Halloween may be over, but the collectibles world has been given a spooky treat - the desk at which Bram Stoker wrote Dracula.
The remarkable desk has been consigned to a Los Angeles auction on December 15-16, where it will sell with a $60,000-80,000 estimate.
 Only the winning bidder will be told the location of the secret compartments |
Irish-born author Bram Stoker is responsible for creating one of the most famous characters in the history of literature at the desk. His Dracula, released in 1897, is undoubtedly the most re-visited character in the horror genre.
The desk was given by the author to his friend JSR Philips, editor of the Yorkshire Post newspaper, at the beginning of the 20th century and it stayed at Philips' home in Leeds, UK for many years. Unfortunately, the desk was treated badly during its time and has had its legs sawn short. Some drawers are also missing.
However, the present owner commissioned master furniture maker Mark Brazier-Jones to renovate the piece. Brazier-Jones has works held in London's Victoria & Albert Museum, Paris' the Louvre and New York's Museum of Art and Design. He soon turned the desk into a work of art, retaining many of its original features yet adding secret compartments and various embellishments.
He commented: "I wanted to keep the desk complete and intact, to save all its scars and broken varnish.
"I decided to attach, via callipers and clasps, the necessaries to regain functionality."
Only the winning bidder will be told the positions of the secret compartments that Brazier-Jones has added. The master craftsman has also created a superb candelabra, which can be sat atop the desk and is included in the sale.
More horror collectibles are offered on November 14, when a signed letter from master of macabre Edgar Allan Poe will sell. Check back with us regularly for the results of both sales and more of the latest from across the auction world.
A writing desk used by Agatha Christie to write many of her novels auctioned for just £2,000 ($3,200) in 2009, suggesting that when it comes to collectibles, Dracula has the edge over Miss Marple.
