Books

London: Chapman and Hall, 1843. first edition. original cloth. Very Good. A REMARKABLE SET OF THE CHRISTMAS BOOKS, INCLUDING TWO FIRST EDITIONS OF THE CHRISTMAS CAROL: A BEAUTIFUL UNRESTORED FIRST ISSUE AND A VERY RARE TRIAL ISSUE. A set assembled with care at an early date with first editions of all five titles. In addition to The Christmas Carol, The Chimes and The Battle of Life are also represented in two states or issues for a total of eight volumes. All from the collection of Elton Hoyt, a wealthy 20th-century Cleveland mining executive, with his bookplates. Housed together in an early box by Sangorski and Sutcliffe. ––––––– “In October 1843 [Dickens] had the sudden inspiration of writing a Christmas story intended to open its readers' hearts towards those struggling to survive on the lower rungs of the economic ladder and to encourage practical benevolence, but also to warn of the terrible danger to society created by the toleration of widespread ignorance…

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.'