first edition
by DICKENS, Charles
London: Chapman & Hall, 1843. First Edition, First Issue, of “A Christmas Carol”
With a Nice One-Page ALS regarding 'Plorn'
DICKENS, Charles. A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. With Illustrations by John Leech. London: Chapman & Hall, 1843.
First edition, first issue, with the text entirely uncorrected, “Stave I” as the first chapter heading, red and blue title-page dated 1843, blue half-title, and Smith’s second state green-coated endpapers (the first state having yellow endpapers).
Small octavo (6 7/16 x 4 1/16 inches; 164 x 103 mm.). [8], 166, [2, advertisements] pp. Four hand-colored steel-engraved plates (frontispiece and facing pp. 25, 78, and 150) by and after John Leech and four wood-engraved text illustrations (on pp. 37, 73, 119, and 164) by W.J. Linton after John Leech.
Original cinnamon vertically-ribbed cloth. Covers decoratively stamped in blind, front cover and spine decoratively stamped and lettered in gilt, all edges gilt. The binding matches Todd’s first impression, first issue, with the closest interval between the blind stamping left border and the left extremity of the gilt wreath measuring 14-15 mm. and with the upper serif of the “D” in “Dickens” unbroken. Binding slightly skewed, very light rubbing of cloth at corners and spine extremities. Slight offsetting from the plates to the facing text leaves, some occasional very light soiling. Early ink signature of [indecipherable] on half-title.
This copy came from the famous Charles Sessler's Bookshop in Philadelphia, and was sold to a Mrs. Michael Keenehan in September 1971. Complete with the original letter, card and detailed description written by the legendary Mabel Zahn.
A very attractive copy, totally unsophisticated, and one of the best copies that we have ever seen. Housed in a three-quarter red calf over red cloth clamshell case. Spine with five shallow raised bands, decoratively tooled in compartments. Green and blue leather labels lettered in gilt. In turn housed in a green leather-edged, red cloth slipcase together with a fine autograph letter on 'Office of All the Year Round' stationery dated "Thursday Seventh November 1867" addressed to "The Rev: John Taylor". "Dear Sir, You will have noticed that my letter crossed your last, and consequently that we are quite agreed upon Edward's leaving you at Christmas. I have written him a few words in this same post, which I have told him to show you. Being in the hours of departure for America, I am constrained to write very briefly. Dear Sir. Faithfully yours always. Charles Dickens"
The Edward he refers to is his youngest son affectionally known as 'Plorn' who had recently finished his final term at Wimbledon School.
Edward Bulwer Lytton Dickens (13 March 1852 – 23 January 1902) was the youngest son of English novelist Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine. He emigrated to Australia at the age of 16, and eventually entered politics, serving as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1889 to 1894. He died at the age of 49.
Smith, Dickens, II, 4. (Inventory #: 06053)
With a Nice One-Page ALS regarding 'Plorn'
DICKENS, Charles. A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. With Illustrations by John Leech. London: Chapman & Hall, 1843.
First edition, first issue, with the text entirely uncorrected, “Stave I” as the first chapter heading, red and blue title-page dated 1843, blue half-title, and Smith’s second state green-coated endpapers (the first state having yellow endpapers).
Small octavo (6 7/16 x 4 1/16 inches; 164 x 103 mm.). [8], 166, [2, advertisements] pp. Four hand-colored steel-engraved plates (frontispiece and facing pp. 25, 78, and 150) by and after John Leech and four wood-engraved text illustrations (on pp. 37, 73, 119, and 164) by W.J. Linton after John Leech.
Original cinnamon vertically-ribbed cloth. Covers decoratively stamped in blind, front cover and spine decoratively stamped and lettered in gilt, all edges gilt. The binding matches Todd’s first impression, first issue, with the closest interval between the blind stamping left border and the left extremity of the gilt wreath measuring 14-15 mm. and with the upper serif of the “D” in “Dickens” unbroken. Binding slightly skewed, very light rubbing of cloth at corners and spine extremities. Slight offsetting from the plates to the facing text leaves, some occasional very light soiling. Early ink signature of [indecipherable] on half-title.
This copy came from the famous Charles Sessler's Bookshop in Philadelphia, and was sold to a Mrs. Michael Keenehan in September 1971. Complete with the original letter, card and detailed description written by the legendary Mabel Zahn.
A very attractive copy, totally unsophisticated, and one of the best copies that we have ever seen. Housed in a three-quarter red calf over red cloth clamshell case. Spine with five shallow raised bands, decoratively tooled in compartments. Green and blue leather labels lettered in gilt. In turn housed in a green leather-edged, red cloth slipcase together with a fine autograph letter on 'Office of All the Year Round' stationery dated "Thursday Seventh November 1867" addressed to "The Rev: John Taylor". "Dear Sir, You will have noticed that my letter crossed your last, and consequently that we are quite agreed upon Edward's leaving you at Christmas. I have written him a few words in this same post, which I have told him to show you. Being in the hours of departure for America, I am constrained to write very briefly. Dear Sir. Faithfully yours always. Charles Dickens"
The Edward he refers to is his youngest son affectionally known as 'Plorn' who had recently finished his final term at Wimbledon School.
Edward Bulwer Lytton Dickens (13 March 1852 – 23 January 1902) was the youngest son of English novelist Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine. He emigrated to Australia at the age of 16, and eventually entered politics, serving as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly from 1889 to 1894. He died at the age of 49.
Smith, Dickens, II, 4. (Inventory #: 06053)
(818) 222-4103
