A Tale of Two Cities.
London: Chapman & Hall, 1859.
Large 8vo, viii, 254 pp. Frontispiece, engraved title & 14 plates by H.K. Browne. Without list of plates. Polished green calf, backstrip gilt with red and brown gilt-lettered labels, marbled edges and endpapers. Binding a little rubbed and worn at corners, spot of worming to backstrip, contents clean with minimal toning to the plates, small address ticket on front free endpaper, overall very good.
§ First edition in book form of Dickens' great novel of darkness and light, containing 7 of the 8 first issue points identified by Smith (the final two letters of "himself" on p.166 are well printed). The list of plates is not present.
“When Dickens began the publication of All the Year Round, the successor of Household Words, he realized the necessity of making a strong start. So he began writing A Tale of Two Cities, publishing the first of the serial in the opening number of his new periodical... As a novel of great popularity it probably ranks next to Pickwick and Copperfield” (Eckel 87). This was the last novel in which Dickens worked with “Phiz” after a partnership of 23 years, and was published on commission through the renewed partnership with Chapman & Hall.
"A Tale of Two Cities originally appeared in the weekly journal All the Year Round from April 30 to November 26, 1859 (Nos. 1-31). It was also published in eight monthly parts, the last part forming a double number, from June- December 1859. The novel was published in book form on November 21, 1859." (Smith I, 13).
Eckel 87. Thomson 89. Smith I, 13. Item #126007
Price: $5,750.00