King Kong | 1932, First Edition, The First Appearance of Kong in Book Form

The shockingly rare first edition of King Kong, written by Delos W. Lovelace at the request of his friend Merian C. Cooper. Published in 1932 as part of the promotional campaign for the legendary 1933 film, this marks the very first appearance of King Kong in any form—preceding the film itself.

Before this book, there was no Kong. Today, he stands as one of the most enduring icons of horror and adventure, alongside Godzilla and Jaws.

This first edition features stills from the groundbreaking 1933 film, starring Fay Wray, Robert Armstrong, and Bruce Cabot. Widely considered one of the greatest films of all time, King Kong was deemed "culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant" by the Library of Congress in 1991 and preserved in the National Film Registry.

A Remarkably Rare Survivor

This first edition, first impression is complete with the exceedingly rare original dust jacket, one of the most sought-after in the world of rare books. Due to the fragility of the jacket and its ephemeral nature, very few have survived in collectible condition. The cover art remains one of the most striking of the era, brilliantly combining the New York skyline with the dinosaurs of Skull Island.

Description & Condition

• First edition, first impression

• Publisher’s lime green cloth, lettered in dark brown, in excellent condition with strong, unfaded color

• Black topstain still vivid—rarely seen unfaded

• Internally fresh and crisp, an outstanding copy for collectors

• Previous owner's signature in gold ink on the title page

• The original dust jacket is one of the best extant examples, with vibrant colors and only minor sunning to the spine—virtually unheard of, as most surviving copies are significantly faded. Small nicks to edges with slight loss to the front top, but overall, a stunning survival

An exceptional copy of one of the most desirable film-related first editions.

Published by Grosset & Dunlap, New York, 1932.