CHARLES DICKENS FIRST EDITIONS AT
ASH RARE BOOKS
43 HURON ROAD
LONDON SW17 8RE
UNITED KINGDOM

London : Chapman & Hall, 1837. First edition in book form.
Demy 8vo. (xvi),(610)pp. Etched frontispiece, etched additional title, and forty-one etched plates by Robert Seymour and "Phiz" (Hablot Knight Brown). Bound, without half-title, in a smart recent half tan calf, gilt on broad bands, and with a gilt portrait of Dickens in the final compartment; top edge gilt; marbled endpapers; some marginal nicks, tears, and small repairs; one plate with two small holes repaired (not affecting image); some browning and spotting to plates, but the text generally clean; a good copy in an attractive binding.

SOLD

London : E. Grattan, 1837. First edition. The series of thirty-two additional illustrations to The Pickwick Papers, ostensibly by "Sam Weller", but in fact produced by Thomas Onwhyn and others, and serially published in eight parts by Edward Grattan from May 1837 onwards. They were advertised in the later monthly parts of Pickwick itself (presumably with at least the tacit approval of Dickens and his publishers) and include a number of striking designs, well integrated with the text, and form an interesting counterpoint to the better-known Phiz plates, losing little if anything in comparison, and providing an unusual gloss on the contemporary reception of Dickens' first major success.
Demy 8vo. Thirty-two etched plates, with textual references, signed variously Sam Weller and T.O., and interleaved with tissue guards. Bound in a smart later (late nineteenth-century) quarter roan, ruled, decorated and lettered in gilt; top edge gilt; very lightly rubbed; plates a little tanned, with a few marks and slight chips, but overall a very good copy of this scarce and interesting survival.

£200

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London : Richard Bentley, 1838. First edition : the second issue, with the "Charles Dickens" (rather than the pseudonymous "Boz") title-pages and Cruikshank's sombre final "Church" plate (rather than the jovial "Fireside" plate) - both replacements demanded by an infuriated Dickens and effected within a week of publication. Subsequent alterations were also made to the third last plate (likewise unseen by Dickens prior to publication) and Sikes' dog is made to look less like the "tailless baboon" that Dickens (quite rightly) judged it - and as it appears here. The evidence is strong that only the 528 sets already subscribed for by the trade were issued in the earlier form (Tillotson, The Library, 1963, p.121) and that all subsequent copies had the revised titles and the substituted final plate.
Three volumes. Demy 12mo (187 x 117mm). [iv],(332); [iv],(308); [ii],(316)pp. Twenty-four etched plates by George Cruikshank (1792-1878). Bound, without the two half-titles called for and the three advertisement leaves, in a neat contemporary half green roan, banded and prettily gilt; marbled edges and endpapers; green marker ribbons; some minor rubbing and mild wear; a few leaves slightly proud; some minor internal marks, spots, and small flaws, but overall a very good set in a pleasant contemporary binding. Smith 4.

SOLD

London : Bradbury & Evans, 1848. First edition : bound from the original monthly parts published between October 1846 and April 1848. This copy has the "capatin" misprint (p.324) - regarded as a point of earliest issue.
Demy 8vo (23cm). (v)-xvi,[ii],624pp - the half-title discarded and the errata leaf bound after the other prelims. Etched frontispiece, extra-title and thirty-eight plates by Hablot Knight Browne ("Phiz"). Original publishers' green cloth - the more elaborate variant, blocked in blind and lettered in gilt; a little worn and lightly bruised; a touch sunned; front endpaper cracking; some spotting and mild browning, mainly to plates; a few minor marks and small flaws, but a good and attractive copy in the original cloth. With the armorial bookplate of Arthur Stephen Moriarty (1858?-1900), born in France, a graduate of Balliol, and later a Judge in the Indian Civil Service. Smith 8.

£850

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London : Bradbury & Evans, 1848. First edition : bound from the original monthly parts published between October 1846 and April 1848. Etched frontispiece, extra-title and fifty plates by "Phiz" (Hablot Knight Browne) - fifty rather than the usual thirty-eight plates because this copy contains both the sets of additional plates prepared by Browne and separately published by Chapman & Hall in 1848 - a set of four formal portraits and a second set of eight highly animated renditions of the principal characters, both demonstrating Browne operating well beyond his usual range of quirky caricature. Cook noted as early as 1879 that these fine extra plates "being very scarce, and now much sought after, bring high prices".
Demy 8vo. xvi,624,[ii]pp. Bound up, with the half-title and the errata leaf, in a smart later (early twentieth-century) half tan calf, banded and elaborately gilt, by Fazakerley of Liverpool; contrasting red and green labels; top edge gilt; marbled sides and endpapers; some mild rubbing; some browning and spotting to plates, mainly to outer edges, but a very good and sound copy. With the armorial bookplate of Frances Maude Henderson (b.1880) - also of Liverpool.

£500

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London : Bradbury & Evans, 1848. First edition : bound from the original monthly parts published between October 1846 and April 1848.
Demy 8vo (215 x 134mm). xvi,624pp. Etched frontispiece, extra-title and thirty-eight plates by Hablot Knight Browne ("Phiz"). Bound up, with the half-title but without the errata leaf, in a pleasant contemporary half plum calf, banded and gilt on broad bands; some minor rubbing and slight scuffing; some browning, spotting and mild discolouration to some plates, but the text clean and crisp and overall a very good and sound copy.

£400

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London : Bradbury & Evans, 1850. First edition. "Of all my books I like this the best. It will be easily believed that I am a fond parent to every child of my fancy ... but, like many fond parents, I have in my heart of hearts a favourite child, and his name is David Copperfield".
Demy 8vo (214 x 130mm). (xvi),624pp. Frontispiece, extra engraved title and thirty-eight etched plates by H. K. Browne ("Phiz"). Bound, without half-title, in a stylish recent half chestnut morocco, banded and gilt; marbled edges; some light marking and spotting to plates, but overall a very good copy, the text unusually clean.

£500

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London : Bradbury & Evans, 1854. First edition. "What I want is, Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts ...". The book edition appeared a week before the completion of the serialisation in "Household Words".
Crown 8vo (184 x 116mm). viii,352pp. Bound, complete with half title, in a smart recent full green calf, banded and elaborately gilt; all edges gilt; a couple of very faint scuffs; a few slight marks and slight creases, but overall a very good and attractive copy. Smith 11.

£1,000

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London : Bradbury & Evans, 1857. First edition : bound from the original monthly parts published between December 1855 and June 1857. With the "Rigaud" for "Blandois" misprints from p.469 to p.473, later corrected.
Demy 8vo (209 x 132mm). xiv,(626)pp. Frontispiece, extra engraved title and thirty-eight plates by H. K. Browne ("Phiz"). Bound (without the errata slip) in a highly attractive Victorian half tan polished calf, banded and gilt; marbled sides; sprinkled edges; some very minor rubbing, with a little wear to the edges of the boards; plates with some spotting and browning, but the text clean and crisp and overall a very good copy. With the armorial bookplate, engraved by Allan Wyon, of Robert William Llewellyn J.P. (1848-1912), of Court Colman and Baglan Hall in Wales and the (later) bookseller's label of Simmons & Waters of 10 Spencer Street, Leamington Spa - the trading name of Arthur W. Waters who published his Clearance List No. 300 of Book Bargains in 1917.

SOLD

London : Chapman & Hall, 1859. First edition : the earlier state, with p.213 mis-numbered 113 and the signature 'b' at the foot of the list of plates. "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom ...".
Demy 8vo. (x),254pp. Frontispiece, extra engraved title and fourteen plates by Hablot Knight Browne (1815-1882) - better known as "Phiz". Bound in a stylish recent half green morocco, banded and gilt in period style; drab endpapers; marbled edges; a few minor marks and spots; one plate very slightly frayed at outer margin, but otherwise a very good and cleaner than usual copy of an increasingly difficult title. No half-title called for. Smith 13 - but without the inserted catalogue found in some copies.

SOLD

London : Chapman & Hall, 1870. First edition.
Demy 8vo (23cm). (viii),190,[ii]pp. Frontispiece portrait with facsimile signature. Extra engraved vignette title and twelve wood-engraved plates after Sir Samuel Luke Fildes (1844-1927). Original green cloth - the plainest variant (Carter C - not seen by Smith) - ruled and blocked in blind and lettered in gilt; some minimal wear; a touch sunned; some occasional spotting, but a very good copy in the cloth. Smith 16.

£250

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London : Chapman & Hall, 1870. First edition : bound from the original six monthly parts published between April and September 1870.
Demy 8vo (211 x 133mm). (viii),190pp. Frontispiece portrait with facsimile signature. Extra engraved vignette title and twelve wood-engraved plates after Sir Samuel Luke Fildes (1844-1927). Bound, without the advertisement leaf, in a contemporary half green armorial roan, banded and gilt with the arms of John Adams Bartlett in compartments; marbled edges and endpapers; some minor rubbing and faint wear; faint cracking of endpapers; some occasional spotting of text and plates; a few faint creases, but a very good and sound copy. With the armorial bookplate of John Adams Bartlett (1826-1901), the Liverpool owner of the Crown Brewery. Smith 16.

£250

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London : W. H. Allen & Co., 1885. First edition : the second issue. The original 1882 issue was immediately suppressed on the grant of an injunction over copyright matters, with "only a very few copies getting into circulation" (Kitton). The present issue introduces the texts of Dickens's "Sketches of Young Gentlemen" (1838) and "Sketches of Young Couples" (1840) to replace the play "No Thoroughfare" (co-written by Dickens, but mainly the work of Wilkie Collins, who owned the copyright). As well as gathering together a great deal of previously uncollected, scattered, fascinating and not otherwise obtainable material, the editor, Richard Herne Shepherd (1842-1895), also provides an extensive bibliography of Dickens's works - major, minor and secondary.
Two volumes. Demy 8vo (223 x 136mm). 406; vi,[2],420pp. Fly-title to "Sketches of Young Gentlemen" misbound at front of vol. ii. Bound in a handsome full (early twentieth-century) crimson morocco, banded and gilt, by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, with their monogram on rear endpapers; top edges gilt; marbled endpapers; original cloth covers preserved at the rear of each volume; some very minor rubbing; hairline crack at head of upper joint of vol ii., but still a very good, clean, sound and handsome set.

£450

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