Charles Dickens | A Tale of Two Cities, 1859, first edition in book form, original cloth

Charles Dickens

A Tale of Two Cities. London: Chapman & Hall, 1859

FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM, early textual state with p. 213 mispaginated as 113 and list of plates signed "b", 8vo (220 x 138 mm.), 16 etched illustrations by Hablot K. Browne ("Phiz"), including frontispiece and additional title, early ownership inscription to front free endpaper, original deep red morocco cloth, covers decorated in blind with outer rectangular panels containing an 88 figure design, spine gilt, without the publisher's catalogue sometimes found at the end, endpapers renewed (with original front free endpaper preserved), some spotting to plates (as usual), spine ends slightly frayed

"It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity..."

First book edition of one of Dickens' most popular novels (particularly in North America), his elaborate adventure set during the second half of the eighteenth century and inspired by Thomas Carlyle's study of the French Revolution.

LITERATURE:

Smith I: 13; Eckel pp.86-90; Sadleir 701; Wolff 1811