Bleak House; Nicholas Nickleby; the Pickwick Papers; Dombey & Son

London, Chapman and Hall, c1840-c1860. Leather. Early, undated printings of four classic novels by Charles Dickens, beautifully bound in full calf, and illustrated throughout with plates by Phiz. A wonderful set of four classic novels by Dickens.Two of these volumes retain issue points of the first editions, despite being undated early printings.Present here are:'The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby', illustrated with a portrait frontispiece and thirty-nine plates by Hablot Knight Browne. Collated, complete.This is an early printing of the 1839 first edition, with the title page being undated. Although there is no confirmed date of publication, this printing is generally given the date of circa 1840 (National Trust Libraries). With 'London: Bradbury, Agnew, & Co. printers, Whitefriars' to tilte page verso, as called for.'Dombey and Son', illustrated with a title page, frontispiece, and thirty-eight plates by H. K. Browne. Collated, complete.An undated c1850 early printing by Chapman and Hall. First editions are dated, and were was published by Bradbury and Evans. The printer's name to the verso of the title page is stated as 'Bradbury, Evans' to this work, indicating once again its status as an early printing. Issue points present; the vignette title shows the hook on Captain Cuttle's left arm rather than his right; 'fidgetty' for 'fidgety' on page 26 on line 11; with the plate "On the dark road" (opposite p. 547). Page 324 (last line) here with the corrected printing error "Captain" instead of "Capatin" in the first edition. Issue points as stated by John C. Eckel in his 1913 publication 'The First Editions of the Writings of Charles Dickens&apos.'The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club' illustrated with a title page, frontispiece, and forty-one plates by Phiz and Robert Seymour. Collated, complete.An undated circa 1860 edition, as dated via the National Trust Libraries. With 'Bradbury and Evans, and Co. printers, Whitefriars.' to title page verso, as called for. The two Buss plates facing pages 69 and 74 have been replaced by Phiz plates facing pages 73 and 76'Bleak House', illustrated with a title page, frontispiece, and thirty-seven plates by H. K. Browne. Collated, complete.An undated circa 1860 printing, published by Chapman and Hall but with 'London: Bradbury and Evans, and Co. printers, Whitefriars.' to title page verso. The 1853 first edition in book form was published by Bradbury. With errata leaf, as called for.Some first edition issue points are present, for example 'elgble' uncorrected to page 19, and 'picter' uncorrected to page 529.'Bleak House', 'Nicholas' and 'Dombey' retain their original half titles.Rebacked, retaining original endpapers. Rebacked in morocco, with full calf boards restored. Gilt detailing to back strips. Externally, excellent, with a touch of rubbing to joint heads. Retaining original endpapers. Internally, firmly bound. Spotting to title pages. Pages bright, with instances of spotting and foxing to page perimeters and to plates of 'Dombey and Pickwick&apos. Small closed tear to fore edge of engraved title page of 'Pickwick&apos. Pages of 'Bleak House' exceptionally clean and bright, with only the odd spot. 'Nicholas' generally clean and bright, with spotting to page perimeters. Very Good Indeed . Ill.: Phiz [Hablot Knight Browne]; Robert Seymour. Very Good Indeed .

Charles Dickens - Bleak House; Nicholas Nickleby; the Pickwick Papers; Dombey & Son