Christies is delighted to announce the auction of William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies, often referred to as the First Folio, as part of the Exceptional Sale during Classic Week at Christies New York on Friday, April 24 (est. $4,000,000-$6,000,000). The First Folio, bringing together for the first time the collected plays of Shakespeare, ranks as the greatest work of the English language and, indeed, of world literature. Already celebrated on its first publication, it has remained a highly sought-after masterpiece for over four centuries. Only six complete copies are known in private hands. Shakespeares First Folio is being sold on behalf of Mills College in Oakland, Calif. The current auction record for a copy is $6,166,000, set by Christies on Oct. 8, 2001, in New York. It was sold from the library of Abel E. Berland. The book was published in 1623 by Shakespeares friends and fellow actors, John Heminge and Henry Condell, who collaborated after the writers death to compile this authoritative edition of his work. The First Folio contains 36 of Shakespeares plays, including 18 that may have otherwise been lost forever. Among the rescued works are Macbeth, The Twelfth Night, Measure for Measure, and Julius Caesar. Heminge and Condell also shaped the way the world would read Shakespeares plays by organizing them for the first time into the categories of comedies, tragedies, and histories. The books large size helped elevate the cultural standing of Shakespeare and drama generally, as it assumed an imposing folio format typically reserved at the time for Bibles, theology, and law books. This sale marks the first time in nearly 20 years that a complete copy of the First Folio has come to auction. It presents a rare opportunity for collectors to acquire a well-preserved and complete copy of this monument to world literature. To handle a First Folio by William Shakespeare is always a privilege and even, given its tremendous significance and influence around the globe, a humbling experience. This copy is especially exciting as one of the very few complete copies surviving in private hands and knowing that it was once in the hands of the great Shakespeare scholar Edmond Malone, who himself affirmed its completeness already 200 years ago, said Margaret Ford, International Head of Group, Books and Manuscripts, London. The First Folio was on tour in London and New York City in January and will be in Hong Kong from March 17 to 20, Beijing from April 1 to 3, and back to New York City ahead of the auction on Friday, April 24. To learn more, visit www.christies.com.