Books

Philadelphia: Carey & Hart, 1844. First American Edition. Near Fine. First American edition, first printing. Bound in publisher's original rib-grain purple cloth, covers decorated in blind and spine stamped in gilt; handcolored lithographed frontispiece and 3 handcolored lithographed plates after John Leech by P. S. Duval, 4 wood-engraved plates after Leech. Near Fine with lean to binding, fading to cloth heaviest at spine, shallow wear to spine ends and light wear to corners. Contemporary owner name to front blanks and title page, pages tanned. A lovely copy.

A Christmas Carol is a novella by English author Charles Dickens. It was first published by Chapman & Hall in 1843 and tells the story of Ebenezer Scrooge, a grumpy, greedy, and cold-hearted old miser who is transformed into a kind, generous man after visits by the ghost of his former business partner and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Yet to Come.

One indication of the first edition of 'A Christmas Carol' is the presence of red and blue title page, a red cloth binding, and yellow endpapers. Additionally, on the verso of the title page, it should be dated 1843 and state 'London: Published for the Author by Chapman & Hall, 186 Strand.'