Mary Barton: a Tale of Manchester Life. by GASKELL, Elizabeth - 1848

London: Chapman and Hall, 1848. The Bradley Martin copy First edition of the author's first novel, rare in the original cloth. The Bradley Martin copy, with his booklabel to front pastedown of vol. I, and his purchase invoice (£60, 11 March 1964) from Pickering & Chatto loosely inserted. Sold in his sale, 30 April and 1 May 1990, part of lot 2863.
The title is ranked first on Sadleir's list of comparative scarcity in original cloth for Gaskell's novels, and he himself did not own a copy. Gaskell's "state of the nation" tale was published anonymously, but her authorship was exposed not long after publication. "Charles Kingsley applauded it in Fraser's Magazine (April 1849), as explaining the unrest and Chartism to the threatened, uncomprehending middle classes: 'Do they want to know why poor men, kind and sympathising as women to each other, learn to hate law and order, Queen, Lords and Commons, country-party and corn law leagues, all alike - to hate the rich in short? Then let them read Mary Barton'" (ODNB). 2 volumes, octavo. Original red cloth, spines lettered in gilt, covers blocked in blind, yellow endpapers. Neat contemporary ownership signature of "Lucy Willis" to title pages. Recased with spine ends and hinges restored, scattered light foxing. A very good copy. Parrish 56; Sadleir, XIX Century Fiction, vol. I, p. 378; Wolff 2419.