Charles Dickens | A Christmas Carol..., 1843, first edition, Todd's first impression, first issue

Charles Dickens

A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. With Illustrations by John Leech. London: Chapman and Hall, 1843

FIRST EDITION, TODD'S FIRST IMPRESSION, FIRST ISSUE, 12mo (164 x 100mm.), with 14-15mm. between closest points of blindstamping and gold wreath of upper cover, the "D" of "Dickens" unbroken and the text uncorrected, "Stave 1" on p. [1], engraved frontispiece and 3 plates coloured by hand and 4 woodcuts in the text all by John Leech, red and blue title-page, half-title and verso of title printed in blue, 2 pp. of advertisements at end, ORIGINAL CINNAMON VERTICALLY-WEAVED CLOTH, stamped in blind and gilt, gilt edges, green endpapers, preserved in red cloth chemise and morocco pull-off box by Riviere, later ownership inscription on front free endpaper, occasional small stains, slightly browned in places, small tear to lower margin of "Scrooge's third visitor", binding slightly scuffed and faded, spine bumped at head and foot, endpapers faded, chemise worn

FIRST EDITION of Dickens' Christmas Carol, the novella that can be said to have invented the modern idea of Christmas. The various issues and states of A Christmas Carol have been argued over for generations: the present copy conforms to Calhoun & Heaney's first edition, first issue, second state and to Todd's first impression, first issue (both summarised in Smith).

LITERATURE:

Smith II:4