3 volumes, 8vo (185 x 113 mm). 24 etched plates (including frontispieces to each volume) after George Cruikshank. (Lacking half-titles and all advertisements, some soiling and creasing, a few short tears to text and plates with occasional repairs, one plate with small portion of blank corner torn away.) 20th century brown leather gilt, stamped in black, top edges gilt, others uncut; together in slipcase.

FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE OF THE FIRST ENGLISH NOVEL TO FEATURE A YOUNG CHILD AS A PROTAGONIST, with "Boz" on the title-page and the "Fireside" plate and nearly all early issue points listed in Smith. When Bentley decided to publish Oliver Twist in book format before completing its completion in Bentley's Miscellany magazine, Cruikshank had to rush to complete the illustrated plates. Dickens did not review the plates until the eve of publication, and he objected to the "Fireside" plate which depicted Oliver at Rose Maylie's knee 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. Eckel, p.51-[57]; Gimbel A27; Smith I:4.