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Presentation copy, inscribed by Dickens to William Cullen Bryant (1794-1878), editor of the New York Evening Post and a leading poet of his generation: "William Cullen Bryant From his friend and admirer Charles Dickens", signed with his characteristic lavish underscores. Dickens met Bryant for their first private audience on his American tour on Tuesday 22 February 1842 and presented him with a gift of six books, all American editions of his own works. Bryant reciprocated by presenting Dickens a copy of his own The Fountain and other Poems, his inscription using the same form of words (that copy later in the Stephen H. Wakeman collection, sold American Art Association, April 1924, lot 26, $400). Bryant was well-disposed to Dickens, at that time the most famous living author in the world, but he, like many other Americans, was dismayed by the criticisms Dickens expressed in his American Notes (1842) and in the American chapters of Martin Chuzzlewit (1844). However, he recovered sufficiently to visit Dickens as an old friend on his return to America in 1867. The fact that this is an American edition of Dickens's first publishing success is evocative: Dickens had strong feelings on the contentious issue of international copyright, and the subject hung over the whole trip. He mentioned it himself several times during his public engagements, eventually drawing on himself the wrath of the American press. Lea and Blanchard (successors to Cary and Lea) were Dickens's "official" American publishers and had prepared for his visit by reprinting his works to date, but the American economy was in the middle of a depression, general fiction could only be sold in the cheapest possible formats, and the cash-strapped publishers were not eager to further erode their profits by paying royalties to foreign authors. Large octavo. Original brown vertical grain cloth, covers blind-stamped, spine with figure and title in gilt (stained, worn), inscribed to Bryant "from his friend and admirer, Charles Dickens". Housed in a brown quarter morocco solander box by the Chelsea Bindery. Provenance: by descent from the recipient. Substantial dampstaining to top edges of boards, also affecting contents but to a lesser extent, head and tail of spine chipped, wormholes to joints, boards rubbed and scuffed, ring stain to front board, some spotting and oxidisation of plates, sporadic foxing and tanning to text.

"The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club," commonly known as "The Pickwick Papers," is Charles Dickens' debut novel, initially published in monthly installments from 1836 to 1837. The novel revolves around the escapades of the Pickwick Club, led by the kindly and naive Samuel Pickwick. The story begins with Mr. Pickwick, a wealthy and good-natured gentleman, forming a club dedicated to exploring and researching the quaint and curious phenomena of the English countryside. Accompanied by his faithful servant, Sam Weller, and his fellow club members - the sportsman Nathaniel Winkle, the poet Augustus Snodgrass, and the well-to-do Tracy Tupman - Pickwick embarks on a series of misadventures. Throughout their travels, the members encounter a myriad of colorful characters and find themselves in humorous and often absurd situations. Dickens uses the episodic structure of the novel to present a tapestry of vignettes, each showcasing different facets of English society, from the eccentric to the mundane. Among the memorable episodes is the mishap-filled romantic pursuit of Mr. Tupman, the amateur theatricals featuring Mr. Winkle's dubious acting skills, and Mr. Pickwick's inadvertent entanglements in legal disputes, including a memorable trial in which he is wrongfully accused of breach of promise. One of the standout characters is Sam Weller, Mr. Pickwick's witty and resourceful valet, whose distinctive Cockney speech and clever observations provide comic relief and endear him to readers. "The Pickwick Papers" is more than just a collection of humorous escapades; it also serves as a social commentary on various aspects of early 19th-century England. Dickens addresses issues such as the legal system, the injustices of debtors' prisons, the hypocrisies of the upper class, and the hardships faced by the working class. The novel's popularity lies in Dickens' sharp wit, vivid characterizations, and satirical observations of society, establishing his reputation as a master storyteller and cementing his place in the pantheon of English literature. "The Pickwick Papers" remains a beloved classic, appreciated for its humor, warmth, and insight into the human condition and the society of its time.