The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby
Chapman & Hall, 1839.
First edition in book form. Contemporary half black morocco, likely a publisher's special binding, with raised bands to spine decorated in gilt and "London 1839" stamped in gilt at the base of the spine. All edges marbled with marbled endpapers. Steel engraved frontispiece of Dickens after D. Maclise, and 39 full page steel engraved plates in the text by Phiz [Halbot Browne]. A very good copy, with spine ends and joints worn and minor scratches to the spine and corners. Frontispiece and titlepage foxed but generally quite clean internally.
The final parts issue of Nickleby contains an advert offering the book, "complete in One Volume" directly from the publishers in a variety of bindings: "Neatly bound in cloth, £1 1s; Half morocco, marble edges £1 4s 6p; Whole bound morocco, gilt edges £1 6s 6p."
This copy matches both matches the description of the copies offered half morocco, and also has the date blocked at the base of the spine in the same way as for the copies in publisher's cloth.
Dickens's third novel. Following on from the success of Pickwick Papers and Oliver Twist, it owes much to the author's admiration of the picturesque eighteenth century novels of Smollet and Fielding. Nickleby marks a development in Dickens's narrative style, and can be considered the first of his 'romances'. His characters show an emotional sensibility that is not sentimental nor at the expense of realism.
PROVENANCE: Earls of Rosebery (Rosebery bookplate to front pastedown)
Stock ID: 41845
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