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An exceedingly rare First Folio single play “fragment” of William Shakespeare’s The First Part of Henry the Fourth, published in 1623, will be sold to the highest bidder October 29th.

Auction of Shakespeare First Folio Fragment, Oct. 29

Holabird Western Americana Collections / October 29, 2021 / Reno, Nevada

http://www.holabirdamericana.com

An exceedingly rare First Folio single play “fragment” of William Shakespeare’s The First Part of Henry the Fourth, published in 1623, will be offered during Holabird Western Americana Collections’ Autumn Splendor Western Americana Auction, slated for October 28th-November 1st. The First Folio play will be offered on Day 2 – Friday, Oct. 29th - live and online. The auction is being held in the Holabird gallery located at 3555 Airway Drive in Reno, Nevada. Online bidding will be facilitated by iCollector.com, LiveAuctioneers.com, Invaluable.com and Auctionzip.com. The full catalog can be viewed online now, at www.holabirdamericana.com. For those planning to attend the auction in person, regulations and protocols regarding COVID-19 will be enforced. The First Folio of Shakespeare's plays has been widely referred to by historians, collectors and scholars as the most important literary work in the English language. It is considered by most of academia to be one of the most important books ever published. It’s impossible to tell what the fragment will ultimately sell for, but Holabird has assigned it an estimate of $50,000-$100,000. “The possibility of owning a piece of the most important literary work extant is a once-in-a lifetime opportunity,” said Fred Holabird, the president and owner of Holabird Western Americana Collections. “We’re proud to present this original copy of a First Folio fragment of Shakespeare's The First Part of Henry the Fourth. Its new owner will possess literary history.” The work’s full official title is The First Part of Henry the Fourth, with the Life and Death of HENRY Sirnamed HOT-SPVRRE. The fragment represents one complete play (in a two-part production of Henry IV) that was published in 1623 in England, in the First Folio of William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories & Tragedies, Published according to True, Original Copies. The First Folio was reportedly compiled and edited by two of Shakespeare’s actors and friends, John Heminges and Henry Condell. It was printed in London by Isaac Jaggard and Edward Blount. The fragment has been rebound in bright red patent leather and consists of 13 pages printed on antique Renaissance rag paper, originally numbered 46,49-62,65-73 in the First Folio. For more information, visit www.holabirdamericana.com.

Holabird Western Americana Collections

3555 Airway Drive

Suite 308

Reno, Nevada