William Shakespeare’s First Folio Found in French Library

Paris, France – A rare and valuable copy of pre-eminent dramatist, playwright and actor William Shakespeare’s First Folio that was published in 1623, has been discovered in the provincial library in an ancient town of northern France.

Shakespeare’s First Folio- the first-ever compilation of the Bard’s plays published in 1623, was uncovered when librarian Remy Cordonnier dusted off a copy of Shakespeare’s works dating to the 18th century for an exhibition on English literature in the town of Saint-Omer near Calais.

The 1623 book, one of the world’s most valuable and coveted books, was worth £3.5 million ($5.5 million).

“It occurred to me that it could be an unidentified First Folio, with historic importance and great intellectual value,” Cordonnier told AFP.

Published seven years after Shakespeare’s death, the book was authenticated on Saturday by First Folio expert Eric Rasmussen from the University of Nevada.

The book, which contains 36 of Shakespeare’s plays, remains in good condition.

However, it has missing 30 pages which includes the title page.

Rasmussen, who has written a book about his two-decade hunt to all 232 existing copies of the book, said the 233rd copy was the first new version discovered in a decade. He further said the book was “immediately identifiable” as an original due to its watermarks, the paper used and the fact that errors were still present that would have been corrected in later copies.

He added that the book was missing title pages as well as the whole text of the play “The Two Gentlemen of Verona.”

“What is really interesting is that it clearly came from the college of Jesuits in Saint-Omer, founded in the late 16th century during Queen Elizabeth’s reign when it was illegal for Catholics to go to college,” said Rasmussen.

Rasmussen highlighted the “really good survival rate” of an estimated 750 original prints of First Folio.

The massive book was published at a time when printed plays were not considered literature, and sold for one pound at a time when a skilled worker could perhaps hope to earn four pounds a year, said Rasmussen.

Source: GMA News Online

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