DICKENS, Charles (1812-1870). [Christmas Books]. 1843-1848.

5 volumes, 8vo (165 x 102 mm). Comprising: A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Story of Christmas. 1843. Half-title printed in blue, title printed in red and blue, with 8 illustrations including frontispiece and 2 pp. ads at rear (occasional very light spotting). Original red-brown publisher's cloth recased with edge of original pale green endpaper visible beneath new endpapers, edges gilt; folding case (rubbing). FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, second state. Eckel, pp.110-115; Smith II:4.

The Chimes. A Goblin Story of Some Bells That Rang an Old Year Out and a New One In. [1844]. Half-title, additional vignette title. Original publisher's cloth gilt, edges gilt (stamps celebrating the centenary of Dickens's birth on inner front board, 1" split along lower rear spine edge, rubbing). FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE which meets all issue points as called on by Smith and Eckel but with variant advertisement for The Old Church Clock by Richard Parkinson and not for the tenth edition of A Christmas Carol. Eckel, pp. 116-118; Smith II:5.

The Cricket on the Hearth: A Fairy Tale of Home. [1845]. Half-title, additional vignette title (corner page loss to pp. 67-68 not affecting text with light stain affecting pages on either side). Original publisher's cloth gilt (rubbing). FIRST EDITION, FIRST STATE with advertisement for Oliver Twist with two-line italic heading. Eckel, pp. 119-120; Smith II:6.

The Battle of Life: A Love Story. 1846. Half-title, additional vignette title (occasional very light spotting, small corner loss to front free endpaper). Original publisher's cloth gilt, edges gilt (light toning to spine), FIRST EDITION with second state vignette title page (Eckel, 127) and advertisements for Dombey and Son and single volume Oliver Twist. Eckel, pp. 121-23; Smith II:8.

The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain: A Fancy for Christmas-Time. 1848. Vignette title (some offsetting throughout). Original publisher's cloth gilt, edges gilt (rubbing). FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE with advertisement at front listing Dombey and Son, Oliver Twist, Pictures from Italy, and additional Christmas works. Eckel, pp. 124-25; Smith II:9.

Together, 5 works in 5 volumes, being A COMPLETE SET OF THE CHRISTMAS WORKS, all published in London by Chapman & Hall or Bradbury & Evans, Beginning with 1843's A Christmas Carol Charles Dickens sought to publish a Christmas-themed story each December which would "'strike a sledgehammer blow' for the poor, uneducated, and repressed." Though all five books were popular, none achieved the cultural staying power of A Christmas Carol, which would be the centerpiece of Dickens's reading tours throughout the following two decades.

Fine Literature from the Collection of Richard C. McKenzie