Nicholas Nickleby by DICKENS, Charles - [1860s-1870s]

London: Chapman and Hall. Very Good with no dust jacket. [1860s-1870s]. Half-Leather. An impressive edition, with the complete text, of the third novel by Charles Dickens (1812-1870), first published serially beginning in 1838. 'Nicholas Nickleby' is centered around a young man who, due to the death of his father, must support his mother and sister. It has been described as 'perhaps the funniest novel in the English language' by Peter Ackroyd; while it also takes on the serious social issue of the maltreatment of children in boarding schools. Issued as part of publisher's Dickens's Works series. With 39 illustrations by Phiz [Hablot K. Browne]. --- Bound in tan half calf over marbled red/gold/blue paper and with elaborate decorations and titling stamped in gilt on spine. With five raised back bands. Endpapers in the same marbled papers as on covers. All edges in very bright gilt. This volume undated, but likely published c1860s-1870s. --- An exceptional copy of this classic. With previous owner's bookplate affixed to front paste-down and some chafing to points, rubbed back cover paper, and light edgewear. Overall, an attractive addition to the Dickens collector's bookshelf. ; 8vo 8" - 9" tall; xvi, 625 pages .