DICKENS, Charles (1812–1870). The Personal History of David Copperfield. London: Bradbury & Evans, 1850.
8vo (206 x 129 mm). (Title–page remargined). 40 etched plates including engraved frontispiece and additional engraved vignette title after Hablot K. Browne ("Phiz"), EXTRA–ILLUSTRATED WITH A PROOF PLATE OF DICKENS BY CRUIKSHANK BEFORE LETTERS originally published in 1879 by Frank Kenslake. (Lacking half–title, some plates trimmed and affecting captions, some offsetting to text from plates). Full early 20th century green morocco with central pictorial inlays of characters David Copperfield and Dora in various color moroccos, spine in 6 compartments with raised bands, gilt–lettering in two, all edges gilt, GILT–STAMP SIGNED BY THE GUILD OF WOMEN–BINDERS (spine gently sunned, offsetting from turn–ins to endpapers, some professional touch ups to joints). Provenance: Robert Hall (engraved bookplate illustrated with various Kelmscott Press books including the Chaucer); George M. Chandler Bookseller (ALS from Arthur Halperin to “Joe”, dated 18 July 1957, discussing this book, also with his translation of the Dickens letter, laid into envelope).
FIRST EDITION IN BOOK FORM with illustrated title–page dated 1850. Published on 14 November 1850, David Copperfield is considered Dickens's most autobiographical novel and includes one of the author's favorite characters: David Copperfield (preface to 1869 edition).
[WITH:] 2–PAGE ALS FROM DICKENS (“CD”) TO HIS CLOSE FRIEND THOMAS MITTON, dated 26 March 1843, inserted following title, partial wax seal intact, addressed on verso, folds. Dickens asks Mitton to deliver the “enclosed” to his publisher Bradbury directly. Dickens was most likely referring to one of his stories written that year that he had sent to Mitton. Mitton was Dickens solicitor for many years and one of the author’s earliest close friends. Not in the Charles Dickens Letters Projects or Selected Letters. Eckel, pp. 75–77; Gimbel A122; Hatton & Cleaver, pp. 251–272; Smith I:9.