The Works of Charles Dickens; Set of Chapman & Hall 'The Charles Dickens Edition', 14 Volumes, c. 1870

A smart library set of Dickens' works with uniform half leather bindings.

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The Works of Charles Dickens; 'The Charles Dickens Edition'. Sometimes referred to as the Charles Dickens 'Signature Edition' due to his facsimile signature on the half title page. With Illustrations by Cruickshank, 'Phiz,' &c. Most volumes feature eight illustrations (all as called for). 14 Volumes.

Set comprises:

Barnaby Rudge; 

A Tale of Two Cities & The Mystery of Edwin Drood; 

Bleak House; 

Great Expectations, American Notes and Reprinted Pieces; 

Little Dorrit; 

Our Mutual Friend; 

Hard Times, Pictures from Italy & Sketches by Boz; 

Christmas Books; 

Matin Chuzzlewit; 

The Old Curiosity Shop & The Uncommercial Traveller; 

Pickwick Club; 

Dombey and Son; 

The Letters of Charles Dickens I; 

The Letters of Charles Dickens II. 

Published by Chapman & Hall, Limited, London. Printed by both William Clowes and Sons Limited, and J.S. Virtue and Co. Limited, London. Presumed first edition thus. Undated, but c. 1870 (though would have been published as a Parts series, possibly over a number of years). There is a Postscript written and dated by Dickens to 1868, so presumably the books were published fairly soon afterwards.

A very good set of hardbacks with leather spines, raised bands, gilt decoration and morocco title labels, along with leather corners. Leather is burgundy in colour, faded to brown on spines. Boards covered with burgundy chagrin style cloth with gilt borders.

Overall an attractive, soundly bound set with minor flaws. Some of the marbled endpapers are cracked at inner hinge, but books are soundly bound. Shelf wear, rubbing, some sunning in places and a few scrapes to cloth. A couple of volumes with splits starting at tail of spine, but handsome on any shelf.

Text is generally clean, bright and firmly bound. Some spotting to endpapers and around plates (as is usually the case with these kind fo books from this period). Books with frontispieces with tissue guards, with spotting to the guards. Some spotting to edge of text block, though difficult to see due to marbled edges.

Text in English.

Weight approximately 8kg unpacked (the set).

Approx Dimensions: 

Each volume approximately 181mm high x 130mm wide x 25-40mm deep.