A Shakespeare third folio printed in 1664, valued at A$2 million, is the star attraction at Melbourne’s rare book fair this week. The volume, once owned by astronomer and MP Charles Shuckburgh, is bound in 18th-century leather and is among a handful that survived the Great Fire of London in 1666. It was the first folio to include Pericles, Prince of Tyre.
The fair, held at the University of Melbourne, coincides with the International League of Antiquarian Booksellers (ILAB) symposium, bringing dealers from around the world to Australia for the first time. Experts will discuss challenges in the rare book trade, including provenance, border restrictions, and literary theft.
Other highlights include a first illustrated edition of Pride and Prejudice (1894), priced at A$15,000, featuring Hugh Thomson’s drawings. A 1695 sex manual, Aristotle’s Masterpiece, annotated by its owners Winifred and Francis, is offered at A$35,000. An 1850 Chinese examination cheat sheet, a handkerchief covered in miniature handwritten characters, costs A$17,500.
David Samwell’s A Narrative of the Death of Captain Cook (1786), an eyewitness account blaming crew members for Cook’s death, is listed at A$350,000. Only five copies have reached auction in 50 years.
