Books

First US edition, cloth issue, of the novel "now generally regarded as one of his very greatest works" (ODNB). The novel was first published in London in monthly parts from May 1864 to November 1865. From the text of those monthly parts, Harper & Brothers published the novel in the US, issuing it in wrappers in two parts in February and November 1865. Simultaneous with the release of the second part in wrappers, the edition was published complete in one volume in cloth, as here. Smith consequently refers to the cloth as the second issue and the wrappers as the first. Octavo. Original purple honeycomb-pattern cloth (Smith's standard binding variant, no priority of issue), spine lettered in gilt. Housed in custom cloth solander box. With 36 woodcut illustrations by Marcus Stone. Gift inscription "Edward Banker Jr 1st January 1866 from his mother" to front pastedown, recent bookplate of collector Peter Russell mounted to inside cover of box. Aside from trivial sunning to spine and spotting to endpapers, a fine, fresh copy. Walter Smith, Charles Dickens: A Bibliography of his First American Editions, 2012, pp. 385-392.

Charles Dickens's last completed novel, a work of satire and social commentary that paints a vivid portrait of the dualities of wealth and poverty in London.