"PLEASE, SIR, I WANT SOME MORE": FIRST ISSUE OF OLIVER TWIST, IN ORIGINAL CLOTH
DICKENS, Charles. Oliver Twist; Or, the Parish Boy's Progress. By "Boz." London: Richard Bentley, 1838. Three volumes. Octavo, original blind-stamped brown cloth, uncut. Housed in three custom chemises and slipcases.
First edition, first issue, of Dickens' classic, with the "Fireside" plate and "Boz" title pages, uncut in original cloth. A beautiful copy.
"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 which depicted Oliver at Rose Maylie's knee [Volume III, p. 313]… 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. He voiced these objections prior to publication and the plate and title page were changed between November 9 and 16" (Smith, 35). With half titles for Volumes I and II, four pages of publisher's ads at the end of Volume I and two pages of publisher's ads at the beginning of Volume III. With list of plates in Volume I, no priority. "A genuine first issue in the original cloth covers, uncut, and with clean, unfoxed plates and leaves is very rare" (Eckel, 54). Smith 4 (especially note 3). Eckel, 51-60. Bookplates.
Usual foxing to plates, text fresh and fine; expert repair to front free endpaper of Volume I. Cloth quite crisp with only minor spots and none of the usual fading to spines, spine gilt quite bright. An exceptional and lovely copy, unusual in this condition.