SHELLEY, Mary Wollstonecraft - Frederick Schiller. Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus - bound with - The Ghost-Seer. (1836 - THIRD PRINTING OF THE THIRD EDITION)

AUTHOR: SHELLEY, Mary Wollstonecraft - Frederick Schiller. 

TITLE: Frankenstein: Or, The Modern Prometheus - bound with - The Ghost-Seer.

PUBLISHER: London: Richard Bentley, 1836.

DESCRIPTION: THIRD PRINTING OF THE THIRD EDITION, of the first revised edition of Shelley's masterpiece and the first edition to contain an illustration of the monster by Theodor von Holst. First printing of engraved frontis and additional engraved title page dated 1831. The frontis depicts the creature coming to life. Bound in contemporary 1/2 tan calf, spine tooled in gilt and blind, gilt lettered maroon spine label.

CONDITION: Inner and outer hinges fine, head and foot of spine fine, mild toning to frontis and engraved title page, text clean and bright a VERY GOOD copy. 

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: 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"

Scarce. Auction records locate only 4 copies appearing at auction over the last 40 years.  The last one in 2007. 

The importance of the first 4 printings of the third edition are as follows.

1831 - Third Edition First Printing.  The first attempt at illustrating the monster. It also contained a printed and an additional engraved title-page.  Both dated 1831.  Also included is a new introduction by Mary Shelly not present in the first 2 editions.

1832 - Third Edition Second Printing.  Also contained the 1831 frontis and additional engraved title-page but with an 1832 printed title-page.

1836 - Third Edition Third Printing.  Identical to the second printing with the 1831 dated frontis and additional engraved title-page but with an 1836 printed title-page

1839 - Third Edition Fourth Printing.  The last printing of the third edition with an 1839 printed title-page.  This printing apparently included what remained of the 1831 frontis and engraved title-pages.  It can be found with and without the frontis and engraved title-page as well as with the frontis only but not with only the engraved title-page.

All four printings of the third edition are scarce.