A signed first edition copy of the world's most famous horror novel, Bram Stoker's Dracula, has seen outstanding results as part of a UK auction that was held on January 31.
 Christie's sold a similar example for £17,500 ($27,248) in 2011, showing a marked leap in value |
The book, which was signed "Uncle Bram", sold for £29,000 ($45,851), making a 190% increase on its £10,000 valuation. It is inscribed to novelist and playwright Lucy Clifford (1846-1929), who was well known for her illustrious circle of friends.
The full inscription, which is written on the front endpaper, reads: "Mrs W K Clifford with Uncle Bram's love 15 July 1897".
Lucy Clifford was the wife of William Kingdon Clifford, the respected English mathematician and philosopher who first introduced geometric algebra. Tragically, at age 33, he suffered a breakdown and eventually died of tuberculosis while recovering in Portugal.
Following her husband's death, Lucy Clifford established herself as a prominent name in London's literary scene, surrounding herself with a line-up of top literary figures and philosophers. Perhaps under the guidance of Stoker, she published more than 15 titles, with The Anyhow Stories, Moral and Otherwise (1882) - a collection of children's stories - standing as her best known work.
Bram Stoker's Dracula was published in 1897 by Archibald Constable and Company, with the first edition example at auction bound in original cloth with soiling to the covers. Another signed example, which was inscribed to Stoker's brother, sold at Christie's for £17,500 ($27,248) in 2011, showing a distinct increase in value over the past two years.
The original manuscript for Dracula, believed lost, was found in a barn in Pennsylvania during the early 1980s. Titled "The Un-Dead", the 541 page document was sold to Microsoft co-founder and bibliophile Paul Allen for an undisclosed amount after it failed to meet its £1m reserve at Christie's.
Paul Fraser Collectibles has a fantastic selection of signed literary collectibles, including this superb signed extract from William Golding's Lord of the Flies.
