January 2024 Auction Ends Thursday, January 25th, 5pm Pacific
This lot is closed for bidding. Bidding ended on 1/25/2024
First edition set of Charles Dickens' ''Great Expectations'', one of the most important novels of the great author. London: Chapman & Hall, 1861. Published in three volumes with all three bearing the title page of the first edition, first impression, and with Vol. III being the scarcest of the first impression copies, with the three rarest printing points. However, only Vol. I and Vol. III are true first impressions, with Vol. II being a third impression with the earlier title page tipped-in, not uncommon with this title. Complete list of printing points follow, per Smith's ''Charles Dickens: In the Original Cloth''.
Volume I, First Edition, First Impression:
Page 5, line 9 unbroken comma after ''man''; 17.26 broken ''i'' in ''sides''; 35.25 single inverted comma at beginning; 42.5 full period after ''robbery''; 44.1 broken ''m'' in ''mince-pie''; 52.13 unbroken ''W'' in ''Wopsle''; 52.15 correct alignment of ''f'' in ''of''; 93.1 undamaged ''b'' in ''by''; 140.2 unbroken ''t'' in ''went''; 160.12 undamaged ''f'' in ''of''; 179.9 undamaged comma at end of line; 180.16 undamaged comma after ''mentioning''; 201.19 exclamation mark present; 203.4 faint inked space between ''no'' and ''one''; 206.6 hyphen at end of line; 208.4 dot of ''i'' in ''in'' present; 237.10 undamaged comma at end of line; 246.23 ''h'' of ''how'' present; 257.3 no inked spaces; 259.7 capital ''I'' in ''In''; 284. faint ''C'' in ''EXPECTATIONS'' in headline; 284.2 undamaged period at end of line; 299.27 undamaged comma at end of line.
Volume II, First Edition, Third Impression:
Page 55, line 6 missing opening inverted commas; 160.7 damaged ''h'' in ''her''; 166.23-26 damage to the letters ''ig'' ''o'' ''e'' and ''s''; 286.26 damaged ''n'' in ''been''; 287.26 damaged ''d'' in ''and''; 328.4 only trace of hyphen visible at end of line; 336.26 only one opening inverted comma.
Volume III, First Edition, First Impression:
Thirty-two pages of advertising at end, with all three instances of ''May, 1861'' as called for. Page 19, line 24 damaged ''s'' in ''Jaggers''; 39.5 inked space between ''you'' and ''feel''; 56.14 damaged ''f'' in ''of''; 103 page number present (one of the rarest first impression points); 150.4 undamaged ''w'' in ''waywardness''; 166.14 undamaged ''l'' in ''longer''; 173.26 printing error of ''theres'' present; 192.11-12 ''himself'' and ''very carefully'' on separate lines (one of the rarest first impression points); 193.23 ''i'' in ''inflexible'' present (one of the rarest first impression points); 193.foot faint middle ''I'' in ''III''; 195.2 very faint first inverted comma; 217.3 undamaged semi-colon; 220.16 faint hyphen at end of line; 236.headline lacking period; 240.11 faint inked space between ''roaring'' and ''curses''; 291.25 faint ''h'' and ''d'' in ''hand''; 293.1 comma present.
All three copies have yellow endpapers, and original plum color blind-stamped boards. Each measures 5" x 8". Vol. I has light foxing and separation starting to hinges. Recased into original binding. Vol. II has separation starting to front hinge. Hinges professionally repaired on Vol. III. All three volumes have had colored paste wash, tightening to text block and signatures, and corner repair. Overall in very good condition.
''Great Expectations'' by Charles Dickens in Three Volumes, Published 1861 -- Scarce First Edition, First Impression for Vols. I and III, Third Impression for Vol. II
Click above for larger image.