8vo. Half-title printed in blue, title-page printed in red and blue with verso printed in blue, hand-colored steel-engraved frontispiece and 3 hand-colored steel-engraved plates by John Leech (a few heightened in gum arabic), 4 wood-engravings in the text by W.J. Linton after Leech, 2pp. publisher's advertisements at end. (Some minor toning and soiling, one plate with a few short tears affecting image repaired verso.) Original brown fine-ribbed cloth, covers with decorative blind border surrounding central gilt cartouche and lettering on upper, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, edges gilt, green endpapers (spine and extremities slightly darkened, slight staining, some wear to extremities, hinges starting); slipcase. Provenance: Luke W. Hennen (contemporary unsigned gift inscription).

FIRST EDITION, TODD'S FIRST IMPRESSION, with "Stave I" as the first chapter heading, balance of text uncorrected, red and blue title-page dated 1843, and green endpapers. The binding has the first state "D" of Dickens unbroken, but with the closest interval between blind decorative border on the left and the left extremity of the gilt cartouche measuring 13 mm (Smith's first impression, second issue, first state). This copy with the unbroken "C" in the signature on p. 17, which "probably indicates the earliest printing of the text" (Smith, note 3, p.26). "The greatest Christmas book from the pen of any man... it was a pronounced success and from a literary aspect it has delighted millions of readers. It may readily be called the Bible of Christmas and the Authors its Apostle" (Eckle, p.110). Issued about 10 days before Christmas of 1843, A Christmas Carol sold 6,000 copies on the first day, with 24 editions in the original format and numerous reprintings though the profits did not meet Dickens' expectations. Eckel (1972), pp. 110-115; Smith II: 4; Gimbel A79.