Charles Dickens – The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club – First Edition 1837

A first edition of the second novel by Charles Dickens, originally serialised over 20 months between 1836 and 1837, with some unusual ephemera related to the author.

Written by Dickens at the age of just 24, the Pickwick Papers was his first great work and consists of a series of loosely-related comic adventures around the character of Samuel Pickwick, the owner of a club in London.

With 43 illustrations by Seymour and Phiz. Numerous first edition points present. Bound from the original monthly parts, Buss plates replaced with those by Phiz, as requested by Dickens in later states of the first edition.

‘Life of Charles Dickens’ leaflet laid-in to front endpaper, published by Haughton & Co. Newspaper clipping dated 1888 laid-in to the following page, describing an auction of first edition books held by Sotheby’s, including this copy of the Pickwick Papers.

Published by Chapman and Hall in London in 1837. Hardback, bound in quarter calf with marbled boards and text block. Five raised bands to spine with gilt title lettering. In very good condition. Neat previous owner’s notes to front pastedown with a small bookseller’s sticker. Laid-in ephemera as described above. Spotting and foxing to occasional pages but mostly clean and bright. Binding tight and square.

22cm x 14.5cm. 609 pages.