FIRST EDITION IN PARTS OF THACKERAY’S THE NEWCOMES

THACKERAY, William Makepeace. The Newcomes, Memoirs of a Most Respectable Family. London: Bradbury & Evans, 1853-55. Twenty-three parts. Octavo, original yellow wrappers, uncut; housed in a custom pull-off box. $950.

First edition, 24 parts in original paper wrappers, with two vignette title pages, 46 full-page plates and over 100 historiated initial capitals and in-text illustrations by Richard Doyle.

Considered by many to be Thackeray’s finest novel, The Newcomes tells the tale of Colonel Thomas Newcome and his son Clive, who studies to be a painter. The majority of the novel’s action is set a decade or two after that of Thackeray’s Vanity Fair (1847-48), and there are peripheral references to some of the characters in Vanity Fair in The Newcomes. First issued in 24 parts from October 1853 to August 1855, illustrated by Richard Doyle. Both the engraved and letterpress title pages list Arthur Pendennis, Esq., as the editor; Pendennis is, in fact, the narrator of the novel, and the title character of Thackeray’s 1848-50 novel The History of Pendennis. Parts 23 and 24 issued under one wrapper. Part 11 disbound but with all advertisements; Part 20 disbound and lacking rear advertisements. Rear wrapper of Parts 23/24 detached. Van Duser 147. Owner signature to front wrapper of Part 2.

Foxing and embrowning to plates; some wear and soiling to paper wrappers. Scarce in parts.