OLIVER TWIST.
London: Richard Bentley, New Burlington Street. 1839. Second Edition. Octavo, Three Volumes. Original reddish-brown horizontally-ribbed cloth, front & rear covers with an arabesque design stamped in blind, spine panel lettered OLIVER / TWIST / [short rule] / BOZ / VOL I. [II. III] / LONDON / BENTLEY along with four sets of blind-stamped bands; light yellow-coated endpapers. 331 + [4, ads]; 307; 315 pp; Frontispieces in each volume, 24 plates in total, all by George Cruikshank, the final plate in Volume III being the later "Church" plate as the original "Fireside" plate was withdrawn as it was not to Dickens' liking. A very nice set of the Second Edition, issued very shortly after and in the same format as the First Edition. There is some moderate foxing to the plates, spines and edges of covers lightly tanned and slightly marked; a very good, clean set in the original cloth, completely unrestored. A desirable set in this condition. Item #312730
¶ The First issue of the First edition of OLIVER was published on November 9, 1838. There are several variant issues - the changing the final plate and, later, changing Dickens' name from "Boz" to "Charles Dickens" on the title leaf. The "Second Edition" was issued December 17, 1838, the titlepage with the same setting of type as the "Charles Dickens" issue but with the words SECOND EDITION added and AUTHOR OF "THE PICKWICK PAPERS." printed beneath Dickens name. The date was changed from 1838 to 1839 by substituting a "9" in copies issued after the end of December. The type in Vol. II is reset, the other volumes were printed from standing type or with the resetting of some signatures; most of the early textual errors are herein corrected. OLIVER TWIST is - along with A CHRISTMAS CAROL - the most loved and well-known of all the great novelist's works.
Price: $750.00 save 50% $375.00