Dickens, Charles

8vo (198 x 123mm.), 2 volumes, first edition, half-titles, first state with second Contents page in volume 1 misnumbered xvi and 6pp. of advertisements at the end of volume 2, original greyish-brown vertically-ribbed cloth with floral frame in blind on covers (variant binding), pale yellow endpapers, hinges of volume 1 repaired, spines very slightly faded, minor bumping to corners

Smith I:3

Smith I:3

Condition is described in the main body of the cataloguing, when appropriate
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

Dickens' preface for American Notes was suppressed because John Forster and other friends advised him that it might be misunderstood in America. However, it had already been printed and when deleted from the preliminaries the original pagination was not altered -- as here, in the first state, with x wrongly numbered xvi. The oversight was subsequently detected and the prelims reprinted with the correct pagination (second state). The preface was not published during the novelist's lifetime, only appearing first in Forster's biography (1872-4).