Books

First edition in book form, from the library of William Foyle, in an attractive Samuel Tout binding. "Writing at the height of his powers, Dickens adopts a virtuoso form of double narration, and the novel has since the middle of the twentieth century been widely acclaimed as his greatest work" (ODNB). From 1868 to 1879, Samuel Tout (1841-1902) bound books in Soho, London. He then worked in Whitechapel with William Coward, continuing on his own after 1880. Tout was also an early member of the staff of Karslake's Hampstead Bindery, which opened in Charing Cross in 1898. The novel was first issued in monthly parts between March 1852 and September 1853 and issued in book form on completion. Provenance: though unmarked as such, this copy comes from the collection of William Foyle (1883-1963), the co-founder of the eponymous chain of booksellers. Foyle's grandson acquired a substantial portion of the original collection at the landmark Foyle Library sale in 2000, including the present copy. Octavo (208 x 131 mm). Late 19th-century brown half morocco by Tout, spine with raised bands forming six compartments lettered and ruled in gilt, marbled paper sides and endpapers, all edges gilt, green silk bookmarker. Etched frontispiece, vignette title page, and 38 plates (including the 10 "dark" plates) by Hablot Knight Browne (Phiz). With 19th-century armorial bookplate of Daniel Drew (1850-1914) of Burnley on the front pastedown. Light rubbing to extremities, faint sunning to spine, slight browning to margins: a very good copy. Eckel, p. 79; Hatton & Cleaver, pp. 275-304; Kremers, pp. 100-3; Smith I 10.

Bleak House is a novel by Charles Dickens, originally published as a serial between March 1852 and September 1853. It is considered one of his finest works, containing a vast, complex plot and an extraordinary number of characters.