Five (5) First Edition Christmas novels written by Charles Dickens. 1st item: THE HAUNTED MAN AND THE GHOST'S BARGAIN. A FANCY FOR CHRISTMAS TIME, First Edition, by Charles Dickens, with illustrations by Leech, Stanfield, Tenniel, and Stone, published by Bradbury and Evans, London, 1848. Hardcover 12mo, 188 gilt-edged pages with wood-engraved frontispiece, additional vignette to title page, fourteen additional illustrations, and one double-sided back advertisement page. Original red cloth blind-stamped and gilt titled covers and spine laid down to back matter pages. Note: This copy has the first numeral intact to page number 161. 2nd item: THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH. A FAIRY TALE OF HOME, First Edition, by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Maclise, Doyle, Stanfield, Landseer, and Leech, published by Bradbury and Evans, London, 1846. Hardcover octavo, 174 gilt-edged pages with engraved frontispiece, title page, twelve additional illustrations, and one double-sided back advertisement page. Original red cloth blind-stamped and gilt titled covers and spine laid down to back matter pages. Note: This copy has the second state of the Oliver Twist back advertisement. 3rd item: THE CHIMES: A GOBLIN STORY, First Edition, by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Maclise, Doyle, Stanfield, and Leech, published by Chapman and Hall, London, 1845. Hardcover 12mo, 175 gilt-edged pages with engraved frontispiece, title page, eleven additional illustrations, and one back advertisement page. Original red cloth blind-stamped and gilt titled covers and spine laid down to back matter pages. Note: This copy has the publisher's information outside of the cloud on the engraved title page, believed to be in the second state; back advertisement page is for the tenth edition of A CHRISTMAS CAROL. 4th item: THE BATTLE OF LIFE. A LOVE STORY, First Edition, by Charles Dickens, illustrated by Maclise, Doyle, Stanfield, and Leech, published by Bradbury and Evans, London, 1846. Hardcover octavo, 175 gilt-edged pages with engraved frontispiece, title page, eleven additional illustrations, and one double-sided back advertisement page. Original red cloth blind-stamped and gilt titled covers and spine laid down to back matter pages. Note: This copy has the engraved title-page without the publisher's information, believed to be in the fourth state. 5th item: A CURIOUS DANCE ROUND A CURIOUS TREE, First Edition, by Charles Dickens, published by St. Luke's Hospital, London, 1860. Hardcover octavo, 19 top-edged gilt pages with appeal for funds on the last page of text. Note: This copy has the appeal for funds in larger bold type, believed to be in the second state. All volumes rebound by Riviere and Son, London in red morocco leather with gilt-stamped covers and spine, five raised hubs, gilt dentelle with dark green paper pastedowns and endpapers, ex libris plate to interior of front covers. Ranging from 6 3/4" H x 4 3/8" W x 3/4" D to 7 1/2" H x 5" W x 1/4" D.
The Estate of Edith (Edie) M. Bass, Nashville, Tennessee, by descent from her parents, Walter Paul McBride and Claire Childs of Lake Forest, Illinois.
Condition
Covers in overall very good condition with wear to hinges, corners slightly bumped. Pages in overall good, legible condition with toning/toning impressions, acid burn, scattered foxing spots, scuffs, creases, few pencil marks, light handling wear. Some pages unevenly cut. Illustrations are collated. 3rd item: Smudging to text on p. 145 bottom right.