Set of first editions of Shakespeare's plays could fetch more than €5 million at auction
ADVERTISEMENT
A set of the first four editions of William Shakespeare's collected works is expected to sell for up to £4.5 million (€5.2 million) at auction next month.
Sotheby's auction house announced the sale today, on Shakespeare's
461st birthday
.
It said the 23 May sale will be the first time since 1989 that a set of the First, Second, Third and Fourth Folios has been offered at auction as a single lot.
The auction house estimated the sale price at between £3.5 million (€4 million) and £4.5 million (€5.2 million).
The First Folio of William Shakespeare, which contains 36 of Shakespeare's plays, and is "the most significant publication in the history of English literature"
Sotheby's via AP Photo
After Shakespeare's
death in 1616
, his plays were collected into a single volume by his friends John Heminges and Henry Condell, actors and shareholders in the playwright's troupe, the King's Men.
The First Folio - fully titled 'Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories & Tragedies' - contained 36 plays, of which half were published there for the first time. Without the book, scholars say, plays including 'Macbeth,' 'The Tempest' and 'Twelfth Night' might have been lost.
Sotheby's called the volume 'without question the most significant publication in the history of English literature.'
Four folios belonging to William Shakespeare, which were published more than 300 years ago, are due to go on sale at Sotheby's in London on 23 May
Sotheby's via AP Photo
About 750 copies were printed in 1623, of which about 230 are known to survive. All but a few are in museums, universities or libraries. One of the few First Folios in private hands sold for $9.9 million (€8.7 million) at an auction in 2020.
The
First Folio
proved successful enough that a an updated edition, the Second Folio, was published in 1632, a third in 1663 and a fourth in 1685.
Although the First Folio is regarded as the most valuable, the third is the rarest, with 182 copies known to survive. It is believed the third book's rarity is because some of the stock was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
The Third Folio included seven additional plays, but only one – 'Pericles, Prince of Tyre' – is believed to be by Shakespeare.
Four folios belonging to William Shakespeare are due to go on sale at Sotheby's in London on 23 May.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fashion Network
21 hours ago
- Fashion Network
First-ever Hermès Birkin handbag to be auctioned in Paris in July
The first Birkin handbag, designed especially for Jane Birkin in 1984, will be auctioned in Paris on July 10, the last day of Haute Couture Week, announced auction house Sotheby's on Thursday. The large black leather tote, the original version of one of the world's most celebrated and expensive handbags, will be the 'signature item' in Sotheby's 'Fashion Icons' auction, as Sotheby's said in a press release. The handbag will be exhibited to the public at Sotheby's gallery in New York on June 6-12, ahead of its final presentation at the auction house's Parisian offices in the 8th arrondissement, on July 3-9. The 'historic handmade prototype,' engraved with the initials J.B., is distinctive for several peculiarities that make it a unique piece: its size, the closed metal rings, the non-detachable shoulder strap, and the incorporated nail clipper. Jane Birkin was undoubtedly a fashion icon, but she was keen on practicality above all. On a Paris to London flight, the British singer-actress, who died in 2023, complained with a fellow passenger of not being able to find a handbag that fit the needs of a young mother. The fellow passenger was none other than Jean-Louis Dumas, then boss of Hermès. A tote bag with a pouch for baby bottles was launched by Hermès in 1984, and was named Birkin. Forty years later, the Birkin leather handbag has become the French luxury house's most iconic product. It is manufactured in very small quantities to foster its exclusive image. Its prices can vary greatly, from a few thousand euro for the simplest models, to several hundred thousand euros for the most luxurious ones. In addition to the Birkin handbag, the auction will feature iconic items from runway shows by designers such as Christian Dior, John Galliano, Thierry Mugler and Alexander McQueen. The auction will start online from June 26, and will continue until the closing date of July 10.
Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
A rare Turner masterpiece has been rediscovered after 150 years
Lost for over 150 years, one of JMW Turner's earliest oil paintings is about to go on display at London's Sotheby's before being auctioned. Titled 'The Rising Squall, Hot Wells, from St Vincent's Rock, Bristol', it depicts a dramatic stormy scene engulfing Hot Wells House in Bristol, UK - as seen from the east bank of the River Avon, where the Clifton Suspension Bridge now sits. Painted by Turner when he was just 17 years old, it is now believed to be the artist's earliest exhibited oil painting, having been displayed at the Royal Academy exhibition in 1793. Its last public appearance was in 1858, at an exhibition in Tasmania, before disappearing into private collections for over a century and a half. Upon being rediscovered last year, Turner's signature was revealed during the restoration process. 'Its reemergence now allows viewers and scholars alike to appreciate the startling ambition of this great artist at such an early moment in his career, by which stage he is already demonstrating a level of confidence and competency in oil painting far beyond what was previously known,' a press release states. The painting will go on public display at Sotheby's in London from 28 June to 1 July 2025, ahead of being auctioned for an estimated value of £200,000-300,000 (approx. €237,544 to €356,316). The auction also coincides with the 250th anniversary of Turner's birth, as various exhibitions and events across the UK - including London's Tate, National Gallery and the Turner Contemporary - celebrate the artist's legacy. Considered one of the world's most influential 18th-century artists, Turner was a key figure within Romanticism and best known for his dramatic landscapes, ambient with bold colour and tumultuous skies. While 'The Rising Squall' had previously been referenced in obituaries, it was mistaken as a watercolour and therefore excluded from the first catalogue of Turner's exhibited oil paintings. Based on a drawing from the artist's earliest sketchbook and a watercolour, both of which are currently held at the Tate Britain, the artwork is believed to have been first acquired by, and possibly painted for, Reverend Robert Nixon - a friend and early supporter of Turner's. Before now, experts considered Turner's earliest exhibited oil painting to be the 'Fisherman at Sea', displayed at the Royal Academy in 1796. Hollywood heavyweights Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman have become co-owners of the Australia SailGP team. The Deadpool & Wolverine stars joined driver and CEO Tom Slingsby on Thursday in leading the team's rebrand after several successful seasons, winning three championships in its four seasons. The team will be called the BONDS Flying Roos, with the Australian underwear company BONDS as its title partner. 'We're incredibly excited to set sail together in this new adventure," Reynolds and Jackman said in a joint statement released through SailGP. "Hugh brings a deep love for and pride in his home country, as well as being an avid fan of sailing. He will also be bringing his overly clingy emotional support human along for the ride. Apologies in advance to Australia. No comment on whether we're writing this in our BONDS. No further questions.' Slingsby said in a release that Jackman and Reynolds bring 'unmatched star power, a love for storytelling, and a sharp sense of (humour) that fits perfectly with our team." "With BONDS joining as our Title Partner and the launch of the BONDS Flying Roos," Slingsby added, "we're building something distinctly Australian; a team driven by spirit, resilience, and national pride.' This is the latest sports venture for Reynolds, who along with fellow Hollywood actor Rob McElhenney is a co-owner of Wrexham, one of the world's oldest football clubs. Reynolds and McElhenney were also among a group of investors in the Alpine Formula One team in 2023 and were part of an investment group that acquired Colombian club La Equidad earlier this year. The BONDS Flying Roos SailGP Team is expected to make its debut at the Mubadala New York Sail Grand Prix starting tomorrow.
Euronews
a day ago
- Euronews
Radiohead X Nosferatu: Why you should be excited about Silents Synced
The original 1922 version of Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror is set to get a new cinema release – with a brand new soundtrack, courtesy of Radiohead. F.W. Murnau's silent German Expressionist classic, which was based on Bram Stoker's "Dracula" and is widely regarded as an influential masterpiece of cinema and the horror genre, will be set to Radiohead's classic albums 'Kid A' (2000) and 'Amnesiac' (2001). This comes as part of a new series called Silents Synced. Created by Josh Frank, the series pairs iconic silent films with era-defining records. Kicking off in the UK this autumn, the series will begin with Nosferatu – which was recently remade by Robert Eggers. In our review of the remake, we said: 'While fans of Eggers may bemoan this pronounced reverence for the source material, especially since the director's unique sense of creativity has never felt restrained before, Nosferatu's bite will satisfy those wanting purist vampire folklore, more sexual overtones, and a lot of close-up shots of Lily-Rose Depp in states of both euphoria and agony.' Screenings in October coincide with the 25th anniversary of 'Kid A' - a critically acclaimed album widely regarded as one of Radiohead's most ambitious. In 2026, the second instalment of the Silents Synced series will see Buster Keaton's 1924 comedy Sherlock Jr. matched to R.E.M's albums 'Monster' (1994) and 'New Adventures in Hi-Fi' (1996). 'The question for independent cinemas all across the world has become: what can we do to not remain solely reliant on new tentpole Hollywood releases to get product and experiences people can—increasingly—often wait and get at home?' said Silents Synced creator Josh Frank. He added: 'This has led us to something brand new out of necessity, in the same way great outsider art has always been created. It's a whole new cinema experience that we feel both film obsessives and music fans will find something really unique in.' This is not the first time that Radiohead's music has been used to update a classic. Last year, we reported that Radiohead frontman Thom Yorke was adapting the band's 2003 album 'Hail To The Thief' for a new production of Shakespeare's play 'Hamlet'. The production, titled 'Hamlet Hail To The Thief', sees Yorke team up with Tony and Olivier Award-winning directors Steven Hoggett and Christine Jones to create a contemporary adaptation of Shakespeare's play, described as a 'feverish new live experience, fusing theatre, music and movement'. Yorke 'personally reworks' and orchestrates 'Hail To The Thief' for a cast of over 20 musicians and actors, and the music will be performed live during each show. 'Radiohead X Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror' will be playing in cinemas from 2 October, while 'R.E.M X Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr.' will be available from 5 February 2026. Visit here for more information. Donald Trump and Elon Musk's friendship is seemingly coming to an end after the tech billionaire pushed back against the US president's divisive One Big Beautiful Bill Act - which he called a "disgusting abomination". Despite public support for one another, Musk's role in Trump's election campaign and his previous (and incredibly controversial) position as head of the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), the bromance came crashing down due to the aforementioned bill, which proposes a range of tax cuts and changes to social programs that Musk claims would "burden American citizens with crushingly unsustainable debt". Trump publicly said that he was 'very disappointed with Elon', claiming the former DOGE head 'knew the inner workings' of the Big Beautiful Bill 'better than anybody' and had 'no problem with it' until he realised that the government was 'going to cut the (electric vehicle) mandate'. Musk responded: 'False, this bill was never shown to me even once and was passed in the dead of night so fast that almost no one in Congress could even read it!' The increasingly explosive fallout continued with Trump threatening to cut Elon's government contracts, including with Tesla and SpaceX, and claimed that the CEO was "crazy". "Elon was 'wearing thin,' I asked him to leave, I took away his EV Mandate that forced everyone to buy Electric Cars that nobody else wanted (that he knew for months I was going to do!), and he just went CRAZY!" Trump wrote on Truth Social. Musk promptly hit back, claiming that the President would have lost the election without his contributions to the campaign. He also agreed with an X user that Trump should be impeached. "Such ingratitude," he added. The came the bombshell X post on Thursday, in which Musk alleged that Trump had shared a long friendship with convicted abuser and sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. 'Time to drop the really big bomb: @realDonaldTrup is in the Epstein files. That is the real reason they have not been made public.' 'Mark this post for the future. The truth will come out,' Musk added in a follow-up post. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt dismissed his claims in a statement, saying: "This is an unfortunate episode from Elon, who is unhappy with the One Big Beautiful Bill because it does not include the policies he wanted." As to be expected, the entertainment world has been reacting to this swiftly escalating public feud. Among the first people to react to the ongoing feud was Kanye 'Ye' West, who has publicly and controversially aligned himself with Trump and Musk countless times before. 'Broooos please nooooo We love you both so much,' he posted on X. Piers Morgan reacted to Musk's claims that Trump is in the Epstein File with a 'Holy Shit', before offering both men a platform to 'duke this out for a few hours'. 'BBB actually stands for Big Beautiful Breakup,' commented right-wing activist Laura Loomer, while conspiracy theorist Alex Jones wrote: 'God Help Us ALL….' after Musk's accusation. Steve Bannon, a right-wing activist who has opposed Musk's role in the government, took things up a notch by telling the New York Times that Musk should be 'deported' and that the government should 'initiate a formal investigation of his immigration status.' Elsewhere, popular politician Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez offered her take when asked about the feud: 'Oh man, the girls are fighting, aren't they?' Democratic Senator Adam Schiff joked on X: 'Going to need a Big Beautiful Bucket of popcorn for this ugly brawl.' Comedian, writer and TV host Jon Stewart wrote: 'Good thing Trump didn't willfully hand over the entirety of our country's operating system to Elon and his… oops.' As for celebrated musician Jack White, who has consistently been critical of both Trump and Musk – he wrote in response to Kanye West's post: '3 fucking nazi clowns collapsing under the weight of their own unchecked egos. More popcorn gruppenfuehrer! L to R: Joseph Noballs, Yedolf Hitler, and Herman Boring. Is America 'Great' yet boys?' Une publication partagée par Jack White (@officialjackwhite) Another notable reaction came from Vivian Jenna Wilson, Elon Musk's estranged transgender daughter. Wilson posted a short video of herself with the caption 'I love being proven right.' She also posted a photo on Threads with the song 'Job Application' by Chase Icon and the caption, 'Such beauty in life.'
