Item #3340 [Dickens, Charles- Unrecorded Publisher's Binding] The Chimes: A Goblin Story. Charles Dickens.
[Dickens, Charles- Unrecorded Publisher's Binding] The Chimes: A Goblin Story
[Dickens, Charles- Unrecorded Publisher's Binding] The Chimes: A Goblin Story

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[Dickens, Charles- Unrecorded Publisher's Binding] The Chimes: A Goblin Story

London: Chapman & Hall, 1845.

First edition. 12mo. Scarce unrecorded publisher's binding (see below). Bound in plain dark green pebbled cloth and plain endpapers, speckled edges, in what appears to be a trial binding. First State, preliminary advertisement for Christmas Carol, half-title, engraved frontispiece and additional title, thirteen illustrations. Ink name on letterpress title, some light soiling. First issue (Chapman & Hall appearing within the cloud rather than at bottom). The present binding is unique, and not a contemporary library binding (no ex-library indications), nor is it probably a remainder binding---the Christmas books were printed in subsequent editions so quickly and in such large numbers to satisfy demand, that the publishers (and Dickens) wouldn't have sanctioned and released anything like the binding on this copy. It's also not likely that an owner would have contemporarily (or shortly thereafter) rebound your copy so simply, but it's possible. There is a documented sand-grained copy (with brown speckling, to which red might fade) that was probably made for review (early distribution) purposes, and this copy was likely put together quickly for the same purpose. Dickens (famous and self-determined as he was at the time) would not have sanctioned a trial binding like this for The Chimes, especially after how finicky and particular he was about the binding, title page and endpapers of A Christmas Carol. With special thanks to Bruce Crawford, president of the Grolier Club 2018ñ2022, and book collector with a particular interest in Charles Dickens for kindly providing supportive discussions in determining the origins of this rare binding.

Price: $1,250.00   Item #3340

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