Regarded as the most important book in English Literature, the First Folio Edition of Shakespeare’s plays garnered £2,808,000 ($5,153,242 USD) at Sotheby’s auction in July of 2006, which is the highest price paid for a First Folio of Shakespeare at auction in the UK, and the most valuable printed book ever sold at Sotheby’s London.

Originally printed in 1623, this seminal work contains a total of 36 plays, 18 of which — including Macbeth, Twelfth Night, and Anthony and Cleopatra — might otherwise have been lost forever, had it not been for the First Folio. The final bid was successfully made by the London Book Dealer Simon Finch Rare Books.

Commenting on the sale, Peter Selley, Sotheby’s auctioneer and specialist in charge of the sale, said, “We are delighted with the price achieved for the First Folio in today’s auction. It has been a great pleasure to have handled the sale of this remarkable and special copy, and its sale will significantly help the Library by securing its finances and safeguarding their important historic collections of manuscripts and printed books.”

The Folio, sold on behalf of the trustees of Dr Williams’ library, is one of the two finest copies to appear at auction in London since the Second World War and has had the longest uninterrupted ownership by a public library of any copy in the world, from at least 1716 until the present day.

About Dr William’s library is maintained by Dr Williams’ Trust and is one of the oldest libraries open to the public and still conducted on its original benefaction. Situated in Gordon Square, close to the British Library and the University of London, it is the pre-eminent research library for English Protestant dissent, but many of the collections are of national and international significance. The Library is used by academics, independent scholars, local historians and students, including a large number from overseas, especially North America.