"There are perhaps no days of our childhood we lived so fully as those we spent with a favourite book."
— Marcel Proust
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
![The Cricket on the Hearth. [Being the facsimile of the Manuscript]. Charles DICKENS.](/pictures/thumb/35125.jpg?v=1493310842)
The Cricket on the Hearth. [Being the facsimile of the Manuscript].
Guildford: Genesis Publications Ltd., 1981. 4to. Limited Edition, No.32 of 250. Signed by Monica Dickens, Charles Dickens's great granddaughter. Publisher's red full leatherette with gilt titles to spine, blind tooled decorative panelling to upper with gilt stamped decoration to centre; marbled end papers; all edges gilt. In its publisher's original... More
Pickwick Papers. The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. With Fifty-Seven Illustrations by Phiz.
London, Chapman and Hall Ltd. n.d. (ca.1880). Quarto. text printed in double columns. Elegantly hand-bound in original half black morocco, ruled in gilt to spine, over blue cloth sides with brown coated endpapers. Some trivial wear, endpapers show some blooming; a fine copy. morocco. More
![The Adventures of Oliver Twist [together with] A Tale of Two Cities With Illustrations by George Cruikshank and H.K. Browne. Charles DICKENS.](/pictures/thumb/40896.jpg?v=1493310885)
The Adventures of Oliver Twist [together with] A Tale of Two Cities With Illustrations by George Cruikshank and H.K. Browne
London: Chapman and Hall no date (c.1870). Thick medium octavo, pps.(viii); 312; (x); 254. Two titles bound in one. Publisher's blind-stamped olive green cloth with backstrip ruled in five compartments, lettered in gilt to the second, third and fourth panels, coated yellow endpapers, edges untrimmed. Internally clean but for some... More
Dombey and Son
London: Chapman and Hall no date (circa 1870). English literature. Illustrated edition. Thick medium octavo, pp.xviii; 624. With illustrations by H.K. Browne. Original tan claf over plum coloured sides with marbled edges and endpapers. Bookseller ticket to pastedown. Some expected age-toning and spotting else internally fine, binding with a few... More
![Dombey and Son. [Dealings With The Firm of Dombey and Son, Wholesale, Retail and For Exportation.]. Charles DICKENS.](/pictures/thumb/39350.jpg?v=1493310871)
Dombey and Son. [Dealings With The Firm of Dombey and Son, Wholesale, Retail and For Exportation.]
London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. First Edition, mixed early issue. 8vo; pp. xvi + (1) + 624. Illustrated with 38 engraved plates, a frontispiece and engraved title page. Bound in nineteenth century green half morocco, gilt. Bound, as usual, without half-title. Internally clean but for some miniscule bleed from the... 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
The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. With Illustrations by 'Phiz'
London: Chapman and Hall no date (c.1870). Thick medium octavo, pps.(xvi); 624. Illustrated with 39 engraved plates and engraved title. Publisher's blind-stamped olive green cloth with backstrip ruled in five compartments, lettered in gilt to the second and fourth panels, coated yellow endpapers, edges untrimmed. Internally clean, bookplate of Skirrow/Telford... More
Little Dorrit
London: Chapman and Hall No date [circa 1900]. Thick medium octavo, pps.(xiv); 625; [1], blank. Illustrated with thirty-nine engraved plates by H.K.Browne. Publisher's blind-stamped dark green cloth with central wreath device, backstrip ruled in five compartments, lettered in gilt to the second and fourth panels, pale yellow-coloured coated endpapers, edges... More
Oliver Twist. Or, The Parish Boy's Progress. By "Boz". In Three Volumes.
London: Richard Bentley 1838. FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, with the suppressed 'Fireside' plate to vol. 3, With half titles, and with the rare instructions to binder plates list to volume 1; volume 3 includes the Bentley's Standard Library advert in place of the half title, which is correct for early... 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
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club. With 43 Illustrations by R. Seymour and 'Phiz'.
London: Chapman and Hall no date (circa 1870). Thick medium octavo, pps. (xvi) + 609. Illustrated. Elegantly bound by Bayntun Riviere in full scarlet calf, extra gilt, with marbled endpapers and all edges gilt. Rebacked with the original spine laid back on. Internally very clean, some minor rubbing to binding... More
Sketches By Boz. Illustrative of Every-Day Life and Every-Day People
London: Chapman and Hall 1859. New Edition, Complete. Medium octavo, pps.(viii); 526; [2], blank. Illustrated with forty engraved plates by George Cruikshank. Publisher's blind-stamped olive green cloth with backstrip ruled in five compartments, lettered in gilt to the second and fourth panels, coated peach-coloured endpapers, edges untrimmed. Internally clean, binder's... More
Sketches By Boz. Illustrative of Every-Day Life and Every-Day People
London: Chapman and Hall 1894. New Edition, Complete. Medium octavo, pps.(vi); 526. Illustrated with forty engraved plates by George Cruikshank. Handsomely bound in half green pebble-grain morocco, extra gilt, with marbled sides and endpapers, all edges gilt. Internally very clean, neat owner name to blank, spine a trifle sunned, crown... More
The Works of Charles Dickens.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1890-95. 24 titles in 17 volumes; Octavo. Original half red 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. Lightly used with some minor rubbing. A charming set. 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 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., 1905-1907. [English literature]. FIRST BROCK-ILLUSTRATED EDITION, Deluxe Issue. 5 volumes, octavo (18 x 12 x 15cm). With illustrations in colour by Charles Brock. Finely bound in publisher's vellum, ornately tooled in gilt to spine and upper, top edges gilt, others untrimmed. Some minor toning. Book... More
The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit.
London: George G. Harrap and Co., 1932. BROCK ILLUSTRATIONS, first thus. Octavo, pp.752. With 16 chromolithographic plates, including a frontispiece, by Charles Brock. In publisher's apricot cloth with gilt titles to spine. Top edge orange. With original illustrated pink dust jacket. Some light spotting to edges; spine sunned. Jacket mostly... More
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1873. [Classic Literature]. FINELY BOUND AND ILLUSTRATED. In two volumes. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.[4] xviii; 471 [5]; pp.[4] x; 491 [5]. With 43 wood engraved plates by Phiz, including frontispieces and a title page vignette. Contemporary dark brown full morocco with raised bands and gilt... More
Little Dorrit.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1857. Early Edition. Octavo, pp.xiv, 625. With 39 illustrations by H. K. Browne. Bound in full green morocco leather with raised bands, gilt titles and gilt motifs to spine; all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Bookseller ticket to pastedown, light occasional foxing, dampmark to final plate and... More
![Little Dorrit. [in] The Works of Charles Dickens. Charles DICKENS, H. K. 'PHIZ' BROWNE, Marcus STONE, William Powell FRITH, illustrators.](/pictures/thumb/51184.jpg?v=1526387467)
Little Dorrit. [in] The Works of Charles Dickens.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1907. [Classic Literature] FINELY BOUND. Two volumes. Octavo (24 x 17cm), pp.xxiv; 502 [4]; pp.[2] xvi; 468 [6]. Illustrated with 45 tissue-paper-protected plates, including frontispieces and reproductions of the front covers of the original parts. Beautifully bound by Bayntun Riviere in scarlet polished calf, with gilt... More
The Old Curiosity Shop.
London: Chapman and Hall, n.d. [c.1965]. English literature. Illustrated edition. Crown octavo, pp.715. With seventy-five illustrations by Cattermole and 'Phiz'. Original half blue calf, gilt, with five raised bands to spine, buckram sides, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. Internally fine, minor dustiness and wear, spine pleasingly sunned to grey. An... More
Barnaby Rudge. With illustrations by H. K. Browne and George Cattermole.
London: Chapman and Hall, n.d. [c.1850's]. FINELY BOUND, early edition. Octavo, pp.[2] x, 613 [3]. With frequent wood engravings. In contemporary burgundy half calf with raised bands and gilt titles to spine. Marbled boards and endpapers; top edge gilt. Spine sunned. Some rubbing to joints and fore-edges, otherwise very good... More
![Master Humphrey's Clock [The Old Curiosity Shop; Barnaby Rudge]. Charles DICKENS, George CATTERMOLE, , Hablot BROWNE, illustrators.](/pictures/thumb/46844.jpg?v=1493311003)
Master Humphrey's Clock [The Old Curiosity Shop; Barnaby Rudge].
London: Chapman and Hall, 1840. FIRST EDITION of Barnaby Rudge, The Old Curiosity Shop, and Master Humphrey's Clock. 3 volumes. Quarto. Publisher's vertically-ribbed brown cloth, elaborately blocked in gilt and blind, with gilt-blocked clock design to upper cover (the hands indicating the volume numbers on each), marbled edges and endpapers... More
All The Year Round. A Weekly Journal. Conducted by Charles Dickens. With which is incorporated Household Words. Includes the very first appearance of Dickens's 'A Tale of Two Cities' and Wilkie Collins's 'The Woman in White'.
London: 1859-1866. [English literature] 16 volumes, continuous from number 1 to 400. Large octavo, contemporary binding of plum full morocco, extra gilt, with marbled edges and endpapers. Internally clean, very light wear to covers, one or two spine a touch sunned. A superb, very decorative set of this important periodical... More