Dracula | 1931, first photoplay edition with illustrations from the 1931 Universal Picture with Bela Lugosi.

One of my favourite Dracula editions - the menacing dustjacket is just perfection! It is one of the most sought after photoplay editions by Grosset and Dunlap, who also published equally highly sought after film tie-in editions of King Kong, Frankenstein, The Phantom of the Opera, Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde and more (all of which I have in stock currently).

This edition was created to tie in to the iconic Universal Pictures movie with Bela Lugosi in titular role of Dracula. The 1931 Dracula is the first sound film adaptation of Bram Stoker's novel and it was a commercial and critical success upon release and has had a notable influence on popular culture, with Lugosi's portrayal of Dracula establishing the character as a cultural icon, as well as the archetypal vampire in later works of fiction. In 2000, the film was selected by the United States Library of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry as "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant". This first edition features a number of brilliant stills from the film to illustrate the text. A must for any collector, especially when encountered in the condition seen here. There is no other copy on the market like it.

Description and Condition:

First photoplay edition. The book, including the original publishers red binding is in fine condition. The binding is vibrant with no defects. It is a beautiful example. The book itself appears almost unread. There is a small previous Christmas inscription being the only defect to mention. The movie stills are in fine condition. The dustjacket is near-fine to fine. The best copy currently available.

Published by Grosset and Dunlap, New York, 1931.