $5.2M

Filed under: Auctions

At a Sotheby's auction in London yesterday, a very rare First Folio of Shakespeare's works sold for £2.8 million (approx $5.2 million US). The book, which contains 36 complete plays including Julius Caesar and Twelfth Night, was printed in 1623 and was in mint condition. Some say that these works were saved by their inclusion in the volume and would otherwise have been lost. Today, there are less than 250 copies of the First Folio and the majority are incomplete or damaged. The book was purchased by Simon Finch Rare Books, a London-based book dealer, so it is likely that it will be on the market again in the future.