A complete copy of the First Folio of William Shakespeare's plays fetched 2.8 million pounds ($3.5 million) at Sotheby's auction house in London.

The book, which is one of the 40 copies that are known to exist, was bought by an anonymous London book dealer, the BBC reported Thursday.

Still in its original 17th Century binding, the book contains 36 of Shakespeare's plays, 18 of which were published for the first time in the expensive and rare book.

This was a spectacular auction at Sotheby's. Sales like this are few and far between, said Charles Dupplin, book sales expert.

It is fair to say that a first edition of Shakespeare's plays would be the jewel in any book collection in the world. The one sold has achieved the highest prices ever paid at auction in the UK, he added.

The book was auctioned off by Dr. Williams's Library in London to help it conserve the rest of its historic collections and preserve the future of the library.