original cloth
1843 · London
by DICKENS, CHARLES
London: Chapman and Hall, 1843. first edition. original cloth. Very Good. A REMARKABLE SET OF THE CHRISTMAS BOOKS, INCLUDING TWO FIRST EDITIONS OF THE CHRISTMAS CAROL: A BEAUTIFUL UNRESTORED FIRST ISSUE AND A VERY RARE TRIAL ISSUE. A set assembled with care at an early date with first editions of all five titles. In addition to The Christmas Carol, The Chimes and The Battle of Life are also represented in two states or issues for a total of eight volumes. All from the collection of Elton Hoyt, a wealthy 20th-century Cleveland mining executive, with his bookplates. Housed together in an early box by Sangorski and Sutcliffe.
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“In October 1843 [Dickens] had the sudden inspiration of writing a Christmas story intended to open its readers' hearts towards those struggling to survive on the lower rungs of the economic ladder and to encourage practical benevolence, but also to warn of the terrible danger to society created by the toleration of widespread ignorance and actual want among the poor. The result, written at white heat, was A Christmas Carol: in Prose, published by Chapman and Hall on 19 December as a handsomely bound little volume with four hand-coloured illustrations by John Leech, price 5s. This ‘Ghost Story of Christmas’, as it was subtitled, was a sensational success. The story of the archetypal miser Scrooge's conversion to benevolence by supernatural means, and the resulting preservation of the poor crippled child, Tiny Tim (‘who did NOT die’), was greeted with almost universal delight (in the February 1844 number of Fraser's Thackeray called it ‘a national benefit and to every man or woman who reads it a personal kindness’)...” (Dictionary of National Biography).
A Christmas Carol - Two Copies:
1) FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE:
This is the traditional first edition, first issue, with half-title in blue, title page in blue and red, title page dated 1843, “Stave I” as the first chapter heading, binding with 14mm the shortest distance between blind-stamped leaves and gilt wreath, and “D” in Dickens unbroken. With green endpapers (although this is not an issue point since first issues came out with either green or yellow endpapers, though green endpapers are generally preferred). London: Chapman and Hall, 1843. Octavo, original cinnamon ribbed cloth with gilt decorations and blind-stamping, all edges gilt. A particularly nice copy – very rare in such good condition with no restoration and gilt bright. (The spine ends in particular are often pulled or torn – in this copy they are fine.) With occasional spots of soiling and small snag to cloth on lower joint. Text clean. Complete with two pages of ads are rear and four hand-colored plates by Leech. With contemporary inscription on front pastedown and bookplate of Elton Hoyt.
2) FIRST EDITION, TRIAL STATE:
With the very rare green half-title and red and green title page, as Dickens originally envisioned it. According to Eckel: "The proof copies, which were still in their experimental stage, had the Title-page printed in Red and Green, dated 1844, with 'Stave I' as the chapter heading, and with the half-title printed in green. Both green and yellow end-papers were tried" (Eckel, p. 111). Unusually, this copy has the later reading “Stave One” as the chapter heading. The red and green title page is how Dickens originally wanted the book to appear, but upon seeing the appearance of the green he was disappointed with the color and changed his mind to the standard red and blue of the first edition. The 1844 date on the title page also indicates a trial or proof state, for it was the publisher’s standard practice to date December books with the coming year’s date, but Dickens argued (and won) for 1843, since it was being issued for Christmas, 1843. With the yellow endpapers. Binding with 14mm as the nearest point between blind and gilt-stamping but with “D” in Dickens slightly broken.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1844 [but 1843]. Octavo, original cinnamon ribbed cloth with gilt decorations and blind-stamping, all edges gilt. Complete with two pages of ads are rear and four hand-colored plates by Leech. With ownership signature dated December 25, 1843 (!) on front free endpaper and bookplate of Elton Hoyt. Cloth with front panel clean and gilt bright, spine with toning and small loss at spine ends. A line of bubbling to back board, slight at top of rear joint. Some soiling to title, but text and plates generally clean. An exceedingly rare form of the book.
The Chimes – Two Copies:
With the first edition, first issue (with “Chapman and Hall” within the title vignette), and first edition, second issue (“Chapman and Hall” outside the vignette) of The Chimes. London: Chapman and Hall, 1845. Octavo, original red cloth gilt, all edges gilt. The first issue a beautiful copy with only very minor wear; the second issue very nice with some light toning and wear to spine (and with same ownership signature as the trial copy of A Christmas Carol.
The Cricket on the Hearth:
First edition, second issue (as usual), with two pages of ads. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1846. Octavo, original red cloth gilt, all edges gilt. With December 1845 ownership signature. Bookplates. A beautiful copy.
The Battle of Life – Two Copies:
With the first editions, second state (as usual), with a banner but without Cupid on the vignette, and fourth state (with Cupid). Note: The second state was available on the publication date, December 19, 1846. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1846. Octavo, original red cloth gilt, all edges gilt. Elton Hoyt bookplates. Light ownership signature to fourth state. Second state with mild discoloration to cloth on spine and rear board; fourth state fine.
The Haunted Man:
First edition (only issue or state). London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. Octavo, original cloth gilt, all edges gilt. With illustrations by, among others, a young John Tenniel. Some splitting to cloth at joints, otherwise fine. (Inventory #: 2909)
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“In October 1843 [Dickens] had the sudden inspiration of writing a Christmas story intended to open its readers' hearts towards those struggling to survive on the lower rungs of the economic ladder and to encourage practical benevolence, but also to warn of the terrible danger to society created by the toleration of widespread ignorance and actual want among the poor. The result, written at white heat, was A Christmas Carol: in Prose, published by Chapman and Hall on 19 December as a handsomely bound little volume with four hand-coloured illustrations by John Leech, price 5s. This ‘Ghost Story of Christmas’, as it was subtitled, was a sensational success. The story of the archetypal miser Scrooge's conversion to benevolence by supernatural means, and the resulting preservation of the poor crippled child, Tiny Tim (‘who did NOT die’), was greeted with almost universal delight (in the February 1844 number of Fraser's Thackeray called it ‘a national benefit and to every man or woman who reads it a personal kindness’)...” (Dictionary of National Biography).
A Christmas Carol - Two Copies:
1) FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE:
This is the traditional first edition, first issue, with half-title in blue, title page in blue and red, title page dated 1843, “Stave I” as the first chapter heading, binding with 14mm the shortest distance between blind-stamped leaves and gilt wreath, and “D” in Dickens unbroken. With green endpapers (although this is not an issue point since first issues came out with either green or yellow endpapers, though green endpapers are generally preferred). London: Chapman and Hall, 1843. Octavo, original cinnamon ribbed cloth with gilt decorations and blind-stamping, all edges gilt. A particularly nice copy – very rare in such good condition with no restoration and gilt bright. (The spine ends in particular are often pulled or torn – in this copy they are fine.) With occasional spots of soiling and small snag to cloth on lower joint. Text clean. Complete with two pages of ads are rear and four hand-colored plates by Leech. With contemporary inscription on front pastedown and bookplate of Elton Hoyt.
2) FIRST EDITION, TRIAL STATE:
With the very rare green half-title and red and green title page, as Dickens originally envisioned it. According to Eckel: "The proof copies, which were still in their experimental stage, had the Title-page printed in Red and Green, dated 1844, with 'Stave I' as the chapter heading, and with the half-title printed in green. Both green and yellow end-papers were tried" (Eckel, p. 111). Unusually, this copy has the later reading “Stave One” as the chapter heading. The red and green title page is how Dickens originally wanted the book to appear, but upon seeing the appearance of the green he was disappointed with the color and changed his mind to the standard red and blue of the first edition. The 1844 date on the title page also indicates a trial or proof state, for it was the publisher’s standard practice to date December books with the coming year’s date, but Dickens argued (and won) for 1843, since it was being issued for Christmas, 1843. With the yellow endpapers. Binding with 14mm as the nearest point between blind and gilt-stamping but with “D” in Dickens slightly broken.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1844 [but 1843]. Octavo, original cinnamon ribbed cloth with gilt decorations and blind-stamping, all edges gilt. Complete with two pages of ads are rear and four hand-colored plates by Leech. With ownership signature dated December 25, 1843 (!) on front free endpaper and bookplate of Elton Hoyt. Cloth with front panel clean and gilt bright, spine with toning and small loss at spine ends. A line of bubbling to back board, slight at top of rear joint. Some soiling to title, but text and plates generally clean. An exceedingly rare form of the book.
The Chimes – Two Copies:
With the first edition, first issue (with “Chapman and Hall” within the title vignette), and first edition, second issue (“Chapman and Hall” outside the vignette) of The Chimes. London: Chapman and Hall, 1845. Octavo, original red cloth gilt, all edges gilt. The first issue a beautiful copy with only very minor wear; the second issue very nice with some light toning and wear to spine (and with same ownership signature as the trial copy of A Christmas Carol.
The Cricket on the Hearth:
First edition, second issue (as usual), with two pages of ads. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1846. Octavo, original red cloth gilt, all edges gilt. With December 1845 ownership signature. Bookplates. A beautiful copy.
The Battle of Life – Two Copies:
With the first editions, second state (as usual), with a banner but without Cupid on the vignette, and fourth state (with Cupid). Note: The second state was available on the publication date, December 19, 1846. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1846. Octavo, original red cloth gilt, all edges gilt. Elton Hoyt bookplates. Light ownership signature to fourth state. Second state with mild discoloration to cloth on spine and rear board; fourth state fine.
The Haunted Man:
First edition (only issue or state). London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. Octavo, original cloth gilt, all edges gilt. With illustrations by, among others, a young John Tenniel. Some splitting to cloth at joints, otherwise fine. (Inventory #: 2909)
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