The Personal History, Adventures, Experience, & Observation of David Copperfield the Younger. Of Blunderstone Rookery, (Which He never meant to be Published on any Account)...With Illustrations By H. K. Browne

1849. London: Bradbury & Evans, Whitefriars, [May, 1849 - November 1850].

8vo, 20 monthly parts in 19 as issued, 32, [1]-32, 4; 12, 33-64, 12; 12, 65-96, 4; 8 97-128; 4, 129-160; 8, 161-192, 8; 8, 193-224, 8; [14], 225-256; 12, 257-288, [22]; 12, 289-320, 8; 8, 321-352; 8, 353-384, 2, 8; 8, 385-416; 8, 417-448; 4, 2, 449-480, [8]; 4, 481-512; 4, 513-544, [2]; 8, [2], 545-576, 8, [1]; 16, 577-624, xiv, [1 errata], 8, 4, 8, 40 engraved plates including frontispiece and title vignette. Original blue printed wrappers with trade advertisements to inner sides as well as outside back wrappers, uncut, with a variety of ads on teal, pink and white (truncated) paper bound-in. Housed in a blue morocco pull-off case with raised bands, gilt titling, and additional blue cloth portfolio with flaps. Some backstrips and hinges mended, edges slightly rubbed and chipped occasionally, minor foxing to plates, overall remarkably good condition for such an ephemeral publication; very good.

§ First edition in the original parts of Dickens's favorite of his novels. It was the first of his major works to be written in the first person and by his own admission contained much autobiography: "a very complicated weaving of truth and invention" (Letters, VII, 515). This set contains all of the advertisements, slips, steel engraved plates, and specimens listed by Hatton & Cleaver except for rear insert “2” in part twelve (eight pages or four); there are six specimens of Letts’ Diaries in part eight (Hatton & Cleaver 235-271). Eckel 75. (Inventory #: 108340)