Shakespeare works expected to fetch up to $7m

A rare edition of the first printed works of William Shakespeare made a brief stage appearance at London's Globe Theatre to promote a sale next month at which it is expected to fetch up to $US3 million ($7 million).

The leatherbound, 1000-page compilation of plays was made in 1623, seven years after the Bard's death, and is known as the First Folio.

Two actors read extracts from the folio which goes under the hammer at Christie's in New York next month.