"Outside of a dog, man's best friend is a book. Inside of a dog, it's too dark to read."
— Groucho Marx
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
Results 1 - 22 (of 22)
Bleak House.
London: Bradbury and Evans, 1853. [Crime Fiction] FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.xvi; 624 [4]. 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'. Lacks the half-title. With 40 engraved..... 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, no date [circa 1860s]. [Classic literature] FINELY BOUND, a reprint. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.[16] 609 [3]. With 43 engraved illustrations by Phiz and Seymour, including a frontispiece and vignette title page. Contemporary red half morocco, with gilt titles and decoration to spine, and marbled paper..... More
The Old Curiosity Shop.
London: Chapman and Hall, n.d. [circa 1910]. [Classic Literature] FINELY BOUND. Two volumes. Octavo (21 x 15cm), pp.xvi; 370; [1], blank; pp.ii; 363; [1], blank. With introduction and notes by Andrew Lang. With the original illustrations throughout. Title pages printed in two colours. Beautifully bound by Root & Son in..... More
The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1844. [Classic Literature] FIRST EDITION, bound from the parts with '100£' to engraved title page. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.xvi; 624 [2]. With a total of 40 engraved plates by Phiz, including a frontispiece and decorated title page. Contemporary black half calf, with raised bands, gilt..... More
The Personal History of David Copperfield.
London: Bradbury and Evans, 1850. [Classic Literature] FIRST EDITION, Mixed Issue. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.xvi; 624 [2]. With the dated vignette title page, but 'screwed' to p.132, line 20. Lacks half-title. With 40 steel engravings by Phiz, including frontispiece and vignette title page. Contemporary tan half calf, with gilt..... More
A Tale of Two Cities. With Illustrations by H.K. Browne.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1860. [Classic Literature] FIRST EDITION, THIRD ISSUE. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.[2] x; 254 [2]. With 16 engraved plates by "Phiz", including a frontispiece and vignette title page. Lacking the signature 'b' on the list of plates, and the pagination of p.213 is corrected, but 'affectionately'..... More
![Item #65857 Master Humphrey's Clock [The Old Curiosity Shop; Barnaby Rudge]. George CATTERMOLE,...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/65857.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1697473746)
Master Humphrey's Clock [The Old Curiosity Shop; Barnaby Rudge].
London: Chapman and Hall, 1840-41. [English Literature] FIRST EDITION in book-form. 3 volumes, quartos (25 x 17 x 9cm), pp.[2] iv; 306, pp.vi; 306, pp.vi; 426 [4]. With illustrations by George Cattermole and Hablot Browne. Publisher's vertically-ribbed brown cloth, elaborately blocked in gilt and blind, with gilt-blocked clock design to..... More
Works of Charles Dickens: Pickwick Papers, The Old Curiosity Shop, Great Expectations, Bleak House, A Christmas Carol, David Copperfield, Oliver Twist, A Tale of Two Cities, etc. The Illustrated Library Edition.
London: Chapman and Hall, 1873-1876. [Complete Works] FINELY BOUND AND ILLUSTRATED SET. Complete in 30 volumes. Octavo (22 x 15 x 117cm). An excellent edition featuring fair-sized print, good paper, and all the original engravings. Contemporary burgundy half calf, with raised bands, gilt titles and decoration to spines, and papier..... 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. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.[2]; viii; 190; [2]. With twelve engravings by Fildes and a tissue-guarded frontispiece portrait of Dickens. Red half calf, nonpareil marbled paper over boards. Green label with gilt titles, gilt tooling, and raised bands to spine. All..... More
Sketches by Boz. Illustrative of Every-Day Life and Every-Day People.
London: Chapman and Hall, Circa [1890s]. [Literature] LEATHER BINDING, library edition. Octavo (22 x 14cm), pp.[vi]; xiv; 475; [1], blank. Tan half calf with marbled paper over boards. Raised bands with gilt embellishment to spine, as well as gilt titles to blue and red labels. Speckled edges. Illustrative frontispiece, black..... More
Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son, Wholesale, Retail and Exportation.
London: Chapman and Hall, no date [circa 1895]. [Classic Literature] FINELY BOUND AND ILLUSTRATED. Octavo (22 x 17cm), pp.xvi; 624 [2]. With 40 engraved plates by Browne, including a frontispiece and vignette title page. Contemporary green half morocco, with raised bands, gilt titles and decoration to spine, and textured green..... More
Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son, Wholesale, Retail and Exportation.
London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. [Classic Literature] FIRST EDITION, Mixed Issue. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.xviii; 624 [2]. With 40 engraved plates by Phiz, including a frontispiece and vignette title. Complete with the half-title. Contains most first issue points, but 'Birds-Eye' is hyphenated in the Contents and the page number..... More
Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son, Wholesale, Retail and Exportation.
London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. [Classic Literature] FIRST EDITION, Mixed Issue. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.xviii; 624 [2]. With 40 engraved plates by Phiz, including a frontispiece and vignette title. Lacks the half-title. Contains most first issue points, but 'Birds-Eye' is hyphenated in the Contents. Contemporary tan half calf, with..... More
Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son, Wholesale, Retail and Exportation.
London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. [Classic Literature] FIRST EDITION, Mixed Issue. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.xviii; 624 [2]. With 40 engraved plates by Phiz, including a frontispiece and vignette title. Extra-illustrated with later engraved plates by Chapman and Hall, depicting Little Paul, Florence, Edith and Alice. Lacks the half-title. Contains..... More
Dombey and Son. Or, Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son, Wholesale, Retail and Exportation.
London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. [Classic literature] FIRST EDITION, EXTRA-ILLUSTRATED includes errata leaf within prelims, bound from the parts, without half-title. Octavo (22 x 15cm), pp.[xvi]; 624. Illustrated with frontispiece and vignette and a further thirty-eight plates, plus three additional portrait plates by H.K. Browne ('Phiz'). Period-style half brown oasis..... More
Master Humphrey's Clock. To which are added Papers by Mr. Yellowplush.
Paris: Baudry's European Library, 1841. [Literature] CONTINENTAL EDITION. Two volumes, octavo (22 x 13cm), pp.[vi]; 323; [iii], blank; pp.[viii]; 131; [ii], blank. Contemporary red quarter calf binding, title labels and decorative gilt to spine, raised bands, all edges marbled, marbled endpapers and boards. The continental edition, published a year after..... More
The Old Curiosity Shop.
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), 228 leaves, Page 2 is numbered 2-38, p.47 numbered 47-79, p.96 numbered 96-102, p.224 blank, as per Smith, p.307 reverts to number 1 (not in Smith)..... More
Legends and Lyrics. A Book of Verses.
London: George Bell & Sons, 1892. [Poetry] FINELY BOUND, later printing. Octavo (19 x 14cm), pp.[28]; 364; [4]. Bound in red morocco by Ramage, gilt patterned front and back boards, lettered and patterned in gilt to spine, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers, gilt dentelle to turn ins. Portrait frontispiece. Signs..... More
![Item #49285 [Five Publishers' Sample Books]. 'Our Martyred President: The Life and Public...](https://harringtonbooks-co-uk.cdn.bibliopolis.com/pictures/49285.jpg?width=320&height=427&fit=bounds&auto=webp&v=1561390040)
[Five Publishers' Sample Books]. 'Our Martyred President: The Life and Public Services of Gen. James A. Garfield'; 'The London Dickens'; 'The Klondike Gold Fields'; 'Canada Under the Administration of Lord Dufferin'; 'Earl Kitchener and the Great War'.
[various publishers in North America], n.d. [c.1870's - 1910's]. [Book history] RARE PUBLISHERS' SAMPLES. Five volumes, octavo (largest volume 22 x 15cm). Each in publisher's cloth, all slim volumes lacking titles to spines. Each sample is unique, some containing lined paper at the back for the salesman to record subscribers..... More
The Pic Nic Papers. By Various Hands.
Paris: Baudry's European Library, 1841. [Short Stories] FIRST EDITION THUS. Octavo (23 x 15cm), pp.[8] 367 [3]. Publisher's blue quarter morocco, with gilt titles to spine and brown cloth over boards. All edges speckled red. With a loosely inserted etching of 'The Pic-nic' at rear. Bound by Birdball and Son..... More
Results 1 - 22 (of 22)