[Literature] Dickens, Charles. Bleak House

London: Bradbury and Evans, March 1852-September 1853. 20 parts in 19 volumes. First edition, in original monthly parts. 8vo. All ads and slips present per Hatton & Cleaver, except for the "Grace Aguilar's Works" ad at rear of No. XVI. With third issue of "Crochet Cotton" ad slip at rear No. III. Illustrated with an etched frontispiece, etched vignette title-page, and 38 etched plates by Hablot Knight Browne ("Phiz"), including the ten "Dark" plates. Publisher's limp printed green pictorial wrappers; bookseller's ticket at bottom front wrapper of Nos. III and IV; wrappers starting, No. IV; "Royal Library" ink stamp bottom front wrapper, No. VII; No. IX reinforced with later stab-sewn thread, with Advertiser rebound at rear; rear wrapper of Nos. X and XIX/XX detached but present; two small open tears in rear wrapper, No. XIV; wear and soiling along all wrappers, chipping and small losses along most spines. Text unopened in Nos. I and XV; prelims partially unopened in No. XIX/XX; plates darkened in Nos. III and IV, moderate to heavy foxing to other plates, generally along edges; fore-edges in Nos. XI and XVI worn and creased, some from when opened; in three-quarter brick red morocco solander box and chemises. Hatton & Cleaver, pp. 275-304; Eckel, pp. 79-81

A handsome set of the first edition in the original monthly parts. "The new novel was an attack on the abuses in the Courts of Chancery...two material innovations were present in the new novel. The author had wisely discarded the lengthy titles which burdened his previous books and accepted the sanity of short ones...The other change was from the 'green leaves' as he called his earlier books in parts. In 'Bleak House' he used a distinctive blue cover." (Eckel) Another technical innovation was by illustrator Hablot Knight Browne and his inclusion of the so-called "Dark Plates". "As Dickens's vision of society darkened, Browne adjusted his techniques, pioneering in the use of 'dark plates', where the plate was machine-ruled in parallel grooves which printed an almost uniform tone either before or after the figures and background were hand drawn. These brooding, atmospheric designs harmonized with the gloomy, foggy world of Bleak House and Little Dorrit." (Schlicke, The Oxford Companion to Charles Dickens, p. 59)

From the private library of Dr. David L. Harrar II, Sunnyvale, California

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Darren Winston

SVP, Head of Department, Books and Manuscripts, Philadelphia

[email protected]267.414.1247

Darren Winston, Senior Vice President at Freeman’s, has served as Head of Department for Books & Manuscripts, Philadelphia, since 2018. He has been a trustee of the Rosenbach Museum and Library since 2022, is a member of The Manuscript Society, The Bibliographical Society of America, and Philadelphia’s Philobiblon Club.

Raised in northern New Jersey, Darren moved to New York City in 1988 and began his career there as a bookseller in 1995. He spent the next 18 years selling to private clients and at East Coast book fairs. In 2003 he moved with his young family to Sharon, Connecticut where, in 2009, he opened his own bookshop. Darren Winston, Bookseller offered rare and vintage books, prints, fine art, and more, and hosted over 50 book signings and art shows. He was a trustee and, later, Board President, of the Sharon Historical Society, and for six years a trustee of Indian Mountain School in Lakeville, Connecticut.

Darren has hosted the radio program "Darren Winston's Book Report" for NPR-affiliate WHDD since 2009, appeared in the 2014 book-themed documentary The Paper Trail, and in 2024 he joined Antiques Roadshow as a books and manuscripts appraiser. From 1999 to 2005, Darren was the buyer and consultant to the Fine and Rare Books Department at Asprey, the British luxury goods company, at its New York headquarters. While there he spearheaded various in-store events including readings by Salman Rushdie and Dominick Dunne.

In 1993, Darren was hired as a Creative Consultant to Columbia Records, where he assisted in the repackaging of their 12-record Aerosmith back catalogue. He later sold his extensive collection of Aerosmith memorabilia, which he began amassing at the age of 14, directly to the band.

Darren now lives on the Main Line, outside Philadelphia, with his wife, two children, and dog. The family travels frequently to his wife's native England and Scotland. When not bookselling, he plays guitar in Pumped, an Aerosmith tribute band. Darren also appears on the top-rated PBS television program Antiques Roadshow.

Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

[Literature] Dickens, Charles. Bleak House

Fine Printed Books & Manuscripts, Including Americana

[Literature] Dickens, Charles. Bleak House

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