Dickens, Charles | "A Tale of Two Cities," in the original monthly parts

Dickens, Charles

A Tale of Two Cities. London: Chapman and Hall, June - December 1859

8 parts in 7, 8vo (222 x 140 mm). Etched frontispiece, additional title and 14 plates by and after H.K. Browne (“Phiz”), p. 213 mispaginated as "113," p. 134 with “affetcionately” for affectionately, part I with the yellow slip announcing the “Discontinuance of Household Words” inserted following the front advertisements and featuring Morison's "lion" advert near the back, part III with "Morrison's Pills" advertisement substituted for "The British College of Heath," part VII/VIII with ad for the "Cornhill Advertiser" reprinting a letter from W.H. Thackeray tipped-in at rear; some spotting and browning to plates, as usual, lacking the "Advertiser" in parts V and VII & VIII. Original blue-green pictorial wrappers by Browne; some browning and staining, expert restoration to spines, a few short closed tears and chips. Housed in custom clamshell case.

"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, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness..." Charles Dickens, A Tale of Two Cities

First edition in the original monthly parts—the final collaboration between Dickens and his illustrator Hablot K. Browne ("Phiz"). The novel had first appeared in the weekly journal All the Year Round from 30 April to 26 November 1859.

REFERENCES:

Hatton and Cleaver 333-342; Eckel 86