[Literature] Dickens, Charles. Oliver Twist: Or, the Parish Boy's Progress. By "Boz"

London: Richard Bentley, 1838. In three volumes. First edition, first issue (with "Boz" on title-page and with "Fireside" plate in third volume). 8vo. With half-title in first and second volumes, list of illustrations in first volume, and with ads at rear of first volume and at front of third volume. Illustrated with three etched frontispieces and 21 etched plates by George Cruikshank. Publisher's brown cloth-covered boards, stamped in blind and in gilt (with imprint at foot of spine), old repairs to spine ends (possibly rebacked), boards and spines unevenly faded, moderate soiling and wear to boards, moderate wear along extremities, boards rubbed, a few ink stains on spine and front board of Vol. II, wear to spine ends; all edges trimmed; yellow-coated endpapers; contemporary ownership signature on front paste-down of each volume ("C. Hine"), contemporary bookseller's ticket on same ("Dimmock, Perfumer, Printseller, &c. Cambridge"); light to moderate spotting and soiling to text; foxing to plates; in brown cloth slip case; old catalogue description laid in (Inman's Book Shop, New York). Smith I, 4; Eckel, pp. 59-62

First edition, first issue, of Charles Dickens' second novel. When Richard Bentley decided to publish Oliver Twist in book-form before its completion in Bentley's Miscellany magazine, illustrator George Cruikshank had to rush to complete the work's plates. Dickens did not review the plates until the eve of publication, and he objected to the "Fireside" plate (the final plate in the third volume) which depicted Oliver at Rose Maylie's knee and with Harry and Mrs. Maylie gathered around the living room fire. Cruikshank revised the illustration, using the same title ("Rose Maylie and Oliver"), to show Rose and Oliver standing before Oliver's mother's church memorial. The altered plate was used in later issues of Oliver Twist in book form, as well as in the conclusion of the periodical run. Dicken's also objected to the use of "Boz" on the title-page, which was changed to "Charles Dickens" between November 9-16, 1838, and featured in later issues of the work.

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

[Literature] Dickens, Charles. Oliver Twist: Or, the Parish Boy's Progress. By "Boz"