Dickens, Great Expectations, 1860-1861, first edition in the original 9 parts

DICKENS, CHARLES

'Great Expectations' [within All The Year Round]. London: Chapman & Hall, 1860-1861

8vo (244 x 165mm.), FIRST EDITION IN THE ORIGINAL 9 PARTS (36 WEEKLY NUMBERS), original blue wrappers, collector's brown morocco folding box, some tears and minor loss to some spines with occasional splitting, remnants of yellow slip in part 26, some gatherings unopened

FIRST EDITION IN PARTS OF DICKENS' MATURE NOVEL, ONE OF HIS FINEST ACHIEVEMENTS, PUBLISHED TO ALMOST UNIVERSAL ACCLAIM.

The second of his novels (after David Copperfield) to be written in the first person, with tone and content mirroring the turmoil of his own life, Dickens originally wrote a bleak ending for the novel, which most critics since have felt was much better and more consistent with the author's vision in the book. Dickens allowed himself to be persuaded by Edward Bulwer-Lytton to replace it with a happier one, however, which is the version which appears in both the parts-issue and the first book edition (see lot 188).

As noted by Eckel, "Dickens' All the Year Round towards the end of 1860, had a critical period in its career, and the author reached the decision to support its drooping fortunes with one of his own stories." In this respect it was a slight change to Dickens' previous publications in that the new novel was merely part of a weekly journal, rather than a stand-alone part-work. Weekly numbers were available for 2d and the numbers were collected for each month and sold within wrappers for ninepence, elevenpence or one shilling and threepence

As with other serial publications, there was an 'Advertiser' and occasional inserted advertisements. The present set comprises: Part 20 (12pp. 'Advertiser', No 84 – 88, 'A Message from the Sea' [by Dickens and Wilkie Collins], 2pp. adverts), Part 21 (12pp. 'Advertiser', No 89 – 92, 4pp., 2pp., 4pp. adverts), Part 22 (4pp. adverts, 8pp. 'Advertiser', No 93 – 96, 2pp., 4pp. adverts), Part 23 (2pp. adverts, 8pp. 'Advertiser', No 97 – 101, 2pp., 2pp. adverts), Part 24 (8pp. 'Advertiser', No 102 – 105, 2pp., 4pp., 1p. adverts), Part 25 (8pp. 'Advertiser', No 106 – 109, 4pp. adverts), Part 26 (8pp. 'Advertiser', No 110 – 114, 2pp., 2pp. adverts), Part 27 (8pp. 'Advertiser', 1p. advert, No 115 – 188, 2pp. adverts) and Part 28 (8pp. 'Advertiser', No 119 – 123, 2pp., 4pp., 2pp., 1p. adverts)