Dickens, A Christmas Carol, 1843, first edition, red and green title-page, cream endpapers, Stave One

DICKENS, CHARLES

A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. London: Chapman & Hall, 1843

12mo (162 x 99mm.), FIRST EDITION, Todd's first impression, first issue, with 14-15mm. between closest points of blind-stamping and gold wreath of upper cover, the "D" of "Dickens" unbroken and the text uncorrected, engraved frontispiece and 3 hand-coloured plates and 4 woodcuts in the text by John Leech, half-title printed in green, title-page printed in red and green, “Stave One” on p.[1], 2pp. of publisher’s advertisements at end, original cinnamon vertically-waved cloth, stamped in blind and gilt, cream endpapers, all edges gilt, collector’s brown cloth chemise and red morocco slipcase, occasional minor spotting, joints mended with some restoration to upper board, slipcase with small scratch marks to top corner

POSSIBLY A UNIQUE COPY IN THIS STATE.

This is only known copy of A Christmas Carol with the title-page printed in green and red inks and dated 1843. All other known copies of the green/red title-pages (acknowledged to be a pre-publication state) are dated 1844. In this copy the binding is also in the earliest form and with yellow-coated endpapers. Along with "Stave One" as the first chapter heading with the balance of text uncorrected, the points suggest this was probably issued within one week of production and comprised a scrapped trial proof of a hitherto unrecorded title-page, perhaps prepared for Dickens to select which green/red setting he preferred.

REFERENCE:

Smith II.4A