Dickens, Charles | A Tale of Two Cities, in the original parts — the Kern copy

Dickens, Charles

A Tale of Two Cities. London: Chapman and Hall, June-December 1859

8 parts in 7, 8vo (222 x 140 mm). Some gatherings unopened, etched frontispiece, additional title and 14 plates by and after H.K. Browne ("Phiz"), p. 213 mispaginated as "113," p. 134 with "affetcionately" for affectionately, all ads and inserted slips present, in parts VII-VIII rather than the Cornhill ads called for in Hatton and Cleaver a 4pp. catalogue for Chapman and Hall publications, dated November 1859, is present (this is not listed as appearing in any of the parts, though it dates one month earlier than the publication of this part); minor foxing, a few short closed tears, some marginal wear. Original blue-green pictorial wrappers by Browne; some browning and staining, a few short closed tears and chips, final part with split and restoration to spine. Housed in custom slipcase and folding chemise.

First edition in the original monthly parts—the Kern copy. The first issue, with pg. 213 mis-numbered "113," of which very few copies exist (the error was corrected as soon as it was discovered).

The final collaboration between Dickens and his illustrator Hablot K. Browne ("Phiz"). The novel had first appeared in the weekly journal All the Year Round from 30 April to 26 November 1859.

REFERENCES:

Hatton and Cleaver 333-342; Eckel 86

PROVENANCE:

Jerome Kern (bookplate to folding chemise; his sale, Anderson Galleries, 7-10 January 1929, lot 437, when it was accompanied by a letter H.K. Browne, which is no longer present) — Bonhams New York, 13 April 2015, 114