Dealings with the Firm of Dombey and Son, Wholesale, Retail and Exportation.

DICKENS, Charles (1812-1870), [PHIZ, pseudonym of H.K. BROWNE, illustrator].

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 is printed to p.431. Contemporary black half calf for Sotheran's of London, with raised bands, gilt titles to red label, extensive gilt decoration to spine, and marbled paper over boards. All edges and endpapers marbled. Black ink ownership to verso of fly-leaf. A nice clean copy showing light to moderate spotting to plates. Binding quite heavily worn, with a large loss to title label. Lower joint starting at tail. Good. This landmark novel weaves together a number of stories concerning a self-important merchant and his two children. Dickens takes aim at arranged marriages, and along the way deals with child cruelty, broken and abusive familial relationships, and the fears elicited by the advent of the railway - which, towards the end of his life, Dickens was to experience for himself while writing Our Mutual Friend. Item #64314

Price: £225.00