[Original Cloth] Our Mutual Friend . . . With Illustrations By Marcus Stone

London: Chapman & Hall, 193 Piccadilly, 1865. First Edition. Decorative Cloth. Near Fine+. First Issue (with all issue points per Smith, and November, not December, catalog at end of volume II). Demy 8vo (211 x 134mm): xii,320,3-36(first advertisement leaf not bound in); viii,312,4pp, with 20 full-page plates in each volume. Publisher's original dark purplish-brown sand-grain cloth, covers blocked in blind with decorative arch frame embellished with leaves and flowers; spines richly gilt with leaves, flowers, and flourishes and lettered in gilt; coated yellow end papers; fore-edge untrimmed. Contemporary ownership inscription of James Martin, Wainfleet, on fly-leaf and half-title, one dated [18]66. Original spines very skillfully laid down, paper hinges neatly reinforced, faint spotting and offsetting from plates, else an excellent set, tightly bound and clean throughout. Smith I, 15. Sadleir 697. Wolff II, 1809. Podeschi (Gimbel Collection) A. Grolier Dickens, pp. 154-56. Dickens's last completed novel, in two volumes (as issued). "Our Mutual Friend had a mixed reception (the young Henry James's harshly dismissive review in The Nation is notorious) but its stock has risen dramatically in recent years, and it is now generally regarded as one of his very greatest works." (ODNB). N. B. With few exceptions (always identified), we only stock books in exceptional condition, carefully preserved in archival, removable mylar sleeves. All orders are packaged with care and posted promptly. Satisfaction guaranteed. (Fine Editions Ltd is a member of the Independent Online Booksellers Association, and we subscribe to its codes of ethics.).