William Shakespeare’s First Folio, a copy of which is held in the William H. Hannon Library’s archives and special collections, is one of the most renowned and significant items in our collection. We regularly bring it out for class instruction and pop-up exhibits. Currently, it is on display in the Terrance L. Mahan, S.J. gallery on level 3.
Have you ever wondered why it is called the First Folio? “First folio” refers to two facts. Firstly, it is the first collected edition of Shakespeare’s plays, with first-time appearances in print of some of his most famous works, including “Macbeth” and “Julius Caesar.”
Secondly, this first edition was printed in a “folio” format, a printing term that determines the size of the book (our library calls it “oversized”). Printed in 1623, the actual title of the book is “Mr. William Shakespeare’s Comedies, Histories & Tragedies.” However, the book has become so famous, it is better known the world over by its nickname, the First Folio.
There are only 750 copies believed to have been printed, only 235 of which can be accounted for today. The Folger Shakespeare Library in Washington, D.C. holds 82 of these copies. Of the 153 copies scattered throughout the world in various public and personal collections, we are honored to have our own.
How did we come to own such a rare prize? The Charles Von der Ahe Library, the predecessor to the William H. Hannon Library, opened in 1959 in the current Charles Von Der Ahe building. This was of special interest to T. Marie Chilton, a philanthropist and collector of antiquarian books. Throughout her life, she loaned her collection of 400 rare books for use in the library. These loaned books would eventually be gifted and are now part of the library’s archives and special collections holdings. Chilton would also purchase books specifically for the library, including the very rare Third Folio of Shakespeare (1664) and the first illustrated printed edition of Dante’s Divine Comedy (1481). She generously bequeathed $3 million dollars to the university in 1972, eventually covering the costs of the vault housing these treasures.
We are grateful to all of the donors that have enriched our rare book collection over the years. These titles can be found in the library’s catalog with a location of “SPEC COLL” before the call number. While these books do not circulate, visitors are welcome to make an appointment to view them in our reading room located on level 3 of the library by emailing the special collections team.
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