CHRISTMAS BOOKS [A Christmas Carol; The Chimes; The Cricket on the Hearth; The Battle of Life; The Haunted Man]

London: Chapman and Hall, 1852. Near fine.. First authorized collected edition of Dickens's culture-shaping Christmas novellas — in a handsome Dickens-inspired maroon morocco binding. Written in only six weeks at a low point in Dickens's career — and printed at his own expense when his publishers didn't want to take on the risk themselves — A CHRISTMAS CAROL Carol revived Dickens's fortunes. The characters of Scrooge and Marley, Bob Cratchit and Tiny Tim, are immediately recognizable even to those who've never read a word of Dickens: "'God bless us every one!' said Tiny Tim, the last of all." Les Standiford calls it "the very apotheosis of [Dickens's] themes" in his book THE MAN WHO INVENTED CHRISTMAS (5), which argues that Dickens's Christmas tale shaped traditions of the holiday for decades to come. Indeed, the singular success of the book would help establish a robust market for Christmas gift books that thrives to this day.

Dickens produced this collection of "my little Christmas Books" in order to meet demand "that has been repeatedly expressed to me" (preface). The leather binding of this copy reproduces a facsimile of the design found on Dickens's own bookplate, a lion grasping a star. A beautiful copy. 7.5'' x 5''. Modern full maroon morocco, raised bands, gilt-stamped spine and front board. Illustrated with frontispiece scene of CHRISTMAS CAROL after Leech. One panel of original cloth bound in at rear. New preface by Dickens. [4], 266, [2] pages. Light toning and scattered soil to text. (Inventory #: 53141)