1897 Frankenstein or The Modern Prometheus, Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley. First illustrated American edition.

The first illustrated American edition of Frankenstein, with tentative illustrations of landscapes and one title page depiction of the monster, in the Art Nouveau style.

This edition was printed in both America and the U.K. but bibliographies note that the editions are identical and indistinguishable. A binder chose to highlight the London printing at the bottom of the spine.

In Frankenstein Global, Moreno and Moreno state, " It would take a while for the American illustrators to engage with the originality of Mary Shelley’s text. An early exception is the edition published in 1897 both in London and in Philadelphia. What is remarkable about this edition is that there is no portrayal of the creature at all or any other character, only a collection of landscapes."

I call exception to the statement of Moreno; the title page clearly depicts a man which is meant to represent the monster. This would make it the first American representation of the monster in a printed edition of the book, if the Morenos are correct in the rest of their statement.

Peter Harrington is also selling a copy of this edition; the Harrington copy has a different binding. Either this copy was a luxury binding offering from the publisher (not uncommon in this period) or it was rebound by an earlier owner.

The Worldcat entry lists a half-title, and I found an old advertisement with a picture. It seems the half-title was not bound into this copy.

Provenance -

Ex libris plate of Alfred W. Lublin. An interesting bibliophile, somewhat easy to trace due to his unique name. He attended the Massachusetts Agricultural College Club of New York, and in 1903 made statements that at their 18th re-union (The College Signal) stating that college was important even if you didn't become a farmer. He went to work as a treasurer at Kora Co., a female clothes manufacturer in NY (The Trow, 1906) and he held a patent on a women's "dress-stay" dated August 3, 1897. His bookplate has been found in other books including a Rupert of Hentzau, with an inscription from the author; sold by Lycanthia Rare Books. PBA also sold a Swinerton Nocturne (lot 313, April 16 2009) with his ex libris. He is found in several correspondences with authors, including one with James Branch Cabell (held at the University of Virginia) and one where Booth Tarkington addressed an envelope to him, and one from Susanah Tarkington (Listing of Contents, Booth Tarkington, Princeton collection). Later in his career we find him an advertiser (Advertising and Selling for 1922) and given a cease and desist in 1937 for selling "misrepresentation as to a treatment for superfluous hair" (Trade Regulation Reporter, V3, 1932).

Bibliographic Details -

Worldcat OCLC catalogue numbers 1249352 and 252863212. 18 copies recorded in the world's libraries. Copies at University of Edinburgh, Harvard Library, Johns Hopkins, UCLA among others.

Physical Attributes -

Measures approx. 19 x 13 x 2.5 cm. Gatherings eight. Leather spine and corners with marbled paper covering the boards. Spine with five raised bands; four compartments with a central flower, two compartments with the title and author in gilt. Bottom of spine calls out London printing and date in gilt. Top edge gilt (but dusty). Marbled endpapers. Title page with an illustration in the Art Nouveau style. Seven plates of illustration inserted into the text block.

Pages - xvi, 268

Collation - 8 unsigned leaves, A-Q8, R6

Condition -

See pictures. Leather is dry, causing front joint to crack. Some toning to boards, edge and corner wear. Spine gilt faded. Dust to top edge. Ex libris on front pastedown. Name written in graphite on front blank binder's endpaper.

Some toning and fox spots to 19th century paper, as is typical. Text block is opened (meaning, it came uncut and someone cut the edges to open the pages); the rough edges are flaking a little, as the 19th century paper is somewhat acidic (dried out). 1" tear from fore-edge 229/230. Paper a little fragile due to the paper used in production.