Dickens, Charles | Set of the Christmas Books, all first editions in publisher's cloth

Dickens, Charles

The Christmas Books. London: 1843-1848

Lot includes: A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. London: Chapman & Hall, 1843. 8vo (163 x 103 mm). Half-title and verso of title printed in blue, red and blue title-page dated 1843, hand colored engraved frontispiece, 3 hand-colored plates, and 4 woodcuts in the text by John Leech, first issue "stave I" on p. 1, and 2pp. of advertisements at the end, old ownership signatures, bookplate of John Francis Neylan; some stray spots, a few creased corners, intermittent pale dampstaining at the head of the title and a few other leaves. Original cinnamon vertically-waved cloth, stamped in blind and gilt, Todd's first impression, first issue, with 14–15 mm between closest points of blind-stamping and gold wreath of upper cover, the "D" of "Dickens" unbroken, green endpapers, all edges gilt; cloth a bit faded and soiled, a few spots of wear at spine ends and board edges, light bumps to two corners and two spots on the fore-edge, some pale stains, and a few tiny black spots, spine somewhat cocked, endpapers rubbed.

The Chimes: A Goblin Story. London: Chapman and Hall, 1845 [1844]. 8vo (166 x 104 mm). 13 illustrations, including frontispiece and vignette title, by Maclise, Doyle, Leech and Stanfield, second state of the vignette title, advertisement for tenth edition of A Christmas Carol at the beginning; a few pale spots to the frontispiece and vignette title, a faint strip of toning to the pages adjacent the endpapers. Original deep red horizontally-ribbed cloth, upper cover stamped in blind and pictorially gilt with design of seven goblins above six chimes, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt, pale yellow endpapers, all edges gilt; spine a bit toned, minor soiling to boards, light wear to spine ends and corners, hinges cracked, an attractive, bright copy. 

The Cricket on the Hearth. London: Printed and published for the author by Bradbury and Evans, 1846 [1845]. 12mo (165 x 101 mm). Half-title, engraved frontispiece and title-page vignette after Maclise, illustrations throughout text, 2pp. of advertisements at end (second state) bookplate of John Francis Neylan. Original deep red vertically ribbed cloth, stamped in blind and pictorially gilt with heath, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, yellow endpapers; a few instances of very faint soiling, spine a bit toned with a slight lean.

The Battle of Life. A Love Story. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1846. 12mo (165 x 102 mm). Engraved frontispiece and title-vignette after Maclise (Todd's E1, Eckel's fourth state), illustrations throughout, 2pp. of advertisements at end; a few pale spots. Original deep red cloth stamped in blind and pictorially gilt with fairy motif, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, yellow endpapers; minor soiling, light rubbing along the joints and board edges, wear to spine ends and corners, spine a bit toned, still, a bright copy.

The Haunted Man and The Ghost's Bargain. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. 8vo (165 x 105 mm). Advertisement leaf, frontispiece, vignette title-page and 15 illustrations by John Leech, Clarkson Stanfield, John Tenniel and Frank Stone, bookplates of John Francis Neylan and Percy Thuillier Westmorland; a few pale spots. Original deep red horizontally-ribbed cloth, covers stamped in blind and pictorially gilt with wreath and mistletoe, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, yellow endpapers; very light rubbing and wear to corners and extremities, spine ends softened, spine a bit dulled and slightly cocked.

Housed together in a gilt red morocco-backed top-loading slipcase, with reproductions of leather spines for the five titles facing out.

A handsome set of Dickens's five Christmas Books—all first editions in their original gilt cloth bindings.

Dickens first had his conception of A Christmas Carol in October 1843, and by the end of the month had John Leech, a fine artist introduced to him by Cruickshank, working on illustrations. By 10 November he was discussing the cover and advertising with Forster. As he told his Boston friend Felton, he composed the story in his head while walking around "the back streets of London, fifteen and twenty miles, many a night when all the sober folks had gone to bed" (see Tomalin, p. 148), frequently weeping and laughing and weeping again as he worked and strode about. Like Carlyle and Engels, Dickens was fired up with anger at the indifference of the rich to the fate of the poor, who had almost no access to education, no care in sickness, saw their young children set to work for ruthless factory-owners, and could consider themselves lucky if they were only half-starved. But it was Dickens's special genius to express this anger in a completely compelling narrative, putting into it all his vivid childhood memories of Camden Town and his own labor as a child together with the great insight that a grown man may pity the child he had been, resulting in an artistic creation which has captivated readers and audiences throughout the world ever since, and which simultaneously invented the modern idea of the joyous Christmas festival.

REFERENCE:

Smith II: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9; Eckel pp. 110-115, 116-118; 119-120; 121-123; 124-125

PROVENANCE

Various owners (early ownership inscriptions and signatures; see bookplates described above) — purchased as a set from Kenneth W. Rendell Gallery