Charles Dickens. A Christmas Carol. In
Prose. A Ghost Story of Christmas. London: Chapman & Hall,
1843. First edition, first state. Small octavo (6.4375 x 4.125 in;
163 x 104 mm.). [8], 166, [2] pages. Frontispiece and three
additional inserted plates, all color; four in-text illustrations
in black and white. Original reddish-brown publisher's cloth; front
and back stamped in blind with gilt vignette on front; spine
stamped in gilt. All edges trimmed and gilt. Light green endpapers.
In custom maroon one-quarter morocco clamshell with dark blue and
dark brown spine labels stamped in gilt. Barely visible darkening
to spine and top edge of boards; mild fading to hinges; soft
bumping to corners; slight rubbing to edges; tiny chip in cloth
toward bottom at hinge; small spot of black staining beneath front
gilt ornament, slightly larger spot of pale staining above it. Some
loss of green coloring to endpapers. Crack to binding in gutter
between gatherings F and G has caused them to cant from rest of
text block, less than two mm. from rest of page edges. Softening of
text block corners has resulted in slight loss of gilt. Occasional
thumbsoiling, soft creases from page turning and evidence of
dog-earing to interior of text block. Minor shelf wear to
extremities of clamshell. Inscription to previous owner on front
free endpaper. Near fine. Blue half-title, blue and red title-page,
"MDCCXLIII" dating for Christmas 1843 release and "Stave I."
Dickens's preferred format, according to Eckel. Eckel pp. 110-15;
Smith II 4. From the collection of Jerome P. O'Connor.
Current bid $3,400
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