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ANTIQUES PEEK by Jessica Kosinski
ANTIQUES PEEK

Gothic Horror & Marvelous Monsters

here are many patronesses of history Enter Mary Shelley being preceded by a 1910 version. Thus,
who invented some great items. For By the time Shelley wrote Frankenstein, the collectibles stemming from the 1931 version
Texample, Ruth Handler was responsi- Gothic horror boom of the 1790s had died are extremely popular. In 2023, Heritage
ble for the Barbie doll, and Elizabeth Magie down considerably. She single-handedly Auctions sold a poster from the movie
invented what eventually became one of my revitalized it in the 1800s for the first time measuring 27 by 41 inches for $312,000, and
personal favorite games and one beloved with that novel. However, she did much more several more have sold for hundreds of
around the world, Monopoly. However, few than that. She kicked off an entirely new form thousands of dollars in recent years.
women can claim to have helped inspire the of horror writing. She infused the novel with
creation of entire universes, not to mention depth, interesting themes, and expert story- From Monster to
all of the collectibles associated with those telling methods that made it a hit with Munster
universes. Mary Shelley is the only one who readers. Due to her unique style, other writers Many characters
comes to mind, and that’s because she is began writing in fresh and creative ways based have been influenced
known as the mother of science fiction and on her work. by and adapted from
mother of modern horror. Let’s take a peek at Dr. Frankenstein’s
how she got those titles and the collectibles The Social and Cultural Impact of More monster over the years.
her work has spawned. Than 200 Years of Frankenstein One of the most
Mary Shelley’s most famous novel didn’t beloved is Herman
Who Was Mary Shelley? just influence other writers shortly after its Munster, the patriarch
Mary Wollstonecraft Shelley (1797-1851) publication. It continued to influence writers from the classic sitcom
was a British author and the daughter of Mary and popular culture up to the current day. The Munsters (1964-
Wollstonecraft. Mary Wollstonecraft (1759- The cautionary tale of what can happen when 1966). He was master-
1797) was herself a technology or human creations develop minds fully played by one of
writer, as well as an of their own is still just as important today, if my favorite actors, the Herman Munster
advocate for the rights not more so. After all, writers like myself are late Fred Gwynne. The Figurine
of women. That may currently struggling with the impact of artifi- series spawned many collectibles over the
be why her daughter cial intelligence on our profession. The same years since it premiered including books,
developed what were is true of actors and others. lunchboxes, and action figures.
considered “unusual
interests” for a female Frankenstein Collectibles The Continued Far-Reaching Impact of
at the time, such as In terms of antiques and collectibles, Shelley and Frankenstein
writing about scien- horror and science fiction fans are among the Since it is widely accepted that Mary
tific experiments. most avid collectors. I should know. I’ve been Shelley was the mother of both modern
In reality, Shelley collecting Star Wars and other sci-fi memora- horror and science fiction, it’s impossible to
Mary Shelley wrote several novels. bilia for more than 30 years myself. list all of the related stories and collectibles
Some of them inclu- Frankenstein enthusiasts have no shortage of that wouldn’t have existed without her. After
ded Valperga (1823), The Fortunes of Perkin Frankenstein’s Monster-inspired collectibles all, many horror and sci-fi book, film, and TV
Warbeck (1830), and Lodore (1835). from which to choose after more than 200 show writers were influenced by her or by
However, her most famous book was years. The novel itself is one, of course. The other people who were themselves influenced
Frankenstein; or, The Modern Prometheus third edition, which was published in October by her, much like the ripple caused when a
(1818, revised 1831). That novel has provided 1831, is considered one of the most desirable. pebble is tossed into a pond. One good
the inspiration for everything from other In 1931, Boris example is The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll &
novels to movies and episodes of television Karloff played the Mr. Hyde (1886) by Robert Louis Stevenson.
shows. It centered on a scientist who brought monster in the It’s unlikely that Stevenson’s now classic story
life to a monster of sorts he created. Although live action film would have existed
many people think the monster’s name was Frankenstein. That without Shelley’s
Frankenstein, that was actually the last name spawned many influence. Many
of the doctor. more collectibles modern horror and
that would not sci-fi TV and movie
The Gothic Horror Novel have existed if franchises and their
Before Mary Shelley, what we now know Shelley hadn’t related collectibles
as the modern science fiction and horror written the origi- would either not
genres didn’t really exist in the same way. nal story. The film exist at all or poten-
However, Gothic horror novels were quite also spawned sev- tially be quite differ-
common. Britannica describes such novels as eral sequels, but ent also, had Shelley
“European Romantic pseudo-medieval fiction that film is often not written her
having a prevailing atmosphere of mystery considered to be classic horror story.
and terror.” The genre was initially most the best horror As a sci-fi lover and
popular in the 1790s. Although, it made a film ever pro- Frankenstein Movie Poster collector, I am cer- Karloff Frankenstein’s
comeback several times after that as well. duced, despite it from 1931 Movie tainly glad she did! Monster

Jessica Kosinski has been a freelance researcher and writer since 2001. She developed a passion for 1980s pre-1980s TV and films as a kid, and she has never grown out of it. Recently, she turned that
passion into a retro TV and film blog. Follow along with her at https://medium.com/@jkos_writing, as she dives deep into the characters, actors, quirks, and trivia that brought us some of the greatest
films and shows in TV history and also discusses some of the more obscure films and shows most of us may have forgotten.

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