SHELLEY, Mary. Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus. (1831 - FIRST PRINTING OF THE THIRD AND FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION)

AUTHOR: SHELLEY, Mary. 

TITLE: Frankenstein; or, the Modern Prometheus, Revised, Corrected, and Illustrated with a New Introduction by the Author - BOUND WITH - Edgar Huntly: Or, The Sleep Walker. Volume IX of Bentley's Standard Novels series.

PUBLISHER: London: Henry Colburn & Richard Bentley, 1831.

DESCRIPTION: FIRST PRINTING OF THE THIRD AND FIRST ILLUSTRATED EDITION. 1 vol., with the engraved frontis and additional engraved title-page, and a new introduction by Mary Shelley, bound with the scarcer "Edgar Huntly" as issued. Bound in contemporary 1/2 tan calf, expertly rebacked, raised bands, two gilt lettered black morocco spine labels, marbled pastedowns, endpapers and edges.

CONDITION: Hinges fine, head and foot of spine fine, some offsetting to frontis and additional engraved title-page otherwise internally clean and bright, hinges fine, head and foot of spine fine, a VERY GOOD copy in a contemporary binding. Housed in a designer clamshell slipcase of full purple morocco, raised bands, gilt lettered spine, center spine panel with a black morocco onlay depicting Dr. Frankenstein’s castle, the front cover with a black morocco onlay depicting the Monster walking from a graveyard under a dead tree, by Starr Bookworks.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: All first three printings of "Frankenstein" are scarce. The first printing of the third edition contains the first ever attempt to illustrate the Monster. In her introduction, Shelley contextualizes the creation of her tale: "It proved a wet, ungenial summer, and incessant rain often confined us for days to the house. Some volumes of ghost stories, translated from the German into French, fell into our hands… 'We will each write a ghost story,' said Lord Byron; and his proposition was acceded to"..... "And now, once again, I bid my hideous progeny go forth and prosper".