Search Results: dickensiana

1849. They seek a refuge here in England, almost the only free land where they may set foot The original manuscript of an appeal on behalf of Italian refugees by a committee of Victorian notables, which by its handwriting confirms Dickens as its principal author. The appeal was published in the English newspapers, reprinted by Forster in the Examiner of 8 September 1849, and was also translated into Italian for Mazzini's Italia del Popolo. "But for the discovery of this manuscript, the fact that [Dickens] wrote it might never have been revealed" (The Dickensian). Despite its re-discovery in 1914, the manuscript has since been lost to modern scholarship. The immediate cause of the influx of Italian refugees was the defeat of the Republic army defending Rome from the French army in July 1849. Garibaldi withdrew from the city with 4,000 troops and took temporary refuge in San Marino, before he and his revolutionaries were forced into temporary exile. In England, an Italian Appeal Committee was formed,… Read More

London: The Nonesuch Press,, 1937-39. With an original plate First Nonesuch edition, number 37 of 877 sets with an original plate, a desirable set with the variously coloured cloth bindings in uniformly fresh condition. The peculiar limitation is due to the inclusion, enclosed in the 24th volume of each set, of one of the original plates used by Chapman and Hall, Dickens's original publishers, in their first printings of each title. Since they held in their archive 877 such plates - the majority steel but with a number of wood blocks - the limitation was set at this number. The present set includes the steel plate entitled "Free and Easy" by George Cruikshank, which originally appeared in Sketches by Boz. Also included is a proof pull and a letter of authentication from Chapman and Hall signed by Deputy Chairman Arthur Waugh, and numbered 37. Even aside from the inclusion of this Dickensian relic, the edition has always been highly sought after by collectors, the largest project of the Nonesuch Press… Read More

London, The Nonesuch Press. 1937-38 . 25 volumes, including "Dickensiana" and plate volume, one of 877 numbered sets, 8vo., with illustrations printed from the original plates, original vari-coloured cloth, morocco labels, top edges gilt on the rough, others uncut, light even and uniform fading to spines as usual, a little spotting to the buckram on one or two volume but a really pleasing set. With the original steel plate 'The Dying Clown' from Pickwick Papers, with letter of authenticity from the publisher. Text based upon the Charles Dickens Edition, the last to be revised by Dickens himself. After the Depression of the early thirties, the Nonesuch Press was effectively saved from bankruptcy by the intervention of the American, George Macy. The Dickens was very much his project and it was due to his great energy that the set was produced so quickly. It was described at the time by the Daily Telegraph as "One of the most glorious achievements of publishing in our time. Robert Lynd in the News… Read More

Bloomsbury: The Nonesuch Press, 1937, 1938. Limited Editiom. Hardcover. Very Good. H.K. Browne [Phiz], et al.. Octavo. Edition limited to 877 sets. The reason for this finite number was because each set came with one of the original engraved steel plates used for producing the illustrations in the first editions of Dickens's novels. The Nonesuch Press purchased the plates, all 877, from Dickens's original publisher Chapman & Hall. This means that not only are collectors receiving a set of beautiful books that were based on Dickens's original typesetting, but are receiving an authentic piece of the history of these books. As each novel was unique unto itself, Francis Meynell designed a Harlequin set, each volume bearing a different colour buckram although uniform in dimensions and with a gilt-stamped black leather spine label and gilt to the rough top edges. The steel plate, this being "The Ghosts Walk" engraved by H.K. Browne ('Phiz') for Messrs. Chapman & Hall is encased in a clamshell box bound… Read More

London: The Nonesuch Press, 1937-38. The complete set of Charles Dickens by the Nonesuch Press, one of only 877 sets. Octavo, 24 volumes, original cloth, woodcut illustrations, original variously colored buckram by Leighton Straker. Edited by Arthur Waugh, Hugh Walpole, Thomas Hatton and Walter Dexter. In near fine condition. A very sharp set. Founded in 1922 in London by Francis Meynell, his second wife Vera Mendel, and their mutual friend David Garnett, The Nonesuch Press was established in the basement of Garnett's bookshop in Soho. Nonesuch was unusual among private presses in that it used a small hand press to design books and then had them printed by commercial printers. Among the press's best-known editions were the collected works of William Congreve and William Wycherley and translations of Cervantes and Dante.

London: Chapman and Hall, 1837. 1st edition. Leather Bound. Seymour, Buss, Phiz illusts.. pp. xiv, 609. Thick 8vo. All 43 plates are present, as described in Smith, 'Charles Dickens in the Original Cloth', although five of the plates are placed one page earlier than called for, and one plate is placed ten pages later. Seven of the plates are by Seymour, two by Buss, and the remainder by Phiz. Vignette title page plate shows 'S. Veller' and 'Phiz fecit'. As is always the case with a bound first edition of this title, each of the plates is a 'mixed bag' of first state, first plate, second plate etc. varieties of the plates. Our copy contains at least 33 'matches' to the status of plates found in most first edition copies, as stipulated by Smith; but it also contains 10 plates where the points are different, the majority of the differences suggesting a first plate, first state status. See also Eckel, 'Bibliography of the Original Writings of Charles Dickens; Fitzgerald, 'The History of Pickwick'; Hatton… Read More

Londion: Bradbury and Evans, 1852. Three volume set of this early Dickens title, dated 1852, 1853, 1854 respectively. All first editions/first issues in original reddish brown cloth. Marbled endpapers and all edges marbled. Backstrips stamped in gold lettering inside elaborate shield shaped ornamental design. Boards stamped in blind front and rear, and gilt motif of Alfred reading to his mother in center on each cover. Each volume illustrated with frontispiece by W. Topham. Minor sunning to backstrips and volume III has two minute punctures to cloth at upper and lower backstrip. Minor wear to corners as usual and incidental age soiling to cloth. Former owner's bookplate in each volume reads: "J. Steele Coldstream Guards". Overall a superior set in the original cloth, which is becoming much more difficult to find. Scans are available on request. Eckel p.127-9; Smith II p.75.. Hardcover. Very Good. 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall.

Londion: Richard Bentley, 1838. Half-Leather. First edition, first issue in three volumes with the Boz titlepage and the Fireside plate. Illustrated with 24 etched plates by George Cruikshank. R ebound in modern dark half green morocco bindings over marbled paper covered boards. Raised spines with leather spine labels. New end-papers and bound with half-title in volume I only, lacks half titl e in volume II, [not called for in volume III.] As usual in rebound copies, does not contain list of illustrations page or publishers csatalog. Internally all textual points for first issue called for by Smith. All frontispeices and titles in volume I and II show moderate foxing. In addition one plate in volume I, and 3 plates in volume III are moderately foxed, with the last two plates in volume III, [including the Fireside plate] heavily foxed. Else all plates and text clean with only sporadic incidental marginal foxing. Overall quite a clean copy, as most are found with plates badly browned . Bindings are as… Read More

London: Chapman and Hall, 1845. First edition, First Issue with the publisher's imprint within the border of the engraved vignette title, complete with the initial ad leaf and half-title. Engraved frontispiece and title-page, 11 other illustrations by John Leech, Richard Doyle, and others. Small 8vo, handsomely bound in full dark blue-green crushed levant morocco by the French binder S. David showing the refinement and delicacy associated with the best traditional bindings of the ages. The spine with raised bands, one compartment lettered in gilt, fine French marbled endleaves, binding edges gilt tooled, the turnovers with gilt roll tooling at the borders surrounding triple gilt fillet rules surrounding another roll tooled inner border gilt, all edges gilt, the original cloth covers bound in at the front and rear. [viii], 175 pp. A very bright, handsome and well preserved copy. RARE FIRST EDITION IN A REFINED AND HANDSOME BINDING BY THE FRENCH BINDER S. DAVID. This was Dickens’ second… Read More

London: Chapman & Hall. 1844. First edition, second issue (with ten corrections to 14 line errata page), octavo, pp.xiv, (ii, blank), 624, b&w engraved fronts, vignette title leaf and thirty-eight plates full page steel engravings by Phiz (H.K. Browne), 'Bradbury and Evans, Printers' verso t.p., prev owner's inscr on half-title verso 'A. Jackson, Bramhope', contemporary inscr in pencil "altogether overdrawn" above plate 24, light foxing to plates, slightly heavier on fronts. and t.p., generally clean, finely rebound in full green morocco leather by Cottage Bindery, gilt borders, blind-tooling along edges and inner dentelles, raised bands and elaborately gilt decorated spine, marbled eps, top edge gilt. A handsomely bound copy in slip-case. Dickens published Martin Chuzzlewit in 1842, two years after his visit to America. This copy with the £100 on the reward notice of title plate, not transposed. The transposed plate is often referred to as a first… Read More

London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. First edition, with the earliest state of the hook on the left hand on the vignette title-page. With engraved Illustrations by H.K. Browne throughout. 8vo, in a handsome contemporary binding of three quarter tan calf over marbled boards, the spine with gilt bands, one compartment with brown morocco label lettered in gilt. xiv, 624 pp. A very handsome copy in a proper period binding, sturdy and attractive and unusually clean and bright throughout. FIRST EDITION. This is quite a desirable copy of the Dickens novel that introduced the world to the memorable Mr. Dombey and his transactions, business and personal, and that creates a "clear picture of society in [Dickens’] time.” Dickens wrote it while in residence in a number of different areas, beginning the work in Lausanne, Switzerland, continuing in Paris, and finishing in Brighton, Broadstairs, and London, making the text “a true cosmopolite in the manner of its writing.” The publication of… Read More

London: Chapman and Hall, 1844. Hardcover. Very Good. 8vo. First edition in book form, second issue. Half dark blue morocco, blue cloth boards, gilt compartments, brown calf spine label. Marbled edges and endpapers. xiv, [1 14-line errata leaf], 624 pp. [38] plates steel engravings by H.K. Browne, plus engraved title and frontis, bound without the half-title. Vignette on title-page with amount on sign post transposed to read "100£" and seven studs in the trunk. The 100£ reward sign on title is often referred to as a first issue point, though Hatton and Cleaver contend that there is no priority and that both plates were used in the monthly parts which preceded this first book edition. According to Smith "An earlier 13-line errata leaf exists with the same data that is found on the 14-line leaf; the setting was changed to 14-lines for a better balance." "A Tribute to Genius, Centenary Testimonial, 1812-1912" stamp with portrait of Dickens to ffep. Rubbing to extremities. Hinges cracked. Browning to… Read More

London: Thomas Farris, 1847. Bound from the original 12 illustrated parts. With 12 woodcut illustrations. [2], 94 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. Contemporary half dark blue calf, marbled boards. Some rubbing. Very good. Bound from the original 12 illustrated parts. With 12 woodcut illustrations. [2], 94 pp. 1 vols. 8vo. Dickens Imitation. Sadleir 1827; Wolff 5101; Gimbel H-338; Kitton 540; Miller, p. 249; NCBEL 3:798

London: Charles Tilt, 1839. First State, First Issue. Hardcover. Near Fine in Very Good Dust Wrapper. First State, First Issue. Hardcover. Bound by English binder Francis Bedford (1799 - 1883). Aggressive bookplate of Ralph Louis Clutton (1902 - 1957), English first-class cricketer. John Furber Dexter (1848 - 1927) was an English collector of Charles Dickens's works. Following his death Dexter's collection remained in family hands before being purchased by the British Library in 1969 as the Dexter Collection of Dickensiana. While much of the text attributed to Thackeray, there has long been suggestions/evidence that Dickens was more directly involved. That discussion, in both directions is well parsed elsewhere. Of interest here is the half page notation by noted Dickens collector, JF Dexter, "Mr. George Cruikshank told me on three different occasions that the preface and notes to this volume were written by Charles Dickens. /s/ John F. Dexter. 13th April, 1878". This elegant little volume presents… Read More

New York: Scribner & Welford, 1887. 2nd edition. Hardcover. VG+ (pages are lightly age toned as expected but otherwise very crisp and clean, binding is tight, pages and plates are in excellent condition considering age of book). Bound in custom 3/4 brown leather and marble illustrated boards; 5 raised bands on spine with gilt tooling and lettering; marble illustrated end papers; top edge gilt; VI, 312 pp; 71 extra copper, steel and wood engravings bound in. This is a revised second edition. Contents include: Of Book Collectors and Book Dealers; Of the Mazarin Bible; Concerning the Incunables or Cradle Books; Of the Elzevirs, Plantins, and Old Printers; Of Caxtons and of the English Printers; Of the Library; Of Binding and Its Curiosities; Curiosities of Printing; Of Grangerising and Dickensiana: Of Illustrated Books and "Luxurious Editions"; Of the Auction-Room; Of the Shakespeare Folios and Quartos; L'Envoi; Index.

London, 1850. Full-Leather. A compilation of all the Christmas numbers published in Household Words from 1850 through 1867. Bound in full forest green polished leather with raised backstrip, and two leather spine labels: one green and one red. Backstrip compartmentalized and stamped with gilt flower motifs inside double rules, with flower motifs repearted on each corner of front and rear board. Leather on spine a rich bronze patina. t.e.g., Some mild rubbing to extremities, else a very handsome copy of the complete run of Christmas numbers, including several penned by Dickens. Unique and collectable volume in fine condition.. First Thus. Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Londion: Chapman and Hall, 1840, 1840. Three quarter blue leather over marbled paper covered boards. Raised spine decorated in gilt. This slim volume was orginally issued in fragile pictorial grey-green wrappers, which are now very scarce. The present binding is by Blackwell, with new marbled endpapers [to match paper on covers], and bound without ads and half- title as per usual. All edges gilt, 6 illustrations by "Phiz" [Hablot Knight Browne]. But for very mild, incidental rubbing to heel of backstrip a very fine copy, with text free from foxing and plates very clean. Inside front cover exhibits book plate of previous owner. This was the "second collection of 'humerous' papers by Dickens" as Eckel writes, the first being "Sketches of Young Gentlemen", published two years earlier in 1838. A scarce early Dickens peice, in very nice condition. Podeschi B87; Smith II p.3-7; Carr B474; Eckel p. 106-7. First Edition. Very Good+. 16mo - over 5¾" -… Read More

London: Chapman and Hall Full-Leather. Three volume set, dated 1872, 1873, 1874, comprising Volume I {1812-1842} sixth edition; Volume II {1842-1852} tenth thousand; Volume III {1852-1870} twelfth thousand. Rebound in full polished calf with raised, gilt spines, double leather spine labels and all edges gilt. Covers decorated with triple rules and small floral corner devices. Inside covers decorated with elaborate gilt dentelle motif. New endpapers. Illustrated with portrait frontispieces, facsimile letters, and engravings. Half-titles with facsimile autograph present in each volume. Extra-illustrated with additional portrait engravings. A very fine early set of the definitive ninetenth century biography of Charles Dickens. Fine binding. Podeschi H187. Hardcover. Near Fine. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall.

Sydney: Thomas H. Fielding, 1883. Small folio, (12 1/2" x 9 5/8"), bound in half red leather over marbled paper covered boards, Spine has five raised bands and is heavily decorated in gold. Top edge gilt. Marbled endpapers. Two titles, one engraved and illustrated, one letterpress. Contains all 20 etchings by Coveny on heavy stock, images appearing on rectos, with corresponding letterpress on verso of opposing page. Plate seven is in two states, one being printed on India paper and bound in before the actual plate, as issued. Coveny was born in 1846 and sent to England to be educated. Returning to Australia to practice law he soon abandoned the profession and took up teaching, before embarking on a career in art in 1878, the year of his father's death. "Twenty Scenes..." is undoubtedly his most famous work and he garnered mixed reviews upon its publication: "A.E. Greenwood and H.W.H. Stephen in Catalogue (Descriptive and Critical) of the Art Gallery with Sydney… Read More

London: Chapman and Hall, 1887. Full-Leather. 8vo - over 7¾" - 9¾" tall. The Victoria edition. Royal 8vo. Limited to 500 copies with proofs on India Paper [of a total edition of 2,000]. An extra illustrated set containing, besides the unpublished plates by Buss, "Phiz" and Leech, issued with the work, the following illustrations: A complete set of duplicate etchings (proof without letters) from the original plates; two additional plates after unpublished drawings by R.W. Buss. Of the two additional Buss plates only 50 copies of each were struck off before the plates were destroyed. Original green cloth covers and spine for both volumes bound in each respectively. Original spines read "Proof" above the words "Victoria Edition" at lower edge of backstrip. Contemporary review, circa 1888, laid-down on two blank prelim pages as prefatory note. Rebound in full red crushed morocco with five raised bands, elaborate inner dentelles, marbled endpapers and… Read More