The First Folio and the transatlantic trade in early drama c.1900–1929.

This article examines the transatlantic trade in early English drama, focusing on the market for Shakespeare's First Folios and quartos from circa 1900 to 1929, to explain why many sixteenth-century English plays are now concentrated in American collections. It highlights the pivotal role of American collectors, especially Henry Clay Folger, whose extensive acquisitions of multiple First Folios helped sustain high prices and dealer confidence, while other collectors like Henry Huntington and dealers such as A.S.W. Rosenbach dominated the market for rarer quartos. The study situates these collecting practices within broader economic and cultural contexts, including post-World War I market dynamics and Anglo-American relations, noting that the Wall Street Crash and the deaths of major collectors in the late 1920s contributed to a decline in demand. Ultimately, the article shows how a combination of cultural prestige and investment motives among American collectors shaped the dispersal and current location of early English dramatic works.