To Fix or Not? The Curious Case of Durham's Naked Shakespeare Folio

The Shakespeare First Folio at Durham University is a remarkable and rare book. It was first published in 1623 and contains all of William Shakespeare's plays. This book is very valuable and loved by people all over the world. However, the Durham copy is unique because it was stolen in 1998 and was missing for ten years. When it was finally returned, it was not in the same condition as before. The leather cover, some important pages, and the title page with Shakespeare's picture were all gone.

The story of the theft is quite interesting. An unknown person broke into the library and took the First Folio along with six other old books. Those other books have never been found. The First Folio was missing for a decade until Raymond Scott, a man who liked to show off and wear fancy clothes, tried to sell it in Washington DC. He claimed it was from a friend in Cuba, but experts quickly realized it was the stolen Durham copy. Scott was found guilty of handling stolen goods. He became well-known for his dramatic court appearances, sometimes arriving in a limousine or wearing costumes. He always said he was innocent, but some people believe he was the thief. He died in prison in 2012.

When the book was returned to Durham, the library staff had to decide what to do with it. Tony King, the senior collection care conservation manager, explained that fixing the book would mean removing some of its history. Rebinding a book is a big job and can actually damage it more. Lauren Moon-Schott, a book conservator, agreed that making the book look new again would mean taking away parts that show its story. Instead, they decided to leave the book as it is for now. The damaged book is now on display at the Palace Green Library, and visitors can see its missing parts and loose pages. Many people who visit the exhibition think the book should stay in its current state, but some believe it should be repaired. The library staff is still thinking about what to do and will make a decision in a few years. They want to make sure they preserve what makes this book special and unique.