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Rare Shakespeare folios united at downtown library

Two sets of rare folios featuring the works of Sir William Shakespeare are now resting side-by-side in downtown Buffalo. It's a first-of-a-kind merger of the sets and part of an ongoing commemoration of the Bard's death 400 years ago.

On Thursday, a so-called "marriage" of the folios was held at the Buffalo and Erie County Library Central Branch. The downtown library has, for years, held a set of four volumes printed in the 1600s. The folios were given to the library system by the man who acquired them in an auction, the late Colonel Charles Clifton, who served later in his life as chairman of the Pierce Arrow Motor Car Company.

It was with that connection in mind that library personnel from the University at Buffalo arrived with their copies of the folios, riding inside a vintage Pierce Arrow. Upon arriving, Michael Basinski, Interim Director of Special Collections at UB, stepped out from the vehicle and helped carefully load their folios on a cart which was rolled gently inside the downtown branch and into the room where the volumes were then laid down next to their counterparts.

Excitedly receiving the folios was Mary Jean Jakubowski, Director of the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library.

"We are fortunate to have such an excellent set of folios in our collection today," Jakubowski said. "What a great opportunity this year to celebrate the fact that Buffalo actually has two sets of Shakespeare's prized folios.

UB's folios, which were gifted to the university by the early 20th Century Buffalo businessman and lawyer Thomas Lockwood, will remain on loan to the Buffalo and Erie County Public Library until January 2017.

Basinski pointed out that the Shakespearean works are just some of the vintage literary treasures among UB's collection. He noted that the university also holds manuscripts of Mark Twain's Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and James Joyce's Ulysses.

"It has been my notion, over these many years that I have spent in the library, that Buffalo's literary collections are equal to Buffalo's architectural heritage, Buffalo's fantastic and growing art galleries and museums, and Buffalo's classical and new music traditions," Basinski said.

The public library system has scheduled a special event on Thursday, October 13 as part of its continuing commemoration of the 400th anniversary of Shakespeare's death.

Michael Mroziak is an experienced, award-winning reporter whose career includes work in broadcast and print media. When he joined the WBFO news staff in April 2015, it was a return to both the radio station and to Horizons Plaza.
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