IS SHE HIS WIFE?

Dickens, Charles. IS SHE HIS WIFE? Boston: James R. Osgood, 1877. First American edition, first state of binding with correct monogram. Original terra cotta cloth, gilt. Mild rubbing at spine ends, a couple of stray marks but a very good bright copy of this scarce "comic burletta." In 1876 James T. Fields acquired the only known copy of the original 1837 edition and used it to produce this edition; his unique copy was destroyed when his library burned in December, 1879. A British reprint, itself rarely seen, appeared in 1883. This volume was part of Osgood's 102 volume vest-pocket series, which included Twain's rare A TRUE STORY and several Hawthorne, Emerson, and Lowell titles that are also seldom seen. Books in this series were published only in terra cotta or green cloth, with no priority between the two colors, and the print runs ran from 500 to 1,250 copies per title. Kitton, MINOR WRITINGS OF CHARLES DICKENS, pp. 207-10. Eckel, p. 159. Podeschi B62. (Inventory #: 23118)