Most valuable rare book collection ever gifted

In February 2015, the Princeton University (USA) announced that it was the recipient of the most valuable rare book collection ever gifted. Valued at $300 million (£194 million), the collection was gifted to Princeton by William H Scheide (USA) on his death in November 2014. The collection had been built up over three generations by the Scheide family and at the time of William H Scheide’s death included works such as a Gutenberg Bible; Shakespeare’s first, second, third and fourth folios; the original printing of the Declaration of Independence; autographed items from Abraham Lincoln and Ulysses S Grant; early accounts of voyages to the New World; and autographed music manuscripts from Bach, Beethoven, Mozart, Schubert and Wagner.