FS Dracula volumes

I would be very interested in views on the SE volumes of Dracula - specifically the 2008 publication vs 2021 SE of the LE; I know the SE for the latter has only just been listed! I don't have a volume as yet. I am taken with Abigail Rorer's illustrations, (wood engravings - my downfall!), but the illustrations by Angela Barrett look wonderful as well.

>1 ASheppard:

There are some pictures of the previous FS editions in this thread:

https://www.librarything.com/topic/320477#n7252622

I have the LE and tbh I'm disappointed by the illustrations. I just think Angela Barrett was the wrong choice here. She seems to excel in portraying scenes, but all the characters have more or less the same face, which isn't fitting here IMO. Also, there's a lot of missed opportunities -- e.g., one of the most striking scenes in the book, the coming of Demeter into Whitby, isn't illustrated. On the other hand, they chose to illustrate random scenes like searching Dracula's house...

IMO, the illustrations in the Four Corners edition are really great and exactly what the book calls for, but YMMV.

>2 housefulofpaper: >3 filox: Thank you both very much for your responses. I've been peering at videos of both volumes. I confess I prefer to hold a copy of the book(s) in question. I'm not aware of any bookshop in the UK that now stocks the current FS catalogue. Booth's used to, but no longer I believe, as there was no evidence of the FS Reading Room when I visited over the summer.

I am leaning towards the older volume; the binding is striking. Perhaps the new publication will depress the 2nd hand prices of the former. I can but hope.

>1 ASheppard: >3 filox: If you are looking for a more contemporary angle at Dracula illustrations take a look at Easton Press's Dracula DLE with Rick Berry's illustrations, which are my second favorite. In the end, I have passed on both FS's Draculas and settled for a fairy inexpensive Harper Design edition with Becky Cloonan's edgy comic-book-like illustrations.

>3 filox: I am also a big fan of the Four Corners Dracula illustrations. The book as a whole is impressive as well, especially given the low price point. My only complaint, which makes me hope to still find my own perfect Dracula one day, is that a few of the "handwriting" typefaces don't quite work for me (but the book is still a noble effort, and it is the only copy of Dracula I currently own).

>4 ASheppard: I’m a fan of the older edition myself. It was my first time and I was entranced. The book felt good in the hand, the cover and spine are great, the illustrations are what they are (different from my imagination but didn’t get in the way of the book if you know what I mean). It’s a keeper, it’s lovely to discover a great book for the first time in a folio edition, so it’s top shelf for me at least…

>4 ASheppard: My Christmas collection Dracula SE is on the way. The Amaranthine Press red velvet Dracula edition of a couple years ago remains my most wanted...

>3 filox:

I cannot disagree more! For the price the Four Corners is a good deal, but the artwork was so disappointing! Only one of the many pictures contained a human and it portrayed two young girls playing (a scene which I'm sure we all remember well!). All the pictures are almost still-life in what really amounts to an adventure book!

The other gripes I have with the book are: the paper feels and looks like printer paper, the spine is not aesthetically pleasing and the spine is not rounded (although others may not care about this).

I like the idea of multiple fonts, but some of them look a bit childish.

Thank you all so much. I've had a marvellous time looking at the alternative publishers and their Dracula editions; it is fascinating to read about the different production approaches, though >8 plasticjock: , I'm not at all sure about the ink choice for the Scholomance edition title!

I appreciate you making this thread and reviewing the other Dracula editions thread. I am less than a year into discovering FS so I was happy to see a new SE released, but I have to say, the previous illustrations look better to my taste but second hand market seems a bit high. I'll likely be purchasing this new SE edition by Christmas (along with others) anyway though.

>2 housefulofpaper: Nice thread ! Thx

-

Dracula is one of those books to have multiple editions of (am I right), different interpretations and what may. The Angela Barret LE one are nice from 2019, they are probably not as lively as the standard FS one from 2008. But more like walking inside a museum, which I think suit the epistolary style. Awaken the paintings with your imagination. There are also smaller illustrations spread about and the paintings are depicted inside a frame (shown in this thread >2 housefulofpaper:) which I think is really nice.

An intrepid eBayer from Brighton has drawn first blood and bitten quite a few times, going by eBay 'Sold Listings'.
The last listing with photos of the 2021 edition in hand also have the colophon page with Jemma Lewis listed as the creator of a 'marble effect slipcase' (FS blurb from promotional video).

>13 mr.philistine:

This sold for £75 plus postage so a £20+ profit…

>14 pse1: does that include eBay’s 15% fees?

>14 pse1: Depends when it was listed as eBay often do promotions on fees. When they’re doing a £1 max final value fee offer you could sell an item for £1000 and still only pay £1 in fees.

>16 antinous_in_london: True. But I doubt regular sellers routinely benefit from that promotion.

>17 _WishIReadMore: I regularly sell (though not books) & benefit from the promotion, so do most regular sellers I know who often wait until a promotion is on to list larger ticket items, as it can save them hundreds of £ on every item sold. This is why you often find sellers ending auctions early then re-listing an item the same day, as re-listing when a promotion period starts can save them a fortune in fees. I sold a limited edition lithograph last year that had been sitting around in a cupboard for years & paid £1 in fees instead of £580

>18 antinous_in_london: Wow nice job!

The slipcases of the 1965 Heritage Press and 2021 Folio Society (see >13 mr.philistine:) editions of Dracula seem to be drawn from the same school of thought.

>5 EPsonNY: I have the same book and really enjoyed it!

I added some pictures and additional info ( HERE ) for anyone else who may not be familiar with it. A very affordable alternative that still gives a great reading experience.