Fine Books and Manuscripts

Dickens, Charles. The Mystery of Edwin Drood. London: Chapman and Hall, 1870. First edition in book form with all internal textual flaws as listed in Smith’s bibliography part I. Finely bound in a later half black calf over marbled boards ruled in blind with a sawtooth pattern, raised spines with gilt rolls, compartments with gilt scrollwork and floral centerpieces, a.e.m., marbled endpapers. Engraved frontispiece portrait of Dickens by J.H. Baker with tissue guard, engraved vignette title-page and 12 plates by Luke Fildes. 8vo. Occasional spotting and marginal stains to plates, contemporary ownership signature to title page, lacking ads dated August 31, 1870 (as usual). Eckel, pp. 96-98; Smith I: 16.