Books

1 vol., 5-13/16" x 3-9/16", [3]-28pp., with the engraved frontispiece portrait plate, with Shelley's name misspelled "Shelly", internally clean and bright, closely trimmed first leaf with slight loss to a few letters, hardbound in recent brown cloth, gilt title and date to front cover. There appear to be three distinct title-page variants. 1. The Man and the Monster, or, the Fate of Frankenstein. 2. Frankenstein; or, The Man and the Monster! With Mary Shelley's name misspelled "Shelly" 3. Frankenstein; or, The Man and the Monster! With Mary Shelley's name correctly spelled "Shelley" According to RBH only 1 copy each of all 3 have EVER appeared at auction so it goes without saying that all three versions are extremely scarce. This edition precedes the third London edition by 5 years and provided the narrative for a theatrical production of Frankenstein, staged July 3, 1826, as performed at the London Theatres. The playbill lists the characters and actors who played them. One Mr. O. Smith features here as The Monster, and his portrait in costume is used as the frontispiece. First produced three years after Richard Brinsley Peake's play Presumption, Milner's play was the first to show the actual creation scene p.10/11. Milner took major liberties with Mary Shelley's original novel. Like Peake, Milner made the Monster a mute, but in this case a confused and sympathetic one. Milner also made Frankenstein an egomaniacal cad, complete with an abandoned girlfriend and child. These changes would figure prominently in the familiar film adaptations by Universal and Hammer more than a century later. It also has a heck of an ending, with the Monster leaping to his death in Mount Etna during an eruption.

Mary Shelley's "Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus" stands as a cornerstone of gothic literature and a prized artifact in the rare book market. Published in 1818, the novel's lasting influence on literature, culture, and science fiction has made it highly sought after by collectors. This article explores the literary importance of "Frankenstein," its historical context, and the factors contributing to its rarity and value. "Frankenstein" is often regarded as one of the first science fiction novels. Its themes of unchecked ambition, the quest for knowledge, and the consequences of playing God have captivated readers for over two centuries. Shelley's exploration of complex ethical and philosophical questions has made the novel a subject of academic study and a timeless piece of literature. The story's impact on popular culture is profound, with numerous adaptations in film, theatre, and other media. The novel was conceived during the summer of 1816, known as the "Year Without a Summer," at the Villa Diodati near Lake Geneva. It emerged from a storytelling contest among Mary Shelley, her future husband Percy Bysshe Shelley, Lord Byron, and John Polidori. The first edition of "Frankenstein" was published anonymously in 1818 by the small London publishing house Lackington, Hughes, Harding, Mavor, & Jones. Only 500 copies were printed, and Mary Shelley's name did not appear as the author until the 1823 edition. The rarity of "Frankenstein" in the rare book market is mainly due to the scarcity of its first edition. With only 500 copies initially printed and the book's age, surviving copies are extremely rare. The fragile nature of early 19th-century books, combined with historical events such as wars and natural disasters, has further reduced the number of existing copies. The market value of a first edition of "Frankenstein" can reach staggering amounts. In recent years, well-preserved copies have been auctioned for hundreds of thousands of dollars. For instance, a first edition copy sold at a Christie's auction in 2021 for $1.17 million.