Auction Name: 2025 December 15 Rare Books Signature® Auction

Lot Number: 45021

Shortcut to Lot: HA.com/6323*45021

Charles Dickens. A complete set of the five First Editions of The Christmas Books, with two additional later issues. London: 1843-1848.

Dickens. A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. London: Chapman & Hall, 1843. 8vo. Half-title and verso of title printed in blue, red and blue title-page, engraved frontispiece, 3 hand-colored plates and 4 woodcuts in the text by John Leech; 2 pp. of advertisements at the end. Publisher's vertically ribbed cinnamon cloth, stamped in blind and gilt, green endpapers, all edges gilt; cloth folding case. FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, with title-page dated 1843 and printed in red and blue, the text uncorrected, "Stave I" on p. [1] and light green endpapers. Todd's first issue binding with 14-15 mm between closest points of blind-stamping and gold wreath of upper cover, the "D" of "Dickens" unbroken. Condition: Spine repaired (or rebacked) preserving most of original spine; worn and darkened, with some staining and rubbing. Title-page bound before the half-title; mostly marginal staining, browning and spotting, a few leaves creased. References: Eckel, pp.110-115; Smith II:4.

Dickens. The Chimes: A Goblin Story. London: Chapman and Hall, 1845 [1844]. 8vo. 13 illustrations, including frontispiece and vignette title, by Maclise, Doyle, Leech and Stanfield; advertisement for tenth edition of A Christmas Carol at the beginning. Original red vertically ribbed cloth, upper cover stamped in blind and pictorially gilt with design of seven goblins above six chimes, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt, pale yellow endpapers, all edges gilt. FIRST EDITION, First State of the additional title, with "Chapman & Hall" printed within the cloud. Condition: Spine a bit leaned and worn at ends with some fraying; a little rubbing and soiling; hinges cracked; minor spotting to frontispiece and additional title. References: Eckel pp. 116-118; Smith II:5.

Another copy. FIRST EDITION, second state. This copy has the vignette title page in the second (usual) state, lacks the colon after "London" on the title verso, and does have page 39 so paginated (priority uncertain). Condition: Very minor wear to extremities; hinges cracked; overall, a bright copy. References: Smith II:5; Gimbel A86 (none of his eleven copies has this particular combination of vignette title, title verso, and p. 39).

Dickens. The Cricket on the Hearth. London: Printed and published for the author by Bradbury and Evans, 1846 [1845]. 8vo. Half-title, engraved frontispiece and title-page vignette after Maclise, illustrations throughout text, 2 pp. of advertisements at end (first state). Original deep red horizontally ribbed cloth, stamped in blind and pictorially gilt with hearth, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, yellow endpapers. FIRST EDITION, first state of the advertisements at end. Condition: Spine slightly leaned; minor wear to extremities; a little soiling; text block cracked at center; minor marginal toning. Bookplates of R. K. Burstall and Frederic Coleman Hunter. References: Eckel, pp. 119-20; Smith II:6.

Another copy. FIRST EDITION, second state of the advertisements at end. Condition: Spine slightly leaned; very minor wear to extremities; light soiling, otherwise a bright and fine copy.

Dickens. The Battle of Life. A Love Story. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1846. 8vo. Engraved frontispiece and title-vignette after Maclise (Todd's E1, Eckel's fourth state), illustrations throughout, 2pp. of advertisements at end. Original deep red vertically ribbed cloth stamped in blind and pictorially gilt with fairy motif, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, yellow endpapers. FIRST EDITION. Condition: Spine slightly leaned; minor soiling, otherwise fine and bright. References: Eckel, pp. 121-23; Smith II:8.

Dickens. The Haunted Man and The Ghost's Bargain. London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848. 8vo. Advertisement leaf, frontispiece, vignette title-page and 15 illustrations by John Leech, Clarkson Stanfield, John Tenniel and Frank Stone. Original deep red vertically ribbed cloth, covers stamped in blind and pictorially gilt with wreath and mistletoe, spine and upper cover lettered in gilt, all edges gilt, yellow endpapers. FIRST EDITION, with first numeral of the page number on p. 166 damaged; though priority is uncertain, Podeschi suggests this represents a later state. Condition: Spine slightly leaned; light bumping to corners; some light foxing to prelims (frontispiece verso and title). Otherwise, a fine and bright copy. Provenance: George Darwell (signature on front free endpaper dated 1849). References: Smith II 66-70; Podeschi 119.

Provenance: The Library of a Minnesota Collector.

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