Shakespeare's first folio collection sells for whopping $10 million at New York auction

Literary artist Shakespeare's first folio of work sets a new world record for literature at New York auction after the Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies sold for nearly $9,978,000 more than its value of £7,600,000  at Christie’s in New York. According to the head of research, Dr. Paul Edmondson of Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, there are only 6 copies of Shakespeare's first-ever collection of plays known to exist. The collection was estimated to sell at $4million, however, was priced over and above in bidding between 2 buyers, ultimately purchased Stephan Loewentheil via phone.

International head of group, books & manuscripts, London, Margaret Ford told sources of UK's daily The Courier that Christie’s was exceedingly delighted to have established a new world auction record not only for a work by William Shakespeare but for any work of literature. She further added, it is befitting that William Shakespeare’s First Folio, printed in 1623, holds this remarkable record, given its tremendous significance and influence around the globe.

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The folio was originally published in the year 1623 by actors John Heminge and Henry Condell who compiled the writer's iconic masterpieces post his death. First Folio contains thirty-six of Shakespeare’s plays, which includes at least 18 unique plays that were on the edge of diminishing except in the original work. The plays in the folio include Macbeth, The Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure, and Julius Caesar. 

Oxford's copy sold for £3.5m in 2003

On October 14, the first unabridged and complete copy to auction out was available for sale since 2001 and was ultimately sold by Mills College in Oakland, California, who owned the iconic work of the American writer since the 1960s. One other copy was owned by Oxford University, which sold for £3.5m in 2003, Dr. Paul Edmondson of Shakespeare Trust told UK's BBC in a live-streamed interview. The First Folio is the most important collection of plays ever published and revered throughout the world, buyer Stephan Loewentheil reportedly said, adding, it was an honor to purchase one of only a handful of complete copies of an epochal volume. He also called the first folio as the most important collection of plays ever published and revered throughout the world. 

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(Image Credit: Christie's website)