9 “Please, Sir, I Want Some More” 07DICKENS, Charles. Oliver Twist; Or, the Parish Boy’s Progress. By “Boz.” London, 1838. Three volumes. Octavo, period-style full speckled calf gilt. $11,000 First edition, first issue, of Dickens’ classic, with the “Fireside” plate and “Boz” title pages, with original cloth bound in. “When Bentley decided to publish Oliver in book form before its completion in his periodical, Cruikshank had to complete the last few plates in haste. Dickens did not review them until the eve of publication and objected to the Fireside plate. Dickens had Cruikshank design a new plate… This Church plate was not completed in time for incorporation into the early copies of the book, but it replaced the Fireside plate in later copies… Dickens not only objected to the Fireside plate, but also disliked having ‘Boz’ on the title page… the plate and title page were changed between November 9 and 16” (Smith, 35). “A genuine first issue in the original cloth covers, uncut, and with clean, unfoxed plates and leaves is very rare” (Eckel, 54). Expert cleaning to plates, scattered minor foxing and soiling to text. An attractive, handsomely bound set. “It Was The Best Of Times, It Was The Worst Of Times” 08DICKENS, Charles. A Tale of Two Cities. London, 1859. Octavo, late 19th-century full red morocco gilt. $12,000 First edition in book form, first issue, of Dickens’ second historical novel and one of his most enduring works, beautifully bound by Morrell. The last of Dickens’ books to be illustrated by H.K. Browne (“Phiz”), with 16 engraved plates by him. “Browne, for 23 years responsible for all the etchings which had so successfully embellished these [Dickens’] books, produced his last drawings for the present work… Bradbury and Evans, the printers of all and publishers of five of Dickens’ works as issued in monthly parts, had ceased to act in this dual capacity after completion of Little Dorrit… [resulting] in the return of Chapman and Hall as publishers of this and all succeeding works” (Hatton & Cleaver, 333). First issue, with all first-issue points. Originally published as a serial in Dickens’ weekly journal All the Year Round. Smith I:13. Text and plates with occasional mild foxing, handsome binding with a few scratches to front cover, rear joint just starting. A very attractive copy.
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