"A book should serve as the axe for the frozen sea within us."
— Franz Kafka
Charles Dickens | First Editions
1812 - 1870
Charles John Huffam Dickens (7 February 1812 – 9 June 1870) was an English writer and social critic, who created created some of the world's best-known fictional characters. Dickens is regarded as the greatest novelist of the Victorian era. Despite his lack of formal education, he edited a weekly journal for 20 years, wrote 15 novels, five novellas, hundreds of short stories and non-fiction articles, lectured and performed extensively, was an indefatigable letter writer, and campaigned vigorously for children's rights, education, and other social reforms. His works enjoyed unprecedented popularity during his lifetime, and by the twentieth century critics and scholars had recognised him as a literary genius. His novels and short stories enjoy lasting popularity
Most of his novels were published in monthly or weekly instalments, and thus pioneered the serial publication of narrative fiction which became the dominant Victorian mode for novel publication. The instalment format allowed Dickens to evaluate his audience's reaction, and he often modified his plot and character development based on such feedback. His plots were carefully constructed, and he often wove elements from topical events into his narratives. Masses of the illiterate poor chipped in ha'pennies to have each new monthly episode read to them, opening up and inspiring a new class of readers. The term Dickensian is used to describe something that is reminiscent of Dickens and his writings, such as poor social conditions or comically repulsive characters.
See below our stock of Charles Dickens First Editions, original parts, and fine bindings.
Charles Dickens Museum
The Dickens Fellowship
contribute to 'The Evening Standard Book of Strange Stories'
London: Hutchinson and Co., no date [1934]. [Strange Tales - Omnibus] FIRST EDITION. Large octavo (21 x 13cm), pp.1024. Publisher's red cloth blocked in black, illustrated green dust-wrapper. An unquestionably fine copy with some light wear to spine tips and a few tiny nicks. A comprehensive collection of eighty-eight wierd..... More
The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit With Illustrations by Phiz
London: Ward Lock and Company no date [circa 1900]. Sixpenny novel format. 8vo. Publisher's pictorial soft card wraps, printed in colour. Minor toning to cheap paper stock, some minor wear to the covers; generally a bright copy of a fragile early paperback. A nice survival. More
Our Mutual Friend.
London: Chapman and Hall [1896]. CROWN EDITION, in scarce original printed DUST-WRAPPER. Octavo, pp.x; 683; [1], blank. Publisher's russet-coloured buckram blocked in gilt and black, complete with rare paper jacket. With forty illustrations by Martin Stone. One of the author's most famous tales, issued as part of the 'Dickens Crown..... More
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. With 43 Illustrations by R. Seymour and 'Phiz'.
London: Chapman and Hall no date (circa 1900). Thick medium octavo, pps. (xvi) + 609. Illustrated. The engraved title page displays the 'Weller' sign (altered from 'Veller' in first issue). Publisher's blind-stamped dark green cloth with central wreath device, backstrip ruled in five compartments, lettered in gilt to the second..... More
Oliver Twist; Or, The Parish Boy's Progress.
London: Chapman and Hall, no date [circa1880]. [English literature] Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.viii; 311; [1], blank. With twenty-four engraved plates by George Cruikshank. Dark brown half calf to style with gilt to spine, marbled sides, top edge gilt. Internally very clean, exterior unmarked. Title page also refers to 'A..... More
Oliver Twist; Or, The Parish Boy's Progress.
London: Chapman and Hall, no date [circa1880]. [English literature] FINELY BOUND. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.viii; 311; [1], blank. With twenty-four engraved plates by George Cruikshank. Mid green half calf to style with gilt to spine, marbled sides, top edge gilt. Internally clean, plates with a few minor spots, exterior..... More
The Works of Charles Dickens.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1890-95. [Literature] FINELY BOUND. 24 titles bound in 17 volumes, Octavo (21 x 15 x 62 cm). Contemporary red half calf red with twin green labels, full gilt backs, marbled boards, edges and endpapers. With illustrations from the original plates by Cruikshank, Stone, Phiz, et al...... More
The Chimes. A Goblin Story of some Bells that Rang an Old Yearout and a New Year In.
London: J.M. Dent and Co., 1905. [Short story] FIRST BROCK EDITION IN COLOUR. Octavo (18 x 12cm), pp.[viii]; 167; [3]. Contemporary quarter vellum over blue cloth boards, lettered, decorated in gilt to spine, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. Colour frontispiece and numerous in-text illustrations. Textblock a little shaken with a...... More
The Christmas Books. Being; A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life and The Haunted Man.
London: J.M. Dent and Co., 1905 and 1907. [English literature]. FIRST BROCK-ILLUSTRATED EDITION. 5 volumes, octavo (18 x 12 x 15cm). With illustrations in colour by Charles Brock. Finely bound in full deep red morocco with raised bands, gilt decoration and gilt titles to spines, marbled endpapers; top edges gilt..... More
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.
London: Chapman and Hall, October 1891. [Classic Literature] FINELY BOUND, with illustrations. Octavo (22 x 17cm), pp.xvi; 624. With 39 engraved plates by 'Phiz' and a frontispiece of the young Dickens by Maclise. Reprinted from stereotype plates. Contemporary green half morocco with raised bands, gilt titles and decoration to spine..... More
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1839. [Classic Fiction] FIRST EDITION, bound from mixed issue parts. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.xvi; 624. With 39 engraved plates by Phiz, and a frontispiece portrait of the author by Maclise. This copy does not have "visiter" for "sister" on p.123 line 17, but it does..... More
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1837. [Classic Literature] FIRST EDITION, EARLY ISSUE: "Veller" title and two "Buss" plates; bound without the half-title. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.iii-xvi; 609; [1]. With 41 engraved plates, as well as an engraved frontispiece and decorated title page. Later green half straight grained morocco, with raised..... More
Bleak House.
London: Bradbury and Evans, 1853. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION, First Issue. Octavo, pp.xvi; 624 [2]. Has all three typographical errors present in the first issue: p.19, line 6: "elgble"; p. 209, line 23: "chair" instead of "hair"; and p. 275, line 22: "counsinship" instead of "cousinship." With 40 engraved illustrations..... More
A Tale of Two Cities. With Illustrations by H. K. Browne.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1859. [Classic Literature] FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, (signature 'b' noted on list of plates; page 213 numbered 113; 'affectionately' misspelled on page 134; the name of 'Stryver' misspelt on plate at page 94). Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.254, engravings by H.K. Browne. Full green morocco, spine..... More
![Charles Dickens' Complete Works. The University Edition. [Including] Pickwick Papers, The Old...](/pictures/thumb/54763.jpg?v=1568387173)
Charles Dickens' Complete Works. The University Edition. [Including] Pickwick Papers, The Old Curiosity Shop, Great Expectations, Bleak House, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, [etc.]
Boston, MA: Estes and Lauiat, 1882. [Complete Works] FINELY BOUND SET. Fifteen volumes. Octavo (19 x 14 x 55cm). With occasional wood engraved plates by various artists. Fine contemporary dark brown half morocco with raised bands, gilt titles and decoration to spines, and marbled paper over boards. All edges and..... More
Our Mutual Friend.
New York, NY: Hurd and Houghton, 1866. [Classic Literature] FINELY BOUND by M. Jackel and Co, NY. In four volumes. Crown octavo (18 x 12 x 11cm), pp.[4] 311 [3]; pp.[4] 306 [4]; pp.[4] 305 [3]; pp.[4] 284 [4]. With a steel engraved frontispiece to each volume. In an elegant..... More
The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1870. [Crime / Mystery] FIRST EDITION in book form. Large octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.viii; 190 [34]. With 12 wood engraved illustrations after Fildes, as well as a steel engraved frontispiece and vignette title page. Publisher's green cloth, recently re-backed with the original cloth spine laid..... More
The Mystery of Edwin Drood.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1870. [Crime / Mystery] FIRST EDITION, bound from the original parts. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.viii; 190 [36]. With 12 wood engraved illustrations after Fildes, as well as a steel engraved frontispiece and vignette title page. One original light blue wrapper bound in at rear. Publisher's..... More
The Christmas Books. [A Christmas Carol; The Chimes; The Cricket on the Hearth; The Battle of Life and The Haunted Man in] The Works of Charles Dickens.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1843-1848. [Festive Ghost Stories] ALL FIRST EDITIONS, each with an associated letter tipped-in. Five volumes, octavo (19 x 13 x 10cm). Publisher's red cloth covers (brown cloth for 'Carol') with gilt blocking and gilt edges. [1] A Christmas Carol: FIRST EDITION, FIRST STATE, with uncorrected text..... More
Dombey and Son. Or, Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son, Wholesale, Retail and Exportation.
London: Chapman and Hall Limited, W.R. Howell and Co., no date [circa 1880s]. [Classic literature] Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.[xvi]; 624. Illustrated by H.K. Browne, with tissue guards to engravings. Elegantly bound in dark green half morocco over cloth sides, decorated in gilt, with raised bands, all edges gilt, marbled..... More
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.
London: The Westminster Press [Hodder and Stoughton], n.d. [c.1910]. ILLUSTRATED EDITION. Quarto, pp.[2] viii, 534 [2]. With 20 chromolithographic plates by Frank Reynolds, R.I., each with a captioned tissue guard. In publisher's red cloth with gilt and black titles to spine, and gilt and black titles to upper board, with..... More
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. Illustrated in Colour by Frank Reynolds.
London: The Westminster Press / Hodder and Stoughton, n.d. Quarto, with 20 tipped-in colour plates, captioned tissues. Publisher's red cloth, gilt titles and gilt medallion decoration to upper board, pictorial end-papers, original printed dustwrapper. Light foxing to some tissues and mount of some plates. Very good. Exceptionally clean within, jacket..... More
Our Mutual Friend.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1865. [English Literature] FIRST EDITION, bound from the parts. 2 volumes. Octavo (23 x 16cm), pp.[i]-xii; 320; [viii]; 309; [1], publisher's imprint. With 40 engraved plates, both half-titles present. Bound in brown half calf over marbled sides, gilt decoration and black title labels to spine. Contents..... More
Barnaby Rudge: A Tale of the Riots of 'Eighty.
London: Chapman and Hall, [1841]. FIRST SEPARATE EDITION, bound with unaltered stereotype sheets from the original triple-decker; an unrecorded variant. Octavo (26 x 17cm). With textual engravings by George Cattermole and Hablot K. Brown ('Phiz'). Smith's later issue with Piccadilly address shown on an undated title page. In our copy..... More
Bleak House.
London: Bradbury and Evans, 1853. First Edition, first issue text, half-title present. Octavo, pp.624. Has all three typographical errors present in the first issue: p.19, line 6: "elgble"; p. 209, line 23: "chair" instead of "hair"; and p. 275, line 22: "counsinship" instead of "cousinship." Illustrations by H.K. Browne. In..... More