Latest news with #DurhamFirstFolio
Yahoo
03-04-2025
- Yahoo
Stolen Shakespeare book found in the USA to be star exhibit in university's new show
The remarkable story of what happened to a stolen copy of William Shakespeare's First Folio is set to feature in a new exhibition at Durham University. The book containing 36 plays - including such iconic works as Macbeth, Twelfth Night, and The Tempest - was stolen from the University in 1998. It was found in Washington DC, in the United States, 10 years later - mutilated and with its cover and some pages missing. Raymond Scott was convicted of handling stolen goods and removing stolen property from the UK - but was found not guilty of stealing the book - in 2010. He was sentenced to eight years in prison, but was found dead in his HMP Northumberland cell in 2012. The Durham First Folio receiving light-touch conservation to stabilise its condition and prevent further damage. Here, a lightweight Japanese paper is applied to the spine where vandalism has left the pages torn and vulnerable. (Image: DURHAM UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AND COLLECTIONS) Mr Scott, aged 53 at the time of his conviction, was a flamboyant and colourful character and his trial made news around the world. The copy of the Folio was severely damaged after it was stolen from the University's Cosin's Library, on Palace Green in Durham. It was returned to the library - its rightful home since 1669 - in 2010. Now, 15 years after its return, the university's copy of the rare book will be on display as the centrepiece of a new 'Shakespeare Recovered' exhibition. Two students studying the Durham First Folio with a Durham University Librarian in the 1930s. (Image: DURHAM UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AND COLLECTIONS) Since the vandalised book was returned, conservation experts have worked tirelessly to "preserve the historic value of the book and find ways to make it safely available for future generations". The damage that the book sustained during its missing years means that multiple pages can now be viewed side by side. It is also possible to see evidence of the original binding, giving unique insight into book production in the 1600s. Meanwhile advances in technology mean that conservators have been able to use new tools to explore the book in ways not possible when it was recovered. Stuart Hunt, Director of Durham University's library, said: "Shakespeare's First Folio is a literary wonder of the world, but only Durham's First Folio can tell such a unique and powerful story. Scientific analysis using a technique called Hyperspectral Imaging reveals how different inks were used in the Durham First Folio. The tragedy of Troilus and Cressida was added to the contents page by hand using a different ink to the rest of the page. (Image: DURHAM UNIVERSITY LIBRARY AND COLLECTIONS) 'Having been at the centre of an international theft and recovery, Durham's First Folio is truly exceptional." Visitors to the exhibition will see how modern-day technologies are revealing hidden secrets within the book, including centuries-old doodles. They can also step into the shoes of Durham University's conservation team, using an interactive game to explore the various conservation options for the Folio.A screenshot from the conservation game that will encourage visitors to step into the shoes of Durham University's book conservators and consider the real-life dilemmas posed by caring for Durham's First Folio. Tony King, senior collections care and conservation manager, at Durham University added: "While the vandalism of the Folio is tragic, its current condition reveals parts of the book that would otherwise be hidden. 'We've used cutting-edge heritage science to explore this cultural masterpiece in new ways, deepening our understanding of it." Durham University's First Folio was originally purchased by Bishop John Cosin around the year 1620 and was added to his library in 1669. READ MORE: When Shakespeare's First Folio went missing from Durham University Durham to celebrate 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's First Folio Ten years ago: Raymond Scott questioned over theft of Shakespeare First Folio Some 750 copies are said to have been printed originally, however, only 235 are known to have survived. The Durham Library also houses 75 volume copies of medieval manuscripts, which contain invaluable texts dated from before 1501. The exhibition will be open to the public from Friday (April 4) until November 2, Wednesday to Sundays from 11am to 4pm.
Khaleej Times
03-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Khaleej Times
UK show reveals tawdry tale of Shakespeare folio theft
The gripping tale of how a 400-year-old edition of the first collection of William Shakespeare plays was stolen, recovered and restored is to be explored in a new UK exhibition, it was announced Thursday. The Shakespeare First Folio edition stolen from Durham University's Cosin's Library in 1998 is one of only 235 known to survive, and is valued at more than £1 million ($1.3 million). The First Folio, published in 1623, was the first collection of Shakespeare's plays and each version is unique. It is considered to be one of the most important books in English literature. The stolen book reappeared at the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington DC 10 years later but experts raised the alarm about the eccentric man who came in to get it authenticated. US police arrested Raymond Scott, coincidentally from the town of Washington in northeast England, when experts realised it was the stolen Durham First Folio, despite the book having its cover and some pages missing. Scott, who made one court appearance dressed like Fidel Castro, claimed he found the book while on holiday in Cuba but was convicted of handling stolen goods. He received an eight-year jail sentence but took his own life in prison in 2012. Scott never admitted to the crime but while in jail told the local Sunday Sun newspaper about a "fairy story" in which a "person decided to live one day as a lion rather than spend his days as a lamb. To live life to the full in Havana, London, Paris." The Shakespeare Recovered exhibition will welcome guests to the library where the crime took place, giving them an in-depth account of the efforts to restore the folio after it was returned in 2010. "Having been at the centre of an international theft and recovery, Durham's First Folio is truly exceptional," said Stuart Hunt, University Librarian at Durham. "The vandalism it sustained left the Folio extremely vulnerable. "But with this comes an opportunity to closely examine an iconic object in new ways and discover more about Shakespeare's world and legacy," he added. Without the First Folio, experts say that 18 of Shakespeare's works including "Macbeth" and "The Tempest" could have been lost. Vandalism to the book has exposed its original binding, giving researchers evidence of how books were made in the 17th century, and also made centuries-old doodles visible to modern technology. The exhibition runs from Friday until November 2. jwp/jkb/phz © Agence France-Presse
