WONDERFUL LARGE DELUXE ILLUSTRATED EDITION OF DICKENS’ WORKS

DICKENS, Charles. The Works of Charles Dickens. London: Chapman and Hall, 1881-82. Thirty volumes. Large thick quarto, contemporary full green morocco gilt, raised bands, marbled endpapers, top edges gilt, uncut. $9800.

“Edition de Luxe” of the works of Charles Dickens, number 3 of only 1000 copies, lavishly illustrated with close to 800 mounted engravings on India paper, handsomely bound by Baker & Son.

"Dickens represented the Victorian character, both in his earnestness and his sentimentality, in his enthusiasm and in his sense of duty, in his optimism and in his doubt, in his belief in work and in his instinct for theatricality, in his violence and in his energy… [One can see in him] the lineaments of the age itself—an age which existed in him and through him… The spirit of the time" (Ackroyd, 1083). With four hand-colored plates illustrating Dickens' timeless holiday classic, A Christmas Carol. Includes facsimiles of original printed paper wrappers. Gimbel D90. Bookplates, including that of Sir Joseph Weston, liberal politician from Bristol.

Plates and text fine, minor wear to boards of Volumes VI and VII, spines toned. A handsome set.