[Dickens, Charles]

8vo, 2 volumes, first edition, 16 illustrations by George Cruikshank, original dark-green weave-grain cloth (the variant binding not recorded by Smith), spine gilt with decorative shield-shaped design with attached pendant, pale yellow endpapers, a few small spots, first gatherings slightly loose in both volumes, tiny nicks to cloth on spines, otherwise a very fine copy; together with: Sketches by Boz...The Second Series. Complete in one volume. John Macrone, 1837 [1836], 8vo, first edition,  additional engraved title (showing Dickens and Cruikshank waving to crowd from a balloon), 10 illustrations by Cruikshank, without the publisher's advertisements at the end, "Vol.III" on most plates, the rarer (and ? earlier) state without list of illustrations on p.(x), original salmon bead-impressed cloth, covers stamped in blind with three-line border and central wreath , spine with black-pigmented panel at head with frame and lettering in gilt, lettering "Second Series" at foot of spine, also with black pigment, a few spots to text and plates, spine faded, joints repaired, some restoration at head and base of spine, still a near fine, partially unopened copy; both works preserved in matching quarter green morocco cases and marbled slipcases (3)

First edition of the first work by Dickens to appear in book form, collecting his extremely well-received sketches of contemporary London life, highly praised for their humour, wit, touches of pathos and high degree of fidelity. The first series has the weave-grain cloth binding as opposed to the embossed leaf-patterned design described and illustrated by Walter E. Smith in his bibliography Charles Dickens in the Original Cloth. The binding for the second series reflects a remarkably high degree of workmanship for a publisher's binding of this period.

"John O. Sargent" [?], ownership signature dated 1859 on half-title

[first series:] Eckel p.11; Smith I:1; Sadleir 699
[second series:] Eckel p.12; Smith I:2; Sadleir 700

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