Frankenstein by Shelley, Mary - 1831

The First UK printing of the Third Edition published by Henry Colburn and Richard Bentley, London in 1831. Bound with Vol.1 of Schiller's The Ghost-Seer as issued. The BOOK is in Very Good+ condition. The publisher's original plum coloured boards with fading of colouring to the spine and some offsetting to the rear board. Some very slight loss at the rear upper spine fold with some light edge wear at the spine ends. Early splitting at the spine folds but the binding reminds tight. One penned previous owner s name to the front pastedown. The original publisher s labels to the spine are lightly rubbed and only have a hint of edge-wear. The book has a slight lean. The contents are complete as published : 4 pages of National Library Advert, Blank page, Standard Novels No 1X half title page with the Theodor von Holst engraving frontispiece to the verso (which is offset and toned), Title page with vignette (which is toned and offset), Second title page, Introduction (By Mary Shelley), 'Frankenstein' pp 3-202. 'The Ghost-Seer' : Half-title, Title page, Introduction, 'The Ghost-Seer' pp 9-163, 3 pages of Standard Novels adverts to the rear. Toning to the text-block with the occasional age related spotting and markings throughout. The First illustrated edition of Frankenstein, the third overall, and the first substantially revised by Mary Shelley alone as the sole author. Published in an edition of 3,500 copies, it was the first truly popular edition and the first to contain an illustration depicting Frankenstein and the Creature. Bentley insisted that all Standard Novel authors should revise their texts, and Mary took the opportunity to retain most of minor changes introduced by William Godwin into the 1823 second edition, as well as making substantial revisions, including an entirely new chapter and the celebrated Preface in which she describes the novel's genesis at the nocturnal storytelling session with Shelley, Byron, and Polidori at the Villa Diodati (including the misleading suggestion that she been married at the time). Though Mary Shelley lived for another 20 years, this was the final revision she made in her lifetime. It was issued as volume IX of Bentley's Standard Novels series alongside the first part of Johannes Schiller's Ghost Seer. The book is protected in a removable Mylar archival cover. An increasingly elusive title which often turns up rebound with the prelim pages and adverts missing. The first copy we have handled which is complete with the original boards and labels. Collectible. More images available on request. Ashton Rare Books welcomes direct contact.