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Shakespeare folios part of huge gift

Written By blogger on Wednesday, February 18, 2015 | 7:54 AM

The first six printed editions of the Bible and four of Shakespeare's original folios are among a trove rare books that have been bequeathed to Princeton University.

William Scheide, a philanthropist who died in November, donated more than 2,500 rare books to his alma mater.

The gift - valued at $300m (£194m) - is the university's largest to date.

"There are discoveries to be made in every document and volume," university librarian Karin Trainer said.

The collection also includes the original printing of the US Declaration of Independence and handwritten music by Bach, Mozart, Beethoven, Schubert and Wagner.

Vivid reds, pinks and greens of the illustrations run alongside the text in the Gutenberg Bible, the first printed Bible, which was produced in Mainz, Germany, in 1455. The Gutenberg Bible, the first printed Bible in 1455, features vividly coloured illustrations
The Scheide Library's autograph manuscript of Cantata 33 dates from 1724, Bach's second year as cantor at St. Thomas Church in Leipzig, Germany Handwritten music by Bach dates to the 1724
William H. Scheide William H. Scheide continued a tradition of book collecting started by his grandfather in 1865
Declaration of Independence An original copy of the US Declaration of Independence

Scheide's grandfather William Taylor Scheide, an oil company executive, started the collection in 1865 at the age of 18. His son, John Hinsdale Scheide, continued the collection and built a library in Titusville, Pennsylvania.

William Scheide and his wife Judy McCartin Scheide kept adding to the collection shortly before his death,

"This collection is the fulfilment of the dreams of three generations of Scheide book men," Ms McCartin Scheide said. "He loved showing people - especially young people who had never seen anything like this before - the collection, letting them touch the books and experience what he called 'the wow factor'."


Shakespeare folios part of huge gift

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