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The First Folio marked the first time that Shakespeare's plays had been organised as comedies, tragedies and histories. Reuters
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An employee of Christie's holds a 1623 rare first folio of 36 Shakespeare works that was sold for a record $9.97 million on October 14. Reuters
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The folio is one of only six known complete copies in private hands. Reuters
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The folio includes 18 plays that had never been published before and might have been lost. Reuters
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The October 14 sale was the first time in nearly 20 years that a complete copy of the First Folio had come to auction. Reuters
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A Christie's auctioneer drops the gavel on the rare first folio. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VI37TXHOWM65CN23PIIUXYS6SM.jpg?smart=true&auth=29a480ce2c4331d8bb0a1b497685f2fe9db7dee60d2ee82fae96bf5ea1b10300&width=400&height=225)
The First Folio marked the first time that Shakespeare's plays had been organised as comedies, tragedies and histories. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/HJPJZRHVUNOYRICB2TN2RAPWXQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=038d01e9db0cbcae4a2b351c38d26a139d6e2311e3c6153d0a2851730c9f480e&width=400&height=225)
An employee of Christie's holds a 1623 rare first folio of 36 Shakespeare works that was sold for a record $9.97 million on October 14. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/NFCCQ5QLGZCY56PDUU3TOHZRKQ.jpg?smart=true&auth=e799429ce96aded258791f68b04324849b96242a9465720ba78bf45729a9524d&width=400&height=225)
The folio is one of only six known complete copies in private hands. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/UDNFHCYJLP6HXJ45KTT4DXUTMI.jpg?smart=true&auth=87e05515c4dc493de6e400e1d64cb919dd116fb0514303840f8dfb4a9abd0629&width=400&height=225)
The folio includes 18 plays that had never been published before and might have been lost. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/23EAF4EWEU4T46BPK3JPS3JJHE.jpg?smart=true&auth=7c55b102f64a9840e99a66bc8c7b23ff101af3d4c60ba180869faa25b18d59dc&width=400&height=225)
The October 14 sale was the first time in nearly 20 years that a complete copy of the First Folio had come to auction. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/N3VUPZE3USQZMNG6S7WZEODZE4.jpg?smart=true&auth=dd297de1630b8fcab558ff6dd1b9fcbddd27fec0b12da7417d21a33b1083d650&width=400&height=225)
A Christie's auctioneer drops the gavel on the rare first folio. Reuters
![](https://thenational-the-national-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VI37TXHOWM65CN23PIIUXYS6SM.jpg?smart=true&auth=29a480ce2c4331d8bb0a1b497685f2fe9db7dee60d2ee82fae96bf5ea1b10300&width=400&height=225)
The First Folio marked the first time that Shakespeare's plays had been organised as comedies, tragedies and histories. Reuters
First collection of William Shakespeare's plays sells for a record $10 million
The rare book, which dates back to 1623, contains a number of the playwright's most famous works
Reuters
15 October, 2020
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