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DICKENS, Charles (1812-1870) : The Personal History of David Copperfield. With Illustrations by H. K. Browne

London: Bradbury and Evans, 1850.

FIRST EDITION, bound from the part. Large octavo, original blind-stamped cloth lettered in gilt, yellow eps., with half-title, additional engraved title and 39 plates, tissue guards, 1 plate with closed tear affecting caption and just touching image, some foxing, mainly to plates. This copy in a variant unrecorded publisher's cloth with a more ornate/stylised blind-stamping to spine and borders (and without a central medallion), unlike that descibed by Smith, which features the square panelling to spine and straight line border with small corner devices. Cloth expertly repaired to spine tips, recased, some rubbing and minor discolour, faint ink name to pastedown, housed in a modern leather-tipped cloth slip-case. A very good copy. Mixed issue with early points thus; title engraving is dated, and page viii (preface) has the final 'i' misalined. The misprint 'screamed' is corrected in this copy ('screwed'), p.132, line 20. Charles Dickens' highly autobiographical novel, whose story is told almost entirely from the point of view of the first person narrator, David Copperfield himself; the first Dickens novel to do so. Hatton & Cleaver pp.253-272, Smith; Dickens in the Original Cloth. Listed in 100 Books That Shaped World History [Raftery, 2002]. Also The Observer; All-Time 100 Best Novels [2003], BBC Big Read (200 Best Novels) [2003]. Listed in 100 Books That Shaped World History [Raftery, 2002]. Also The Observer; All-Time 100 Best Novels [2003], BBC Big Read (200 Best Novels) [2003].

DICKENS, Charles (1812-1870) : The Personal History of David Copperfield. With Illustrations by H. K. Browne

London: Chapman and Hall no date (c.1880-1900)

Thick 8vo., pps. (xvi), 624. Illustrated with 39 engraved plates and engraved title. A fine early copy in the publisher's cloth, in the same format as the first edition (pagination and plates are the same). Handsomely bound in green cloth, lettered in gilt to spine, coated yellow endpapers. Some minor toning to backstrip, neat gift inscription (dated 1920), but essentially a finely preserved copy. Listed in 100 Books That Shaped World History [Raftery, 2002]. Also The Observer; All-Time 100 Best Novels [2003], BBC Big Read (200 Best Novels) [2003].

DICKENS, Charles (1812-1870) : The Personal History of David Copperfield. With Illustrations by H. K. Browne

London: Chapman and Hall no date (c.1880-1900)

Thick 8vo., pps. (xvi), 624. Illustrated with 39 engraved plates and engraved title. A fine early copy in the publisher's cloth, in the same format as the first edition (pagination and plates are the same). Handsomely bound in green cloth, lettered in gilt to spine, coated yellow endpapers. Some minor toning to backstrip, half-title and final leaf with offset from flyleaves otherwise a finely preserved copy. Charles Dickens' highly autobiographical novel, whose story is told almost entirely from the point of view of the first person narrator, David Copperfield himself; the first Dickens novel to do so. Listed in 100 Books That Shaped World History [Raftery, 2002]. Also The Observer; All-Time 100 Best Novels [2003], BBC Big Read (200 Best Novels) [2003].

DICKENS, Charles (1812-1870) : The Personal History of David Copperfield. With Illustrations by H. K. Browne

London: Bradbury & Evans, 1850.

FIRST EDITION, MIXED ISSUE. Bound from the part. 8vo., pps. (xvi) + 624. Illustrated with 39 engraved plates and engraved title. Contemporary binding of black half morocco over marbled boards. Marbled endpapers, front inner hinge cosmetically cracked. Some foxing to plates as usual. A strong, handsome copy with the original blue paper wraps bound in at front and back for added charm. Dated title illustration as called for but with 'screwed' for 'screamed' on page 132. Charles Dickens' highly autobiographical novel, whose story is told almost entirely from the point of view of the first person narrator, David Copperfield himself; the first Dickens novel to do so. Listed in 100 Books That Shaped World History [Raftery, 2002]. Also The Observer; All-Time 100 Best Novels [2003], BBC Big Read (200 Best Novels) [2003].

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