This week, Heritage has early horror books available for auction, including books focusing on the most infamous monsters of all time. Let's see what they have in store for us.

As an adult with an English degree, I spent most of my college years reading classic literature. While I have a particular love for Jane Austen's books, I also enjoy horror novels. The horror genre is my absolute favorite, with The Creature from the Black Lagoon being my favorite monster of all time. Horror novels are truly unique and are able to frighten readers deeper than a movie can, and early horror novels can make wonderful additions to any collection. Depending on the book, they could even be good investment pieces.

Frankenstein by Mary Shelley

Mary Shelley's Frankenstein is both the first gothic horror and science fiction book to be published. Originally released in 1818 the book is still in publication to this day. When Universal's Frankenstein was released in 1931, fans were enthralled by the movie, which would go on to become a cultural icon -- especially Frankenstein's Monster. The movie and Monster would spawn several sequels, television shows, comic books, pinball machines, and more.

This version of Mary Shelley's novel includes photograph stills from the movie. Heritage lists both the book and dust jacket to be in very good condition. Similar copies of this book have been sold on Heritage in the past. Prior to 2021, this book was below the $2K mark, but in December of 2021, a copy sold for $3,7500.

The Bride of Frankenstein by Michael Egremont

The Bride of Frankenstein is one of the most celebrated horror movies. Rarely does a sequel gain much acclaim -- the movie would be added to the United States National Film Registry in 1998, and is arguably the best gothic horror film of all time. Elsa Lanchester's portrayal of The Bride has been celebrated since the movie's 1935 release.

Shortly after the film was released, a novelization was followed by author Michael Egremont. This is a first trade edition in very good condition -- for both the book and dust jacket.

Heritage also has this version available, with what is considered to be a scarce dust jacket. This book is more notable due to the inscription and signature of the author. The book and jacket are in very good condition. A similar copy sold for $11,562.50 in October of 2021.

Dracula by Bram Stoker

There is very little I could say about Dracula that isn't already known. This novel is one of the best horror novels ever written, and the Universal movie started a genre-defining era. Written by Bram Stoker and first published in 1897, the book would become highly regarded even 100 years later. Count Dracula became the archetype for vampires in popular culture, and the character -- just like Frankenstein -- has been immortalized in countless ways.

This 1901 copy is the first abridged paperback edition. Heritage notes this novel as being scarce, with 15% of the original text altered in some way. This book is in very good shape. A similar copy sold for $10,312.15 in October of 2021, while another copy sold for $3,125 in December of 2021.

Metropolis by Thea von Harbou

Metropolis is hands-down my favorite movie of all time, but the novel is terrible. Harbou's husband, the acclaimed Fritz Lang, wanted the novel to act as marketing material for the film. If you haven't seen Metropolis, please stop reading this and go watch it. Metropolis is the first science fiction film and is a beautiful, impressive feat of cinematography. The film would go on to inspire filmmakers for years to come -- including George Lucas. Yet anything related to the movie is worth celebrating, and this 1926 printing of the novel is a beautiful example.

Heritage notes this book as being near fine with a very good dust jacket. This copy is in German and is truly a great piece for every Metropolis fan and collector. Not many copies of this edition come through Heritage. The last sale on a similar book was in April of 2016 and ended at $5,500. It wouldn't surprise me if this book hit above the $8K mark.

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*Any perceived investment advice is that of the freelance blogger and does not represent advice on behalf of GoCollect.