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Priceless 400-year-old Shakespeare first edition discovered on Scottish island

The authentication of the First Folio makes it one of the most valuable books in the world.

Shakespeare Death 400th Anniversary File Photo: a First Folio on display at Guildhall in London. The book is worth in excess of €3.7 million PA Wire / Press Association Images PA Wire / Press Association Images / Press Association Images

A NEW WILLIAM Shakespeare First Folio, part of the original collection of 36 plays published in 1623, has been discovered on a Scottish island, the University of Oxford says.

Emma Smith, Professor of Shakespeare Studies at Oxford University, authenticated the First Folio as genuine, making it one of the most valuable books in the world.

The discovery brings the total of First Folios known to survive to 234, and comes shortly before celebrations marking the 400th anniversary of the English playwright’s death, on 23 April 1616.

The Folio was discovered at the Mount Stuart mansion on the island of Bute, where it will be on display to the public until October.

The three-volume work formerly belonged to 18th-century literary editor Isaac Reed, according to Smith.

“When the team at Mount Stuart first told me they thought they had a First Folio, I must admit I thought ‘yeah, sure, and so do I!’,” says Smith.

Genuine

But when I went up to investigate, I could tell from the story of the book’s origins, the watermarks and the idiosyncrasies of the text that it was genuine. It was a really exciting moment.

The professor described the goatskin piece as “unusual, because it is bound in three volumes and has lots of spare blank pages which would have been used for illustrations”.

The book is part of the Bute Collection, one of Britain’s most important private collections of artwork and artefacts that is kept at Mount Stuart.

“In terms of literary discoveries, they do not come much bigger than a new First Folio, and we are really excited that this has happened on Bute,” said Alice Martin from Mount Stuart.

But it is just the tip of the iceberg for the undiscovered material in the remarkable Bute Collection.

The First Folio was printed seven years after Shakespeare’s death, ensuring the survival of plays such as Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Julius Caesar, As You Like It and The Tempest, which would otherwise have been lost.

© – AFP, 2016

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    Mute Phillip O'Brien
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:12 PM

    One can only wonder at what hidden works are in the libraries of old houses and mansions.
    This is a fantastic discovery.

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    Mute Smeghead
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:24 PM

    And friaries and religious strongholds in Ireland too. We’ve had some amazing ones ourselves. Even in the old ;library of my old secondary school, a Capuchin run school and 130 year old building, they had some amazing books that predated the school by another 150 years+. I’d love nothing more than to go through them and see what I could dig up.

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    Mute Dj
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:29 PM

    I despair for youth these days. Turn on the history channel and all you get is Duck Hunters, American Ammo, Ice Road Truckers and Nazi stuff..

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    Mute Phillip O'Brien
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:30 PM

    Absolutely, it’s a shame to think some of these collections will be lost to time, mould and mildew.

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    Mute Apu Mohammed
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:35 PM

    You take that back about Ice Road Truckers !

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    Mute Smeghead
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:42 PM

    True Philip. The books were kept in a huge sunlit classroom in clear glass casing shelves that covered the huge room from wall to wall. Although they were usually under lock and key, they were deteriorating before your eyes. It looked very impressive, and that’s probably why they left it as is.

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    Mute Ulick Magee
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    Apr 7th 2016, 2:32 PM

    A first season episode of Duck Hunters will be priceless in for hundreds years..

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    Mute buzzbaron
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    Apr 7th 2016, 4:30 PM

    Anyone ever wonder about what sort of literature the Vatican have hidden in their archives? Always thought to myself they’d have some stuff there that may be cause to re-write some history books.

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    Mute Steve Tracey
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    Apr 7th 2016, 7:36 PM

    Smeghead
    You are right there must be loads hidden away some places. Ireland was comparatively lucky in that it wasn’t as hammered as England during the Dissolution of the Monastries ( I know Shakespeare came afterwards) there must have been so,e real gems destroyed then.

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    Mute Kevin Slater
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    Apr 8th 2016, 7:47 AM

    Yeah do you remember the Caravaggio found in the dining room of a Jesuit house here in Dublin years ago?

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    Mute james
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:43 PM

    It will turn up on Pawnstars….

    I won’t take less than 4 million

    I’ll give you 2,000 dollars

    Ok

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    Mute Patrick Hurley
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:24 PM

    “Priceless” with a price in the first paragraph.

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    Mute Keelan O'neill
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:50 PM

    It’s cultural importance is priceless.

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    Mute Patrick Hurley
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    Apr 7th 2016, 2:50 PM

    If the price is what it’s worth isn’t priceless the same as worthless?

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    Mute Strong silent type
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    Apr 7th 2016, 3:10 PM

    It’s cultural importance is worth in excess of 3.7 million euro.

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    Mute Steve Tracey
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    Apr 7th 2016, 7:45 PM

    Patrick
    The term priceless does not refer to a monetary value. It comes from the insurance world and meant it’s impossible to put a price on something as the value changes so much from person to person. There is no standard measure as to the value. Often such objects are considered uninsurable.
    Literary museums ,libraries might well be prepared to pay thousands whereas a person or institute with no interest in literature or history might consider €50 too much

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    Mute Patrick Hurley
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    Apr 7th 2016, 8:09 PM

    Tongue in cheek means that my tongue is in my cheek.

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    Mute Cal McLaughlin
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:18 PM

    Splendid news.
    What a treasure.

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    Mute Padraig Corcoran
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:40 PM

    Wonder how much my Soundings book would be worth. Still in mint condition.

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    Mute Paddy Ryan
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    Apr 7th 2016, 4:00 PM

    God almighty but they picked some depressing stuff to teach kids in that book. Milton’s Paradise Lost being a prime example…

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    Mute Eamonn Hughes
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:25 PM

    Headline says Priceless but article says it’s worth 3.7 million. Good old Journal.

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    Mute Socrates Is Alive
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:31 PM

    You’re repeating yourself

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    Mute Phillip O'Brien
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:32 PM

    In fairness the price is about the copy in the photograph. It is not about the copy found.

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    Mute Allan Williams
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    Apr 7th 2016, 2:44 PM

    Any of the Rathkeale boys heading to Bute Island for the weekend.

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    Mute Patrick Hurley
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    Apr 7th 2016, 3:06 PM

    Culture : tick. Priceless : tick Book : No thanks boss. They’d probably rob a school atlas by mistake.

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    Mute Permo Dermo
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    Apr 7th 2016, 3:48 PM

    Got me thicket boss

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    Mute Smeghead
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:20 PM

    I wouldn’t be waiting for that to turn up on pawn starts.

    I know the owners can do what they like with it, and it’s great they are putting it on display for the public until October. but I got nervous reading it as a heist is always a possibility in the interim.

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    Mute Pissy Lips
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    Apr 7th 2016, 4:00 PM

    I have the sequel to the book of Kells down in the old servants quarters (The book of Kells II – Redemption & Fortitude), I forgot to mention it to the lads at Trinity when I was passing through, do you reckon it’s worth a couple of quid?

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    Mute Eamonn Hughes
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:27 PM

    Headline says it’s a Priceless book, story says it’s worth 3.7 million. Good old Journal.

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    Mute Apu Mohammed
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    Apr 7th 2016, 1:35 PM

    Are you Gareth Gates ?

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    Mute Aonghus OReilly
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    Apr 7th 2016, 6:09 PM

    Hope it wasn’t kept from the library. Can you imagine the fines??

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    Mute Mac Steve
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    Apr 7th 2016, 9:20 PM

    Apparently you can buy a priceless first edition Shakespeare work for £3.7 million go figure huh!!

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