Dickens, The Cricket on the Hearth...Dramatized by Albert Smith, 1845, first edition

DICKENS, CHARLES

The Entirely New and Original Drama in three parts, entitled, The Cricket on the Hearth, A Fairy Tale of Home, Dramatized by Albert Smith. London: W.S. Johnson, 1845

small 8vo (173 x 106mm.), first edition, 40 pp. sewn, as issued, lower wrapper and endpapers, with publisher's advertisements, original cream printed wrappers, collector's brown cloth chemise and slipcase, very minor spotting, minimal soiling to lower edge of upper wrapper

A FINE COPY

Smith's adaptation opened at London's Lyceum simultaneously with the publication of the book, on the 20th December 1845. Sixteen other, unauthorised, productions of the play were also produced. For years The Cricket was more popular on the stage than A Christmas Carol.

REFERENCE:

Yale/Gimbel C96