The Christmas Books - photo 1

The Christmas Books

Lot 168
06.10.2022 12:00UTC -05:00
Classic
Sold
$ 5 040
AuctioneerCHRISTIE'S
Event locationUSA, New York
Archive
The auction is completed. No bids can be placed anymore.
Archive
ID 813615
Lot 168 | The Christmas Books
Estimate value
$ 4 000 – 6 000
The Christmas Books

First American editions, 1844-1849

DICKENS, Charles (1812-1870). [THE CHRISTMAS BOOKS.] New York: Harper and Brothers, 1844-[1849].



The American Christmas Books, in original wrappers. Dickens’s Christmas books were immensely popular both at home in England and in the States, as they continue to be. In the case of The Christmas Carol, the Philadelphia printing of Carey & Hart is usually given priority, but Harper’s in New York seems equally plausible. After all, Carey & Hart’s edition was much more elaborate—bound in cloth and with illustrations copying those of the London printing—whereas the present version is in pamphlet format and would have been about as quick to print and issue as a newspaper. Of the other four titles, the Harper edition is acknowledged the first in the case of Chimes and Cricket on the Hearth, priority is unknown for Battle of Life, and the Harper's one is the first and only known contemporary American edition of Haunted Man. A complete set in original wrappers is rare. Comprising: A Christmas Carol. 1844. Ad leaf in first state, undated and omitting mention of this title; two preliminary leaves in Podeschi’s second state. * The Chimes. 1845. Podeschi’s first state, with “Bookhout. SC.” at the head of the title-page. * The Cricket on the Hearth. 1846. 16 ad pp. * The Battle of Life. 1847. * The Haunted Man and The Ghost's Bargain. [1849]. Podeschi/Gimbel A81, A87, A93, and A120 (the Harper Battle of Life is not in the Gimbel collection).



Together five volumes, octavo (244 x 144). Text in two columns. Original printed wrappers, with ads on inside front wrappers and both sides of back wrappers. (Minor edge-wear and small chips/tears to wrappers, larger chip to lower wrapper of Battle; some foxing to Chimes.) Custom clamshell box with morocco spine label, individual paper folders.

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