Rare first edition copy of Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, published in 1818, auctioned for Rs 7 crore
The only privately held copy of Frankenstein was sold by Heritage Auctions. The other two reside in the Pforzheimer and Berg Collections at the New York Public Library.
An extremely rare book, one of only three known copies of one of the most celebrated works in English literature, Frankenstein, has been sold at an auction for a whopping $843,750 (around Rs 7 crore). The only privately held copy of Frankenstein: or, The Modern Prometheus, published anonymously in three pink-boarded volumes, was sold by Heritage Auctions.
Only three copies exist
The other two reside in the Pforzheimer and Berg Collections at the New York Public Library. The 12mo first edition tomes, three in total, were watermarked ¡°1816¡± and housed together in a full Morocco slipcase. Each volume contained half-titles and advertisements, as issued, and had printed spine labels.
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Books World
Private library with 15,000 rare books
After passing through the hands of various owners over the years, the book ended up in the collection of William Strutz in 1975. William Strutz¡¯s library is considered one of the finest private libraries in the US and consists of over 15,000 rare books.
¡°This was a single-owner sale 60 years in the making, and the results are a true testament to a great collector and a market that recognized the treasures assembled by William Strutz," said Francis Wahlgren, Heritage Auctions¡¯ International Director of Rare Books and Manuscripts.
Heritage Auctions
Frankenstein, one of the best books ever
Frankenstein tells the story of Victor Frankenstein, a young scientist who accidentally creates a monster, which later turns against its creator. Mary Shelley started writing the story when she was 18, and the first edition was published anonymously in London on January 1, 1818, when she was 20. Her name first appeared in the second edition, which was published in Paris in 1821.
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Wikimedia
How Frankenstein became larger than life
Frankenstein is considered one of the greatest works of science fiction, and the term "Frankenstein's monster" has become synonymous with a person who creates something that brings about his or her ruin.
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