[DICKENS, CHARLES]. The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. London: Chapman and Hall, MDCCCXXXIX [1839].
First edition [in book form], early issue. Leather-bound. Hardcover. Octavo (21.5cm x 13.5m x 4.5cm). Pp. xvi, 624. English text. Handsomely bound in full morocco gilt by Brian Frost & Co., Bath, England. All page edges gilt. Marbled endpapers. Engraved portrait of Dickens after Daniel Maclise with tissue-guard, plus 39 engraved plates by H.K. Browne [Phiz]. Printed by Bradbury and Evans. Condition: FINE. Collated complete. Covers and contents beautifully preserved, remaining tight and clean. Pages 17-32 misbound between 336-7. Without previous ownership markings. A stunning copy and scarce thus.
Notes: Contains all but two of the following first issues points: page 18 illustration marked 'Chapman & Hall', 'flys' for 'flies' p. 245 line 10; 'visiters' for 'visitors' p. 272 line 2; 'incontestible' for 'incontestable' p.297 line 22; and 'suprise' for 'surprise' p. 586 line 24. This is a mixed state because 'visitor' has been corrected to 'sister' on page 123 line 17, and 'latter' has been corrected to 'letter' on page 160 line 6 from the bottom.
Nicholas Nickleby was Dickens third novel and was issued in monthly instalments between March 1838 and October 1839, before it was published as this single volume. An instant success, it both solidified Dickens as a social critic and marked his first of many romances. A handsome copy presented in a signed binding by Brian Frost & Co. [Smith 5, Podeschi A41 and Eckel pp 64-5].
