Comprises: A Christmas Carol, in Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. [8], 166 pp. Illustrated by John Leech with 4 hand-colored etched plates & 4 engravings in the text. Title-page printed in red & blue, its verso & half-title in blue; "Stave I" as first chapter heading, pale green endpapers; 13 mm. between cover blindstamping and gilt ornament, "D" in cover stamping with infinitesimal break in the top serif. 1st Edition, 2nd State. 1843. * The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year In. [8], 175, [1] pp. Illustrated with wood engravings after Richard Doyle, John Leech & Clarkson Stanfield; steel-engraved frontispiece & added title after Daniel Maclise (first state of the added title). 1st Edition. 1845. * The Cricket on the Hearth. A Fairy Tale of Home. [8], 174 + [2] ad pp. Illustrated with wood engravings after Richard Doyle, John Leech, E. Landseer & Clarkson Stanfield; steel-engraved frontispiece & added title after Daniel Maclise. First state of the advertisement leaf. 1st Edition. 1846. * The Battle of Life: A Love Story. [8], 175, [1] + [2] ad pp. Illustrated with wood engravings after Richard Doyle, John Leech, Daniel Maclise & Clarkson Stanfield; steel-engraved frontispiece & added title after Maclise (second state of the added title). 1st Edition. 1846. * The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain. A Fancy for Christmas Time. [8], 188 pp. Illustrated with wood engravings after John Tenniel, Clarkson Stanfield, John Leech & Frank Stone; frontispiece & added title after Tenniel. 1st Edition. 1848. Together, 5 volumes. 6½x4¼, original red cloth stamped in gilt and blind, all edges gilt.
First editions of Dickens’ five Christmas Books in the original cloth. Smith II, 4, 5, 6, 8 & 9.
Condition:
Christmas Carol spine faded, less fading to covers, foxing/offset to title-page caused by the frontispiece; Chimes with faint staining to front cover, ink name to front free endpaper, shelf label of Chase Side House to front pastedown, front hinge cracked; Cricket with staining to covers, rubbing to extremities, spine ends frayed, short split up rear joint; Battle with staining to covers, some wear to extremities; Battle with staining to covers, some extremity wear; Haunted with light cover staining, rubbing to extremities, front hinge cracked through; all with large 1-pence postage stamp on front pastedown (except Chimes, which has it on the free endpaper); overall very good, in custom-made red cloth double-slipcase lettered in gilt.