Skip to Content

First edition copy of ‘Frankenstein’ sells for over $1 million at auction

By Kaanita Iyer, CNN

A first edition copy of the classic novel “Frankenstein” sold for $1.17 million at a recent auction in New York.

Christie’s, which hosted the auction, estimated the book would go for $200,000 to $300,000. But by selling for nearly four to six times as much, the book set a record for the highest price paid for a published work by a woman, according to Fine Books Magazine.

The copy was one of 500 originally printed anonymously by author Mary Shelley in 1818. It comes in three volumes and features the original hardcover boards. It also includes a preface by her husband, poet Percy Shelley, along with a dedication to her father, William Godwin, a journalist and political philosopher.

This copy was the first to be auctioned since 1985.

The literary classic tells of a scientist who brings a corpse back to life, creating a creature that goes rogue.

The-CNN-Wire
™ & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.

Article Topic Follows: CNN - National

Jump to comments ↓

CNN Newsource

BE PART OF THE CONVERSATION

News Channel 3 is committed to providing a forum for civil and constructive conversation.

Please keep your comments respectful and relevant. You can review our Community Guidelines by clicking here

If you would like to share a story idea, please submit it here.

Skip to content