Peter Harrington House displays one of Shakespeare’s rarest books "Abu Dhabi Art"
ABU DHABI, 17 November / WAM / Peter Harrington House, one of the most prominent rare book houses in the world, is participating in the activities of the Abu Dhabi Art Fair, which runs from 19 to 23 November this year at Manarat Al Saadiyat, by displaying the first copy of Shakespeare’s complete works for sale at the Abu Dhabi Art Fair, one of the most important literary treasures in modern history, whose price is estimated at 4.5 million pounds sterling.
The appearance of this unique literary work in Abu Dhabi represents a rare opportunity for those interested in acquiring literary treasures and cultural institutions in the region to join the elite international libraries that hold copies of it, such as the Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington and the British Library in London.
Pom Harrington, owner of Peter Harrington House, said that Shakespeare’s works are still able to transcend the boundaries of time and place, pointing out the pivotal role that this collection played in consolidating Shakespeare’s influence on the English language.
He added that the process of printing the first volume took nearly two years, as the letters were arranged manually with high precision, and several typewriters participated in its preparation, each of whom had his own style of spelling and punctuation, which made each copy differ from the other in slight degrees.
He explained that the volume was considered precious even in its time, as the cost of one copy amounted to the equivalent of two months’ wages for a skilled worker, and out of about 750 copies printed upon its release, only 233 known copies remain today, including only 24 copies that are still in the possession of individuals around the world.
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