THE HAUNTED MAN and THE GHOST'S BARGAIN
by Dickens, Charles
1849. A Fancy for Christmas-Time. New York: Harper & Brothers, n.d. [1849]. 2 pp undated ads. Original brown printed wrappers. First American Edition of Dickens's fifth and last Christmas book; there had been no late-1847 Christmas book, as Dickens had then been busy with DOMBEY AND SON. Though undated, this Harper edition in wrappers came out on January 6, 1849; this is earlier in January than was the case for their four previous Christmas books, and for good... Read More
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![A CURIOUS DANCE ROUND A CURIOUS TREE [with envelope]](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/464/850/1488850464.0.l.jpg)
A CURIOUS DANCE ROUND A CURIOUS TREE [with envelope]
by Dickens, Charles
1860. [London: St. Luke's Hospital, 1860.] Original pale pink wrappers, with original narrow "one penny" envelope. First Edition, second and usual issue. Dickens describes the wretched conditions inside St. Luke's Hospital ("established in 1751, for the treatment and care of lunatics"), and in particular the "very sad and touching spectacle" of the annual Christmas Ball there (dancing around the Christmas tree). He actually wrote the original piece in 1852, at which time it appeared in his Household Words... Read More
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OUR MUTUAL FRIEND. In Two Volumes. With Forty-One Illustrations from Designs by Marcus Stone
by Dickens, Charles ("Boz")
1865. Stone, Marcus. Philadelphia: T.B. Peterson & Brothers, n.d.[1865]. 10 pp Vol II ads, undated (though one page cites 1866 as a future date). Original blind-stamped black cloth with gilt vignette on spines. Second American Edition, which is to say Peterson's two-volume "Uniform Duodecimo Edition." Harper paid for advance rights to serialize this novel and to publish it as an octavo book on 11 November 1865; they also sold their plates to Peterson, in such a way that... Read More
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![DICKENS' NEW STORIES [first U.S. edition of "The Seven Poor Travellers"]](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/681/191/545191681.0.l.jpg)
DICKENS' NEW STORIES [first U.S. edition of "The Seven Poor Travellers"]
by Dickens, Charles
1855. Containing: The Seven Poor Travellers. Nine New Stories by the Christmas Fire. Hard Times... With a Portrait of the Author, engraved on steel. Philadelphia: T.B. Peterson, n.d. [1855]. Original dark brown cloth, blind-stamped, with spine vignette in gilt. First Edition so collected, first issue (in the dark brown binding with spine vignette in gilt, "T.B. Peterson" at the foot of the spine, and 102 Chestnut Street as the title page address). Although the volume consists of six... Read More
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The Life and Adventures of MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT
by Dickens, Charles
1844. .. [in the original cloth] With Illustrations by Phiz. London: Chapman and Hall, 1844. Original blind-stamped diagonally-ribbed blue cloth. First Edition in book form, published immediately at the conclusion of the 20-in-19 monthly serial parts (issued from January 1843 through July 1844). MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT marks Dickens's return to conventional serial parts, with separate plates, followed by a single octavo volume (as with NICHOLAS NICKLEBY in 1839); since then, he had tried weekly parts composed of a single... Read More
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The Tuggs's at Ramsgate." In: THE TUGGS'S AT RAMSGATE, by "Boz.
by [Dickens, Charles]
1837. Together with Other Tales, by Distinguished Writers. Philadelphia: Carey, Lea & Blanchard, 1837. Original light grey-green boards with red cloth spine and printed label. First American Edition (being a volume in the "Library of Fiction"), limited to 1,000 copies issued in January 1837. The volume consists of the title tale by Dickens followed by nine other tales by other writers. This is the only one of "Boz"'s tales that, having appeared in a British periodical, did not... Read More
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![MASTER HUMPHREY'S CLOCK [In Three Volumes]](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/861/655/1742655861.0.l.jpg)
MASTER HUMPHREY'S CLOCK [In Three Volumes]
by Dickens, Charles
1840. With Illustrations by George Cattermole and Hablot Browne. London: Chapman and Hall, 1840/-41/-41. Original blind-stamped purple-brown cloth with gilt-decorated spines and front covers. First Editions in book form of THE OLD CURIOSITY SHOP (all of Vol I plus pp 1-223 of Vol II), and of BARNABY RUDGE (pp 229-306 of Vol II plus all of Vol III). After NICHOLAS NICKLEBY, Dickens decided that all his future novels would be issued as loosely-connected tales presented by one Master... Read More
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A CURIOUS DANCE ROUND A CURIOUS TREE
by Dickens, Charles
1860. [London: St. Luke's Hospital, 1860.] Original pale pink wrappers. First Edition, second and usual issue -- with the final paragraph in bold (not like the rest of the text), with the wrapper pink (not mauve -- though all are today faded), with the front cover title followed by a comma (not by a period), and with the front cover border decorative only at the corners (not all 'round). Dickens describes the wretched conditions inside St. Luke's Hospital... Read More
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MRS. LIRRIPER'S LODGINGS
by Dickens, Charles
1863. The Extra Christmas Number of All The Year Round for Christmas, 1863. London: Chapman & Hall, (1863). Original blue wrappers. First Edition, being the extra Christmas number of "All The Year Round." This was the fifth of the nine Dickens Christmas numbers (1859-1867), and the first to be bound in blue wrappers. Dickens himself wrote only the first and last (seventh) chapters. A near-fine copy (just a touch of wear at the extremities). Eckel p. 196. ... Read More
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![Dealings with the Firm of DOMBEY AND SON [20 parts in 19]](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/548/895/1562895548.0.l.jpg)
Dealings with the Firm of DOMBEY AND SON [20 parts in 19]
by Dickens, Charles
1846. Browne, Hablot K.. [a handsome set] Wholesale, Retail, and for Exportation. With Illustrations by H.K. Browne. [In 20-in-19 monthly serial parts.] London: Bradbury & Evans, 1846-1848. Original light blue-green pictorial wrappers. First Edition, as issued in 20-in-19 monthly serial parts beginning in October 1846 and ending in April 1848. The serialization of this novel began upon the end of serialization of OLIVER TWIST (the scarcest of all "Dickens in parts," occurring eight years after its publication in... Read More
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SPEECH delivered at the Meeting of the ADMINISTRATIVE REFORM ASSOCIATION
by Dickens, Charles
1855. at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, Wednesday, June 27, 1855. London: Effingham Wilson, 1855. Original printed self-wrappers. First Edition of this speech Dickens gave to the Administrative Reform Association. Dickens was a founding member of this organization that lambasted the government for its indifference to the plight of the common man... [Dickens] was unable to be present when [Austen Henry] Layard addressed a meeting at Drury Lane on June 20th, but he was entirely in accord with... Read More
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A Complete Set of the Nine Extra Christmas Numbers of ALL THE YEAR ROUND
by Dickens, Charles
1859. London: Office of All The Year Round / Chapman & Hall, 1859-1867. [In nine volumes.] Original self-wrappers (first four) and blue printed wrappers (last five) -- as issued. First Editions of all nine "Extra Christmas Numbers" of this periodical that Charles Dickens founded, and edited for its nine years of existence. (Previously he had likewise founded Household Words, which likewise lasted nine years -- and which has nine Extra Christmas Numbers as well.) In addition to editing... Read More
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![A CHILD'S HISTORY OF ENGLAND. [in Two Volumes.]](https://d3525k1ryd2155.cloudfront.net/h/734/830/1268830734.0.l.jpg)
A CHILD'S HISTORY OF ENGLAND. [in Two Volumes.]
by Dickens, Charles
1854. Boston: Jenks, Hickling & Swan, 1854. Original blind-stamped dark brown cloth with gilt-decorated spines. Early American edition, just possibly the first complete one. Since Harper published the two volumes of its edition separately in March 1853 and in March 1854 (so dated on the title pages), it is considered to be the first American edition. The date in 1854 when these two Boston volumes were published is unknown, so it is possible that this two-volume Boston edition... Read More
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THE BATTLE OF LIFE. A Love Story
by Dickens, Charles
1846. London: Bradbury & Evans, 1846. 2 pp undated ads. Original red cloth pictorially decorated in gilt, all page edges gilt. First Edition of the fourth of Dickens's five illustrated Christmas books -- following A CHRISTMAS CAROL, THE CHIMES, and THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH, and preceding THE HAUNTED MAN. This is an unusual tale in which two sisters love the same man, both ultimately settling in with him (though only one is married to him) -- according... Read More
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THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, and Some Uncollected Pieces
by Dickens, Charles
1870. With Illustrations. Boston: Fields, Osgood, & Co., 1870. Original green cloth. First American Edition, second issue with added material -- of the tale left unfinished at the time of Dickens's death in June 1870. In addition to DROOD, this second issue adds James T. Fields's introductory "Some Memories of Charles Dickens," plus Dickens's "George Silverman's Explanation," "Holiday Romance," "Sketches of Young Couples," "New Uncommercial Samples" plus "The Will of Charles Dickens." Since 1867, Ticknor & Fields (and... Read More
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MRS. LIRRIPER'S LODGINGS
by Dickens, Charles
1863. Charles Dickens's New Christmas Story. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1863. Original self-wrappers. First American Edition of the fifth of the nine Christmas numbers (1859-1867) of Dickens's periodical "All The Year Round." Dickens himself wrote only the first and last (seventh) chapters. The inside rear wrapper bears ads dated December 1863. This is a near-fine copy, with minor wear along the very fragile spine and a few faint marks; this American edition is much scarcer than its... Read More
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A ROUND OF STORIES by The Christmas Fire
by Dickens, Charles
1853. New York: Stringer & Townsend, 1853. Original greyish-pink printed wrappers. Early (first?) American edition of this the third of Dickens's nine "Extra Christmas Numbers" of his weekly periodical Household Words. This came out in London in December 1852, and then was published in America in early 1853 by several publishers (McElrath & Lord doing the authorized American issue of HhW, plus Harper, plus this effort). Dickens himself wrote only the first two stories -- "The Poor Relation's... Read More
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HARD TIMES. For These Times
by Dickens, Charles
1854. London: Bradbury & Evans, 1854. Original blind-stamped olive-green cloth. First Edition of Dickens's novel sited in the grimy manufacturing city of Coketown; it is his only novel not to have scenes set in London. School superintendent Thomas Gradgrind tries hard to repress the children's imagination in favor of Facts: "Now what I want is Facts. Teach these boys and girls nothing but Facts"; his own two sons are named Adam Smith and Malthus. In HARD TIMES Dickens... Read More
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The Life and Adventures of MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT (20 parts in 19)
by [Dickens, Charles]
1843. Browne, Hablot K.. ["With the Publisher's Compliments"] His Relatives, Friends, and Enemies. Comprising all his wills and his ways; with an historical record of what he did, and what he didn't. Edited by Boz. With Illustrations by "Phiz." London: Chapman & Hall, 1843-1844. Original light blue-green pictorial wrappers. First Edition, as originally issued in 20-in-19 monthly serial parts, beginning in January 1843 and ending in July 1844. With MARTIN CHUZZLEWIT, Dickens reverted to the conventional method of... Read More
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MR. NIGHTINGALE'S DIARY: A Farce in One Act
by Dickens, Charles
1877. Boston: James R. Osgood and Company, 1877. Original terra-cotta cloth decorated in black. First "Collectible" Edition of this play first performed in 1851. We say first "collectible" because there are only four known copies of the original 1851 pamphlet; supposedly a fifth, from which Osgood printed this edition, was destroyed in the Boston fire of 1879. This is a volume in the publisher's "Vest Pocket Series," so named for its diminutive size (a second Dickens "comic burletta"... Read More
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A MESSAGE FROM THE SEA
by Dickens, Charles
1860. An Extra Double Number of of All The Year Round. [New York: J. M. Emerson & Co., 1860.] Original self-wrappers, bound in at the rear of the February 1861 monthly issue, which has its own pale-yellow printed wrappers. First American Edition, "published simultaneously in London and New York " (according to the front wrapper) -- of the second of the nine extra Christmas numbers of All The Year Round. Dickens actually wrote only the first, second and... Read More
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All 18 Christmas Numbers from HOUSEHOLD WORDS and ALL THE YEAR ROUND
by Dickens, Charles
1850. This is a complete set Dickens's annual "Extra Christmas Numbers" -- all nine of HOUSEHOLD WORDS, followed by all nine of ALL THE YEAR ROUND. London: Dec. 1850 - Dec. 1858 and Dec. 1859 - Dec. 1867. Original self-wrappers (first 13 numbers) and original blue printed wrappers (last five numbers) -- as issued. First Editions of all eighteen pieces. Dickens was the editor (or "conductor") of both of these periodicals -- one rising out of the ashes... Read More
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HANS BRINKER; or, The Silver Skates. A Story of Life in Holland
by Dodge, M[ary]. E[lizabeth]. [née Mapes]
1866. Illustrated by F.O.C. Darley and Thomas Nast. New York: James O'Kane, 1866. 2 pp undated ads. Original green cloth, beveled. First Edition of this children's classic. Hans and his sister Gretel want to win the annual ice-skating race on the canals of Holland, but cannot afford proper skates -- and must also find the money for an operation for their father, who is an invalid... Also, as a tale-within-a-tale, this book includes the story of the little... Read More
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THE PARASITE. A Story. Illustrated by Howard Pyle
by Doyle, A. Conan
1895. New York: Harper & Brothers, 1895. 8 pp undated ads. Original grey cloth decorated in gilt. First American (and first illustrated) Edition. This is a suspenseful tale involving mesmeric trances and mind control. As G&G points out, Doyle's interest in this subject can be traced back to the time when he was in medical practice in Southsea. The American edition is sought largely for the four Howard Pyle illustrations, which did not appear in the London "Acme... Read More
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THE GREAT SHADOW and BEYOND THE CITY
by Doyle, A. Conan
1893. Hardy, Paul. With Illustrations by James Greig and Paul Hardy. Bristol: J.W. Arrowsmith, n.d. [1893]. Original orange cloth decorated in black and blue. First Edition, early if not first state -- in book form of "Beyond the City," and First Combined Edition. "The Great Shadow" had appeared as Arrowsmith's 1892 Christmas Annual (right after which it alone appeared in book form), and "Beyond the City" had appeared only as Good Words's 1891 Christmas Annual. Beyond the City,... Read More
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