Shakespeare Collection Highlights

This manuscript is Shakespeare's copy of his deed of purchase of the Blackfriar's Gatehouse in 1613. This "gate-house" was a residence built partly above a gate in the wall surrounding the district, and it came with an enclosed garden plot. Though it was near Blackfriar's Theatre in London where his acting company performed, Shakespeare did not live there but seems to have bought the property as an investment. By 1613, Shakespeare—who was probably retired at this point—had purchased several investment properties in Stratford-upon-Avon; the Gatehouse appears to have been his only investment purchase in London. The wavy cuts at the top of the document are called "indentures" and were a method of proving authenticity. If there was ever a question about the deed, the buyer and seller could compare their halves of the document. If they fit together, like pieces of a puzzle, the document was genuine.

The Folger has 82 copies of the 1623 First Folio, the first edited of Shakespeare's collected plays. This copy, however, has pride of place as copy number 1, thanks to the significance of its former owners. In the upper right corner is an inscription marking the book as a gift from the book's printer, William Jaggard, to his friend Augustine Vincent.

David Garrick commissioned a sculpture of Shakespeare to be included in his Shakespeare Temple. This terracotta study (about 22 inches high) was made by French sculptor Louis François Roubiliac in 1757 in preparation for the life-sized marble statue, with Garrick himself serving as the model for the dramatic pose. This statue is an excellent example of how Shakespeare the man has been romanticized over the centuries. Roubiliac clearly attempted to capture creative contemplation, with the figure posed, pen in hand, gazing thoughtfully into the distance. The final marble version that was carved for Garrick's home (and now at the British Library) is more tranquil: the eyes are less animated, and the left hand has moved so that it supports Shakespeare's chin rather than distorting his face.

This costume was worn by American actor Edwin Booth in the title role of Richard III, sometime in the 1870s. Booth came from one of the most noted (and notorious) theater families of the mid-19th century; his father, Junius Brutus Booth, was a noted tragedian in both England and the United States, and his brother, John Wilkes Booth, was a successful actor before becoming a household name as the assassin of President Lincoln. Edwin himself was one of the most noted and well-respected Shakespearean actors in the second half of the 19th century. Although he became most well known for his portrayal of Hamlet, Edwin played most of the Shakespearean tragic roles. In keeping with the period's drive for historical accuracy in theatrical costumes, this garment incorporates Richard's royal coat of arms.

This watercolor sketch shows the set design for Act 3, scene 2 of The Tempest from Charles Kean's 1857 production at the Royal Princess's Theatre London. Kean was one of the great Shakespearean actor/managers in London during the mid-19th century; he also produced Shakespeare plays at Windsor Castle for Queen Victoria. A "souvenir promptbook," such as the one this watercolor is from, was produced to commemorate a particular production; it would include set and costume designs, staging directions, and possibly notes about the well-known actors.