Books

One of the most sought after editions of Gaston Leroux's The Phantom of the Opera due to the brilliant and rather unnerving dustjacket design. Similar to the Grosset and and Dunlap edition of the same year, in that it was created as a photoplay to accompany the 1925 Universal Pictures film adaptation starring Lon Chaney and is illustrated throughout with black and white scenes from that production. A rare title and seemingly the one copy currently available. The dustjacket is genuinely scarce and highly sought after. First UK photoplay edition, Readers Library Illustrated Edition. Original publishers burgundy cloth with titles and embellishments in gold. The binding is solid and bar some minor nicks is a near fine to fine example. Internally, it is a fresh example with next to no foxing (which usually blights this title). The pages are crisp and the stills from the Universal Pictures film are in near-fine condition with just minor warping. The original dustjacket has received no restoration and presents incredibly well. There are a few small closed tears to the spine and minor loss to the top left of the front of the jacket (as you can see in pictures). However, overall the colours of the jacket artwork are bright and vibrant with no sunning which is incredibly rare for this title. A wonderful example of a rare edition.

The Phantom of the Opera, published serially in Le Gaulois from September 23, 1909 to January 8, 1910, and in volume form in late March 1910, is a novel by French writer Gaston Leroux. It tells the story of a mysterious masked man living in the catacombs of the Paris Opera House and his obsessive love for the beautiful Christine Daaé.