DICKENS, Charles (1812-1870). A COLLECTION OF 28 WORKS IN 43 VOLUMES, ALL FIRST OR EARLY EDITIONS, uniformly bound as a set, here listed in order of publication:
This lot will not be subject to VAT either on the … Read more
DICKENS, Charles (1812-1870). A COLLECTION OF 28 WORKS IN 43 VOLUMES, ALL FIRST OR EARLY EDITIONS, uniformly bound as a set, here listed in order of publication:

Details
DICKENS, Charles (1812-1870). A COLLECTION OF 28 WORKS IN 43 VOLUMES, ALL FIRST OR EARLY EDITIONS, uniformly bound as a set, here listed in order of publication:

1. Sketches by "Boz", London: John Macrone, 1836-37. 3 volumes, 12°, vols. I-II first series with 16 etched plates by George Cruikshank, volume III second series with etched frontispiece and 9 plates by Cruikshank (vol. III lacking half-title, light browning). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM. Eckel p. 11 -- Sketches by Boz ... new edition, London: Chapman and Hall, 1839. 8°, 40 etched plates by G. Cruikshank (lacking half-title). FIRST OCTAVO EDITION. Smith p. 16.

2. The Village Coquettes: A comic opera. London: Richard Bentley, 1836. 8°. FIRST EDITION. Dickens's musical collaborator was John Hullah, and the opera had its first night at St. James's Theatre, December 6, 1836. Eckel p. 157.

3. The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club, London: Chapman and Hall, 1837. 8°, etched frontispiece with inn sign reading "Tony Weller," and 42 plates by Robert Seymour, Robert Wiliam Buss and Hablot Knight Browne, without captions and containing page locations (first plate and frontispiece tipped in at inner margin, lacking half-title). Extra-illustrated with 32 plates by T. Onwyhn ("Sam Weller") in an additional volume, the plates issued by E. Grattan, 1837 (a few repaired marginal tears, some spotting). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM. Eckel p. 17.

4. Oliver Twist; or The Parish Boy's Progress by Boz, London: Richard Bentley, 1838. 3 volumes, 12°, 24 etched plates by George Cruikshank, with the inserted leaf listing the illustrations (light browning and occasional tears particularly affecting vol. III, 65mm. clean tear to 05 of vol. III, final quire P severely affected by brittling and detaching of leaves, several leaves in the quire rehinged, lacking half-titles in vols. I-II and advertisement leaf at beginning of vol. III). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, early issue with Boz title page and the Fireside plate at end of volume III. Originally published in Bentley's Miscellany, February 1837-April 1839. Eckel p. 60 -- The Adventures of Oliver Twist ... a new edition. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1846. 8°, half-title, 24 etched plates by George Cruikshank.

5. Memoirs of Joseph Grimaldi, London: Richard Bentley, 1838. 2 volumes, 12°, engraved portrait frontispiece, 12 etched plates by G. Cruikshank (lacking half-titles, some offsetting, some spotting and staining of plates). FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, the last plate not having the grotesque border. Although Grimaldi wrote his own memoirs, the manuscript was first altered by John Egerton Wilks who then sold it to Bentley, who, in turn, passed it on to Dickens who further embellished the book. FIRST EDITION. Eckel p. 140.

6. The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. London: Chapman and Hall, 1839. 8°, half-title, engraved portrait frontispiece, 39 etched plates by H.K. Browne (some marginal spotting and browning, lacking the list of plates). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM. Eckel p. 64.

7. American Notes, London: Chapman and Hall, 1842. 2 volumes, 8° (without the initial advertisement leaf). FIRST EDITION, with the first state of the preliminary pages (p. x wrongly misnumbered xvi). Eckel p. 108.

8. A Christmas Carol, London: Chapman and Hall, 1843. Small 8°, half-title printed in blue, title in red and blue, 4 hand-coloured etched plates by John Leech, and 8 wood-engraved illustrations by W.J. Linton after Leech (a little light spotting of plates, lacking the final advertisement leaf). FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE according to the criteria of Calhoun and Healey, with "Stave I" as the first chapter heading. Eckel p. 110; Smith 4.

9. OVERS, John. Evenings of a Working Man ... with a preface ... by Charles Dickens, London: T. C. Newby, 1844. Small 8°, title printed in red and blue, advertisement leaf at end (title slightly short at lower margin and possibly supplied from another copy, lacking half-title). FIRST EDITION. Eckel p. 146.

10. Martin Chuzzlewit, London: Chapman and Hall, 1844. 8°, etched frontispiece and 39 plates by H.K. Browne, with half-title (title with restoration at upper margin, a few plates laid down, some comparatively light marginal browning and soiling). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM. Eckel p. 71.

11. The Chimes, London: Chapman and Hall, 1845. Small 8°, half-title, engraved frontispiece and additional title after D. Maclise, 11 wood-engraved illustrations by W.J. Linton and others after Richard Doyle, John Leech and Clarkson Stanfield (without the preliminary advertisement leaf). FIRST EDITION. Eckel p. 116.

12. The Cricket on the Hearth, London: Bradbury and Evans, 1846 [but December 20, 1845]. Small 8°, half-title, engraved frontispiece and additional title after D. Maclise, 12 illustrations after John Leech, Richard Doyle and others (title with repaired internal tear touching on the author's name, without the final advertisement leaf). FIRST EDITION. Eckel p. 119.

13. The Battle of Life, London: Bradbury and Evans, 1846. Small 8°, engraved frontispiece and additional title after D. Maclise, 11 illustrations after Maclise, Doyle, Clarkson Stanfield and Leech (half-title bound in between dedication and list of illustrations, some soiling, some corners creased, without the final leaf of advertisements). FIRST EDITION, title in fourth state. Eckel p. 121.

14. Pictures From Italy, London: Bradbury and Evans, 1846. Small 8°, 4 wood-engraved illustrations by Samuel Palmer (lacking half-title, title slightly soiled, initial advertisement leaf bound in between title and contents). FIRST EDITION. Parts of this work originally appeared as Travelling Sketches in the Daily News January 21-March 11, 1846. Eckel p. 126.

15. The Haunted Man and The Ghost's Bargain, London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. Small 8°, half-title, frontispiece and additional title after John Tenniel, 15 other illustrations after Tenniel, Leech, Clarkson Stanfield and Frank Stone (some marginal soiling, without the initial advertisement leaf). FIRST EDITION. Eckel p. 124.

16. Dombey and Son. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. 8°, half-title, etched frontispiece and 39 plates by H.K. Brown, 2-line errata leaf and 12-line errata slip following the list of plates (half-title torn through and laid down, light marginal browning to some plates). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM. Contains the first published example of a "dark plate" opposite p. 547. Eckel p. 74.

17. David Copperfield, London: Bradbury and Evans, 1850. 8°, half-title, etched frontispiece and 39 plates by H.K. Browne (first plate, frontispiece and title rather browned). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, later state of frontispiece with date omitted. Eckel p. 77.

18. A Child's History of England, London: Bradbury and Evans, 1852-54 [1851-53]. 3 volumes, small 8°, half-title to volumes I and III, each volume with wood-engraved frontispiece after Francis W. Topham printed in two colours (lacking half-title to vol. II, frontispiece in vol. III slightly browned, without advertisement leaf at end of each vol.). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, the work having originally appeared anonymously in Household Words, January 25 1851-December 10 1853. Although the volumes were published in late December, each was postdated to the following year. Eckel p. 128.

19. Bleak House, London: Bradbury and Evans, 1852. 8°, etched frontispiece and 39 plates by H.K. Browne (lacking half-title, heavy marginal browning to some plates). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM. Eckel p. 79.

20. Hard Times, London: Bradbury and Evans, 1854. 8°, half-title (some marginal spotting). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, published on August 12, after serialisation in Household Words from April 1 to August 12 1854. One of only two novels by Dickens that were not illustrated when they first appeared in book form. Eckel p. 131.

21. Little Dorrit, London: Bradbury and Evans, 1857. 8°, etched frontispiece and 39 plates by H.K. Browne (some light spotting). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM. Eckel p. 82.

22. A Tale of Two Cities, London: Chapman and Hall, 1859. 8°, etched frontispiece and 15 plates by H.K. Browne (repaired tear to pp. 235-236). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, published on November 21, having originally appeared in All the Year Round, April 30-November 26 1859. Eckel p. 86.

23. Great Expectations, London: Chapman and Hall, 1861. 3 volumes, 8° (some light, mainly marginal spotting). GOOD COPY OF THE FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, published July 6 1861, having been serialised in All the Year Round from 1 December 1860. This is the second of Dickens's novels not to be illustrated on first publication in book form. Eckel p. 91: "To obtain fine clean copies of this book has been the unsuccessful quest of many book collectors."

24. The Uncommercial Traveller, London: Chapman and Hall, 1861 [1860]. 8° (lacking half-title, pp. 113-114 and 127-128 transposed, without the Chapman and Hall catalogue at end). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, actually published on December 15, 1860. Eckel p. 132.

25. Our Mutual Friend, London: Chapman and Hall, 1865. 2 volumes in one, 8°, 20 engraved plates after Marcus Stone, with half-title to vol. II (lacking half-title to vol. I and the postscript in volume II, first plate damaged at inner margin and tipped in, without the Chapman and Hall catalogues). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM. Volume I appeared on January 20 and volume II on October 21, 1865. Eckel p. 94.

26. Hunted Down: A Story, London: John Camden Hotten, [1870]. Small 8°, wood-engraved title vignette (lacking half-title, light spotting, no advertisement leaves). FIRST ENGLISH EDITION. Originally published in the New York Ledger, and the only story that Dickens wrote for American publication. Eckel p. 198.

27. The Mystery of Edwin Drood, London: Chapman and Hall, 1870. 8°, engraved portrait by J.H. Baker, engraved frontispiece and 12 wood-engraved plates after S.L. Fildes, with final advertisement leaf (some spotting). FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM. The last of Dickens's monumental literary achievments. Eckel p. 96.

28. The Letters of Charles Dickens, London: Chapman and Hall, 1880-82. 3 volumes, 8°, half-titles bearing Dickens's facsimile signature. Volumes I-II second edition.

All but one volume ATTRACTIVELY-BOUND IN UNIFORM CRIMSON HALF MOROCCO AND MARBLED BOARDS BY MORRELL, ca. 1900, covers with double gilt rules, spines with raised bands directly lettered in gilt and dated at foot, the remaining compartments with repeated pointillé tooling, except for the 3-volume Letters which have the variation of floral spines, top edges gilt (a few covers scuff-marked). The non-uniform volume is Illustrations to Pickwick Papers, similarly bound in crimson half morocco gilt by Root and Son with repeated pansy motif on spine. Provenance: Alfred Harmsworth (1865-1922, bookplate engraved in 1903); Sir Weetman Dickinson Pearson, Viscount Cowdray of Cowdray, Paddockhurst (armorial bookplate); E.W. Ganderton (bookplate). Apart from Master Humphrey's Clock (1840-41), and the separate issues of The Old Curiosity Shop (1841) and Barnaby Rudge (1841), this set contains all the major works of Charles Dickens in Morrell's elegant and well-preserved turn-of-the-century binding. (43)
Special notice
This lot will not be subject to VAT either on the hammer price or the buyer's premium.

More from Valuable Printed Books and Manuscripts

View All
View All