3 volumes, 4to (256 x 168 mm). 3 frontispieces, and numerous wood-engraved illustrations by George Cattermole and by Hablot K. Browne (“Phiz”). (Vol. I lacking the dedication leaf, some occasional light staining and creasing, slight marginal toning.) Original brown cloth decorated in blind and gilt, upper covers with central gilt clock with hands signifying the volume number, marbled edges, with red, green, and blue hair-vein marbled endpapers (spines slightly darkened, some minor staining, hinges just starting). Provenance: signature to part 1 front flyleaf; Noel Charles Peyrouton, Associate editor of the Pilgrim Edition of Dickens's Letters (bookplates laid in).

FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM. With all the first issue points called for by Smith, except for the following, all of which Smith states "may" be missing: the punctuation is present after "however" 16 lines up on p. 220; the apostrophe is present in "That's" 5 lines up in vol. II  on p. 113; and the period is present after "exultingly" on p. 27 in vol. III. Master Humphrey's Clock first appeared as a weekly serial from 4 April 1840 to 4 December 1841 and included short stories and 2 novels, The Old Curiosity Shop and Barnaby Rudge. Eckel, p. 68; Smith I:6; Yale/Gimbel A51.