DICKENS, Charles. A Christmas Carol In Prose Being A Ghost Story of Christmas. (1843 - FIRST EDITION - FIRST ISSUE)

AUTHOR: DICKENS, Charles. 

TITLE: A Christmas Carol In Prose Being A Ghost Story of Christmas.

PUBLISHER: London: Chapman and Hall, 1843.

DESCRIPTION: FIRST EDITION FIRST ISSUE. 1 vol., 6-1/2" x 4-5/16", chapter heading reading "Stave I", illustrated with 4 hand colored engraved plates by John Leech and 4 black and white illustrations by W.J. Linton, with the final ad leaf. Bound in full tan morocco, ribbed gilt decorated spine, gilt decorated red morocco onlays to covers and spine panels, covers ruled and paneled in gilt, gilt dentelles, all edges gilt, by Bedford.

CONDITION: Internally clean and bright, no previous ownership markings, inscriptions, or bookplate, front hinge expertly repaired, mild general handling, overall a VERY GOOD copy.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: Regarded as Dicken's most widely read novel and considered to be "the greatest Christmas book ever written in any language" (Eckel p. 116) selling more than 6000 copies in the few days leading up to Christmas. The work was extravagantly costly as Dickens for the first time (and incidentally his last) used color in the title-page and etchings as he wanted to make the book a beautiful gift and to be a celebration of the Christmas spirit. After the initial success, Dickens continued the series throughout the 1840's, maintaining "the Carol" philosophy to "strike a sledgehammer blow" for the poor, uneducated, and repressed.