Fine Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana. Part 2
Fine Books and Manuscripts, Including Americana. Part 2
Property from the Workman Collection
Lot Closed
July 20, 06:28 PM GMT
Estimate
12,000 - 18,000 USD
Lot Details
Description
Property from the Workman Collection
Dickens, Charles
The Christmas Books. London: 1843-1848
Lot includes: A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. London: Chapman & Hall, 1843. Half-title and verso of title printed in blue, red and blue title-page, engraved frontispiece, 3 hand-colored plates and 4 woodcuts in the text by John Leech, 2pp. of advertisements at the end; a few marginal spots to plates. Original cinnamon vertically-waved cloth, stamped in blind and gilt, Todd's first impression, first issue, with 14-15 mm between closest points of blind-stamping and gold wreath of upper cover, the "D" of "Dickens" unbroken, green endpapers, all edges gilt; cloth a bit faded with spine sunned, ever so slightly cocked.
The Chimes: A Goblin Story. London: Chapman and Hall, 1845 [1844]. 8vo (166 x 104 mm). 13 illustrations, including frontispiece and vignette title, by Maclise, Doyle, Leech and Stanfield, first state of the vignette title, advertisement for tenth edition of A Christmas Carol at the beginning; one or two stray spots. Original deep red horizontally-ribbed cloth, upper cover stamped in blind and pictorially gilt with design of seven goblins above six chimes, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt, pale yellow endpapers, all edges gilt; upper joint cracked, lower joint starting, slight fraying and staining.
The Cricket on the Hearth. London: Printed and published for the author by Bradbury and Evans, 1846 [1845]. 12mo (165 x 101 mm). Half-title, engraved frontispiece and title-page vignette after Maclise, illustrations throughout text, 2pp. of advertisements at end (first state). Original deep red vertically ribbed cloth, stamped in blind and pictorially gilt with heath, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, yellow endpapers, one or two instances of vert faint soiling.
The Battle of Life. A Love Story. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1846. 12mo (165 x 102 mm). Engraved frontispiece and title-vignette after Maclise (Todd's E1, Eckel's fourth state), illustrations throughout, 2pp. of advertisements at end. Original deep red cloth stamped in blind and pictorially gilt with fairy motif, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, yellow endpapers; some very slight soiling.
The Haunted Man and The Ghost's Bargain. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. 8vo (165 x 105 mm). Advertisement leaf, frontispiece, vignette title-page and 15 illustrations by John Leech, Clarkson Stanfield, John Tenniel and Frank Stone. Original deep red horizontally-ribbed cloth, covers stamped in blind and pictorially gilt with wreath and mistletoe, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, yellow endpapers.
House together in custom navy morocco clamshell case.
(Group lots not subject to return.)
A handsome set of Dickens' Christmas Books—all first editions.
Dickens first had his conception of A Christmas Carol in October 1843, and by the end of the month had John Leech, a fine artist introduced to him by Cruickshank, working on illustrations. By 10 November he was discussing the cover and advertising with Forster. As he told his Boston friend Felton he composed the story in his head while walking around "the back streets of London, fifteen and twenty miles, many a night when all the sober folks had gone to bed" (see Tomalin, p.148), frequently weeping and laughing and weeping again as he worked and strode about. Like Carlyle and Engels Dickens was fired up with anger at the indifference of the rich to the fate of the poor, who had almost no access to education, no care in sickness, saw their young children set to work for ruthless factory-owners and could consider themselves lucky if they were only half-starved. But it was Dickens' special genius to express this anger in a completely compelling narrative, putting into it all his vivid childhood memories of Camden Town and his own labour as a child together with the great insight that a grown man may pity the child he had been, resulting in an artistic creation which has captivated readers and audiences throughtout the world ever since, and which simultaneously invented the modern idea of the joyous Christmas festival.
REFERENCE:
Smith II: 4, 5, 6, 8, 9; Eckel pp. 110-115, 116-118; 119-120; 121-123; 124-125