In the Original Weekly Numbers, and in the Scarce Original Wrappers

London: Chapman & Hall, December 1860-August 1861. In nine volumes. First edition in the original 36 weekly numbers, as issued in the monthly parts of All the Year Round (Parts 20-28, comprising Nos. 84-123). 8vo. With "Advertiser" at front of each volume, and occasional ad inserted throughout volumes. Publisher's limp blue printed wrappers, rear wrapper of first volume, with final leaf of text and ad, detached; rear wrapper of last volume detached; spines worn with varying loss; wear along wrapper edges; moderate soiling and darkening to wrappers; scattered light spotting to text leaves; some text unopened; some edges with closed tears from when opened. Eckel, p. 91

Scarce first edition in the original weekly numbers of Dickens's classic Great Expectations. Toward the end of 1860, circulation of Dickens's All the Year Round magazine had dropped. After some hesitation, Dickens decided to help raise the publication's drooping numbers by running his own new novel in serialized form within the magazine's pages, which appeared in 36 parts between December, 1860 and August, 1861.

According to RBH, this is only the third set in original wrappers to come to auction since 2014.