Books

London: Chapman and Hall/Bradbury & Evans, 1845-1848. First editions of the four final novellas in Charles Dickens’ Christmas Book series. Octavo, 4 volumes bound in three quarter morocco over marbled boards with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. The set is comprised of a first edition of The Chimes [London: Chapman & Hall, 1845 (1844)] Half-title and 13 illustrations, including frontispiece and vignette title, by Daniel Maclise, Richard Doyle, John Leech and Clarkson Stanfield. Second state of the vignette title; First edition of The Cricket on the Hearth [London: Bradbury & Evans, 1846 (1845)] Half-title and 14 illustrations, including frontispiece and vignette title, by Leech, Doyle, Stanfield, Maclise and Edwin Landseer; 2 pp. advertisements at rear (second state); first edition of The Battle of Life[ London: Bradbury & Evans, 1846] Half-title, 13…

The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain, a Christmas novella by Charles Dickens, was published in 1848. It follows the story of Professor Redlaw who is haunted by a ghost that offers to erase his memories of sorrow and grief.