Shakespeare’s First Folio to go under the hammer in NYC

M/S Shakespeare's first folio exhibited in glass, London
M/S International head of group Books & manuscripts at Christie's Margaret Ford talking to visitors
C/U Shakespeare's first folio
M/S Margaret Ford flipping first folio off
C/U Margaret Ford
C/U Margaret Ford flipping first folio off
SOT, Margaret Ford, International head of group Books & manuscripts at Christie's (English): "This is the first folio of Shakespeare, and Shakespeare's "First Folio" is of a monumental importance. It was the first time that the collected plays of Shakespeare were ever brought together, and it is only because of the publication of the first folio that we actually have 18 of his plays. So that is almost half of his entire output, that were preserved exclusively because of the publication of the first folio. They don't exist previously in print or in manuscript. It is the publication of the first folio that preserves plays like Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Juluis Caesar, so all of these famous plays, that are so much a part of world culture now. [They] are preserved here for the first time in the first folio."
C/U Margaret Ford flipping first folio off
C/U First Folio
C/U Margaret Ford flipping first folio off
C/U Shakespeare's first folio
W/S Christies' interior
C/U Christies' flag
W/S Christies' exterior
SCRIPT
A copy of Shakespeare's First Folio was exhibited at Christie's auction house in London on Friday, before being auctioned in New York City later in April.
The First Folio is the first collected edition of William Shakespeare's plays, collated and published in 1623, seven years after his death.
Shakespeare's First Folio is of "monumental importance," said Margaret Ford, the international head of group Books & manuscripts at Christie's auction house. "It is the publication of the first folio that preserves plays like Macbeth, Twelfth Night, Juluis Caesar, so all of these famous plays, that are so much a part of world culture now," she added.
"It is only because of the publication of the First Folio that we actually have 18 of his plays. So that is almost half of his entire output," said Ford.
This First Folio, which is estimated to be sold between 4 and 6 million dollars, will be taken in an international tour to Hong Kong, Beijing and finally to New York City, where it will be auctioned on April 24th. The item is one of only 6 complete copies known to be in private hands.