Dickens, David Copperfield, 1850, original parts

DICKENS, CHARLES

The Personal History of David Copperfield. London: Bradbury and Evans, May 1849-November 1850

8vo (220 x 142mm.), 20 parts in 19, etched frontispiece, title and 38 plates after Hablot K. Browne ("Phiz"), original blue-green pictorial wrappers, without the uncommon "Lett's Diaries" folded sheet in part 8 but otherwise with all the advertisements called for by Hatton and Cleaver (including slips advertising Household Words in parts 11-14 and 16, slip for Punch's Holidays in parts 16 and 19/20, slip for Writings of Douglas Jerrold for part 19/20 and the slip for the New Illustrated Weekly Periodical for Ladies in part 13), preserved in quarter green morocco folding box, a few neat repairs to wrappers and a few leaves of the advertisements, a few nicks and short tears to wrappers, minor staining BUT OTHERWISE AN UNCOMMONLY FINE SET

SCARCE IN THIS CONDITION IN PARTS.

First edition in parts of Dickens's eighth novel, his own "favourite child", inspired by the London of his youth and containing an unforgettable portrait of his own father in the form of Mr Micawber.

REFERENCE:

Eckel pp. 77-78; Hatton and Cleaver pp. 253-272; Gimbel A121.