Stolen in 1998 from an exhibition case, ten years later the Durham First Folio arrives at the Folger in the briefcase of a man in Fendi sunglasses looking for an appraisal. Thus begins a tale of Cuban mistresses, FBI and Scotland Yard detectives, a trial, and the eventual repatriation of the book to Durham. Folger staff members Steven Galbraith, Curator of Books, and Renate Mesmer, Head of Conservation, share how they knew this copy was the Durham First Folio in a fascinating story of rare book forensics.
Introduction by Stephen Enniss, Eric Weinmann Librarian, Folger
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From the July 7, 2011 summer lecture series in conjunction with the exhibition, Fame, Fortune, and Theft: The Shakespeare First Folio.