A HUMBLING EXPERIENCE

Oft-quoted, imitated and voiced on stages throughout the world, the words of William Shakespeare could have been lost forever had it not been for John Heminge and Henry Condell, the writer’s friends and fellow actors, who compiled Mr William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies, often referred to as the First Folio. Published in 1623, seven years after Shakespeare’s death, the First Folio brought together the author’s collected plays for the first time. The folio edition contains 36 plays, including 17 that were printed during his lifetime, one that was printed after his death, and 18 that might have otherwise been lost - among them Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure and Julius Caesar. Idioms such as “be-all and the end-all” and “one fell swoop” - both from Macbeth - and “the unkindest cut of all”, which appeared in Julius Caesar, might never have entered the popular lexicon if not for this literary masterpiece. Only five complete copies of the First Folio remain in private hands, and on April 24, Christie’s will offer the first complete copy to come on the market in almost two decades. It will be auctioned during Classic Week in New York, and is being sold on behalf of Mills College in Oakland, California. “To handle a First Folio by William Shakespeare is always a privilege and even a humbling experience,” says Margaret Ford, International Head of Books & Manuscripts in London, on the Christie’s website. “Shakespeare resonates around the world.”