It ranks as one of the three major surviving irish manuscripts to have been produced in prenorman ireland, the two other works being the lebor na huidre and the book of leinster. One of 11 known surviving copies of the first book printed in north america, and the only copy outside the united. That was a very large sum, twice the market value of an ordinary copy of the first folio. The bodleian received a copy in 1623, but appears to have sold it in the late 1660s. Shakespeare first folio discovered on scottish island bbc news. Pdf leather cover of the bodleian first folio peter d. The shakespeare first folio is the most important secular book in the history of the western world, said jonathan bate, a shakespeare scholar at oxford. Find out more about the bodleians first folio, a highlight in the recent treasures of the bodleian exhibition, from dr emma smith. A curiosity in the bodleian first folio shakespeare ros. We can use this copy to identify some of its unique features and imagine their equivalents in senate houses stirling copies. As one of the worlds most famous books, located at the core of shakespeare studies, the first folio has inspired a host of folger resources. Oxford, bodleian library, rawlinson b 502 is a medieval irish manuscript which presently resides in the bodleian library, oxford. It is the modern equivalent of a magic book, and smiths own book does justice to that magic.
William shakespeare, the first folio bodleian treasures. An introduction to shakespeares first folio that the bodleian once gave away by dr emma smith, fellow in english, university of oxford. The first edition of william shakespeares collected plays was published in 1623. The following is from andrea mays the millionaire and the bard, a literary detective story following the collectors of shakespeares first folio from elizabethan and jacobean london to gilded age new york. In the winter of 1623, a copy of shakespeare s newly printed first folio arrived at the bodleian library from london.
Oxford university academics discover a first collected edition of. Add tags for the original bodleian copy of the first folio of shakespeare the turbutt shakespeare. Both the bodleian first folio and folger first folio no. Dec 05, 2011 for as reliable an account as possible of what shakespeare wrote, the first folio is it not just for scholars but for actors and directors, says channel 4 news culture editor matthew cain. The display is open to the public until 23 april 2017 in the national library building, and also forms a part of this years university of oxfords alumni weekend in asia, which takes place 2426 march 2017. Emma smith is fellow and tutor in english at hertford college, oxford. Aimed at a variety of audiences, they delve into every aspect of its story, from the first folio s creation to its portrait of shakespeare and much more. The bodleian libraries are very grateful for this additional support, which brings new features to the digitized first folio.
Published seven years after his death, it includes thirtysix plays, many of which would otherwise have been lost. Five surprising facts about oxfords bodleian library amreading. The bodleians original first folio of shakespeare the. Aug 01, 2012 bodleians battered shakespeare first folio to be put on internet. Access all our collections using a single interface, making exploring fun. Over the last 106 years, the first folio has occasionally been photographed by experts at the bodleian libraries, and, before that, by oxford university press. The bodleians first folio was received on publication, under the arrangement with the stationers company. Shakespeare wrote around 37 plays, 36 of which are contained in the first folio. First folio a midsummer nights dream act 1, scene 1. Here you can download images and text of the first folio in a variety of formats. The first recorded sale was two copies to sir edward dering, who noted the purchase in his account book. The bodleian libraries two copies of the first folio will be on display in the weston library later this month in an exhibition curated by professor smith called shakespeares dead.
This sprint for shakespeare echoes an earlier effort, over a century ago, to ensure that the book would be housed in the library after a long period of absence from the. Turbutts intention to keep the book as a family heirloom melted. Bodleian centre for the study of the book, bodleian. In the winter of 1623, a copy of shakespeares newly printed first folio arrived at oxfords bodleian library from london. You can also read the digital text, view the images alongside the digital text, see the xml. The library appears to have sold it at some point in the late 1660s, perhaps having replaced it with the new, improved, edition, the third folio. This has been made possible by the generous support of the donors to the sprint for shakespeare public campaign august to december 2012. While copies of this book are not uncommon, this one is a rarity because it has not been rebound or restored during. A catalogue of the shakespeare exhibition held in the bodleian. About half of shakespeares plays had never previously appeared in print, including as you like it, julius caesar, macbeth, the tempest, and many more.
Like all books of its time, it was typeset and printed off in sheets, meaning, in this case, some three dozen separate gatherings of. The bodleian has two copies of the first folio, and one has been digitized, following a public appeal. The making of shakespeares first folio bodleian libraries. Aug 01, 2012 the shakespeare first folio is the most important secular book in the history of the western world, said jonathan bate, a shakespeare scholar at oxford. Now in private hands, it was offered for sale, and to its considerable relief the bodleian succeeded in reacquiring the book after an urgent public appeal. Read the catalogue record for this book, and the other oxford copies of shakespeares first folio. This is commonly known as the first folio and is one of the most iconic and valuable books in the world. To commemorate the 400th anniversary of william shakespeares death and to celebrate the opening of the bodleian libraries shakespeares dead exhibit, we have added our copy of the first folio to digital. The bodleian first folio is a rarity for not having been rebound since it was first donated to the library in 1623. About the bodleian first folio university of oxford. All chicago e books are on sale at 30% off with the code ebook30. The digitization of the bodleian copy, with its strange and eventful history, is a great project. Some time later, it left the library and for years it was lost from view.
Most unusually, this copy of the first folio is still in its original binding. The bodleians original first folio of shakespeare the conveyor. Bodleian library bodleian first folio on display in singapore. The bodleian library of oxford purchased a copy in early 1624. All chicago ebooks are on sale at 30% off with the code ebook30. Gladwyn turbutt was the undergraduate at magdalen college, university of oxford who, by chance, brought the book back to the library for.
In the 1660s it left the library and was lost from view until 1905, when an undergraduate from magdalen college brought a tattered copy of an early shakespeare folio into the library for advice on its binding. The sorrylooking volume is one of the most famous books in the world. Library history the conveyor bodleian libraries blogs. May 29, 20 of the 750 copies of shakespeares first folio the first collected edition of the bards plays printed in 1623, 232 are known to survive. Signet great britain cover title original bodleian first folio of shakespeare spine title bodleian first folio shakespeare notes the shakespeare itself is for the present deposited by its owner in charge of mr. New shakespeare first folio discovered 400 years after his. Sep 11, 2012 the bodleians original copy of the first folio of william shakespeares plays is the subject of a campaign to stabilize the volume through a conservation program,digitize the volume, and publish it freely online. Apr 07, 2016 the revelation of this first folio is not only important for the isle of bute but significant for scotland as a country. The first folio of shakespeare, published in 1623, is an extraordinary book. More first folio resources folger shakespeare library.
Introducing the iiif first folio bodleian digital library. Mays teaches economics at california state university at long beach and has had a lifelong shakespeare obsession. The books dont need to be rare or valuable in themselves. The making of shakespeares first folio, smith the chicago distribution center has reopened and is fulfilling orders. This second phase of the bodleian first folio project has been made possible by a lead gift from dr geoffrey eiblkaye and generous support from the dallas shakespeare club, mr james barber, and a private individual. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Of the 750 copies of shakespeares first folio the first collected edition of the bards plays printed in 1623, 232 are known to survive.
But it did not appear in the 1674 catalogue, which lists only the third folio 1663. In 2016 she authenticated a new copy of shakespeares first folio found on at mount stuart house on the isle of bute. Folio editions were large and expensive books that were seen as prestige items. May 06, 2016 a curiosity in the bodleian first folio shakespeare may 6, 2016 october 19, 2016 ros barber one of the finest results of the 400th anniversary of the death of a certain man from stratford has been the increased availability of digitised original texts connected to shakespeare. The first impression had a publication date of 1623, and the earliest record of a retail purchase is an account book entry for 5 december 1623 of edward dering who purchased two. The making of the first folio posted on february 2, 2016 by sylvia morris i wrote a week or so ago about emma smiths new book the making of shakespeares first folio, published by bodleian library publishing, and the stories relating to the bodleian librarys own copy. As part of her work on shakespeares first folio, smith worked with conservators, digital specialists and crowdsourced funding on a bodleian library project to digitise a copy of the book. This copy of the first folio is still in the original binding which in 1905 identified it as the bodleian copy. Bodleian libraries bodleian first folio on display in singapore.
There are 233 known surviving copies of the first folio. Bodleian and created a iiif manifest that allows the full structure of the book to be displayed in digiratis universal viewer. The making of the first folio the shakespeare blog. Images, digital text, and xml are all available for download. They are preserved here, in the first printed edition of the collected works, published after shakespeares death.
The colin franklin prize is for a collection of books that is meaningful to you. Before they laid a finger on the battered, brownleather book, the conservators at the bodleian library in oxford just sat and stared at it, working. A brief history of william shakespeares first folio. A curiosity in the bodleian first folio shakespeare ros barber. Welcome to the digital facsimile of the bodleian first folio of shakespeares plays, arch. The vernon manuscript oxford, bodleian library, ms eng. Without this book, the famous first folio, eighteen of shakespeares plays including julius caesar and macbeth would probably be lost to us. Bodleian libraries bodleian first folio on display in.
The chicago distribution center has reopened and is fulfilling orders. This sprint for shakespeare echoes an earlier effort, over a century ago, to ensure that the book would be housed in the. He offered to sell the book to the bodleian at the same price as folgers, and gave the curators until march 31st, 1906 to find the money. The first folio is the first collected edition of william shakespeares plays, collated and published in 1623, seven years after his death. An account of the first folio based on its sales and prices, 16232000 at. Read the book the bodleian first folio university of oxford.
Shakespeares plays are among the most significant pieces of literature in the english language and have influenced art and media all over the world for centuries. There are probably others waiting to be found, perhaps lying forgotten in dusty attics or locked away in the private libraries of reclusive billionaire bibliophiles. One of the important things about the bodleian first folio is that it is in its original binding. May 12, 2014 in the winter of 1623, a copy of shakespeares newly printed first folio arrived at the bodleian library from london. Apr 22, 20 see peter blayneys the first folio of shakespeare folger 1991 and linked below for an overview of this, charlton hinmans the printing and proofreading of the first folio of shakespeare clarendon p, 1963 for a detailed explanation of such changes, and eric rasmussen and anthony james wests the shakespeare first folios. This copy was sent to be bound by william wildgoose, and was duly returned to the library. The original bodleian copy of the first folio of shakespeare. Bodleians battered shakespeare first folio to be put on internet. The making of shakespeares first folio from bodleian library publishing. It appeared in the 1635 appendix to the 1620 catalogue. Much ado about nothing first folio hd book 6 kindle edition by william shakespeare. Our powerful search engine helps you find the content you need quickly and easily. A copy of shakespeares first folio, one of the most soughtafter books in the.
This book, generously illustrated with key pages from the publication and comparative works, tells the human, artistic, economic and technical stories of the birth of the first folio and the birth of shakespeares towering reputation. An introduction to shakespeares first folio by dr emma smith, fellow in english, university of oxford. The first folio treasures of the bodleian university of oxford. Pip wilcox, curator of digital special collections, bodleian libraries, university of oxford, gives a talk for the 2016 dhoxss on shakespeares first folio, held by the bodleian. Apr 23, 2016 to commemorate the 400th anniversary of william shakespeares death and to celebrate the opening of the bodleian libraries shakespeares dead exhibit, we have added our copy of the first folio to digital.
The bodleian libraries have collaborated with the national library of singapore to display a copy of shakespeares first folio in singapore. The book the making of shakespeares first folio, emma smith is published by bodleian library, university of oxford. Sep 23, 2011 an introduction to shakespeares first folio by dr emma smith, fellow in english, university of oxford. Use features like bookmarks, note taking and highlighting while reading much ado about nothing first folio hd book 6. In the 1660s it left the library and was lost from view until 1905, when an undergraduate from magdalen college brought a tattered copy of an early shakespeare folio. Information about this copy of the first folio during its first residence in the bodleian comes from library records, the librarys archive of its own history.
If you just want to see the page images, you may prefer to read the book using the. Download it once and read it on your kindle device, pc, phones or tablets. The bodleian received a copy of shakespeare s first folio in 1623, but appears to have sold it at some point in the late 1660s, perhaps having replaced it with the new, improved, edition, the third folio, with its additional plays, which was published in 16634. An effort to put first edition of shakespeare online the. The first bodleian shelfmark had been torn from the bottom of the title page. First folio sprint for shakespeare university of oxford. Bodleians battered shakespeare first folio to be put on. Much ado about nothing first folio hd book 6 kindle. Listen to folger shakespeare unlimited podcasts on multiple aspects of the first folio, read posts.
It is considered one of the most influential books ever published. Bodleian library, university of oxford book list the. The bodleian s original copy of the first folio of william shakespeares plays is the subject of a campaign to stabilize the volume through a conservation program,digitize the volume, and publish it freely online. What is interesting about the bodleian s copy of the first folio is that the library decided to dispose of it with the publication of the third folio of shakespeares plays in 1664. In the winter of 1623, a copy of shakespeare s newly printed first folio arrived at oxfords bodleian library from london. The making of shakespeares first folio from bodleian library publishing in late november 1623, edward blount finally took delivery at his bookshop at the sign of the black bear near st pauls of a book that had been long in the making. The bodleian first folio a digital facsimile of the first folio of shakespeares plays, bodleian arch. Tales of the bodleians first folio university of oxford.
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