The provenance of this copy is most interesting. It belonged to the Rev. Dr. Daniel Williams around the beginning of the 18th century. Williams was a leader in the Protestant Dissident movement at the time, a man about whom little is known of his youth, but who arose to considerable significance in the theological arguments of the day. It is not certain where he obtained his first folio, but he purchased the library of another dissenter, Dr. William Bates, who died in 1699, and it is likely this copy was in that collection. Bates was born two years after the first folio was published, so while he obviously did not purchase it new, he likely was one of the earliest to hold it.
In his will, Williams made provision for his library to be turned over to a trust for public enjoyment. He died a wealthy man, leaving 7,600 books to the trust, and lots of money for other good causes. Williams was married twice, and apparently both of his wives had money, which may explain how a minister ended up with a substantial estate. The trust he formed in 1716, officially known as the Dr. Williams Trust, is to run for 2,000 years, so it does still have another 1,700-plus years to go. In order to provide funds for maintaining the library and other projects, as well as reducing insurance costs, the Dr. Williams Trust has decided, after possessing this copy for almost 300 years, to put it up for auction.
The Williams copy has some fairly heavy annotation. These notations evidently give some insight into how a contemporary, or near contemporary reader viewed this work. As such, they provide some useful interpretive information, though I'm not sure this is quite as beneficial to the copy as the folks at Sotheby's seem to feel.
Sotheby's expects the first folio to "fetch" £2.5-£3.5 million. That comes to roughly $4.5-$6.3 million in U.S dollars. This estimate does not include buyer's premium. It is based on the last first folio to sell at auction, a copy auctioned by Christie's in 2001 for $5.6 million. Perhaps they will be right, but given the rise in prices for ultra-premium material, I would not be at all surprised if this one goes flying past the estimates. After all, this is just about the most collectible book in the world, and it is almost unobtainable. Until and unless the Folger Library starts flooding the market with their collection (the Folger owns an incredible 79 copies of the first folio), there will continue to be far more potential buyers than sellers for this essential and magnificent classic. Don't go to this auction expecting a bargain!
Heritage, Dec. 15: Jerry Thomas. How to Mix Drinks, or the Bon-Vivant's Companion, Containing Clear and Reliable Directions for Mixing All the Beverages Used in the United States…
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Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("Martinus Luther") to His Friend the Theologian Gerhard Wiskamp ("Gerardo Xantho Lampadario"). $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: An Exceptionally Fine Copy of Austenís Emma: A Novel in Three Volumes. $40,000 - $60,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Presentation Copy of Ernest Hemmingwayís A Farewell to Arms for Edward Titus of the Black Mankin Press. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript Signed Integrally for "The Songs of Pooh," by Alan Alexander. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Manuscript of "Three Fragments from Gˆtterd‰mmerung" by Richard Wagner. $30,000 - $50,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Preliminary Artwork, for the First Edition of Snow Crash. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("T.R. Malthus") to Economist Nassau Senior on Wealth, Labor and Adam Smith. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: History of the Peloponnesian War by Thucydides Finely Bound by Michael Wilcox. $20,000 - $30,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: First Edition of Lewis and Clark: Travels to the Source of the Missouri River and Across the American Continent to the Pacific Ocean. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Original Artwork for the First Edition of Neal Stephenson's Groundbreaking Novel Snow Crash. $100,000 - $150,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: A Complete Set Signed Deluxe Editions of King's The Dark Tower Series by Stephen King. $8,000 - $12,000.
Bonhams, Dec. 8-18: Autograph Letter Signed ("John Adams") to James Le Ray de Chaumont During the Crucial Years of the Revolutionary War. $8,000 - $12,000.
Sotheby’s Book Week December 9-17, 2025
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Hooke, Robert. Micrographia: or some Physiological Descriptions of Minute Bodies made by Magnifying Glasses. London: James Allestry for the Royal Society, 1667. $12,000 to $15,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Chappuzeau, Samuel. The history of jewels, first edition in English. London: T.N. for Hobart Kemp, 1671. $12,000 to $18,000.
Sotheby’s, Dec. 12: Sowerby, James. Exotic Mineralogy, containing his most realistic mineral depictions, London: Benjamin Meredith, 1811, Arding and Merrett, 1817. $5,000 to $7,000.
![<b>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.](https://ae-files.s3.amazonaws.com/AdvertisementPhotos/8caddaea-4c1f-47a7-9455-62f53af36e3f.jpg "<b>Heritage, Dec. 15:</b> John Donne. <i>Poems, By J. D. With Elegies on the Author's Death.</i> London: M[iles]. F[lesher]. for John Marriot, 1633.")
