DICKENS, Charles (1812-1870). Great Expectations. London: [C. Whiting for] Chapman and Hall, 1861.
3 volumes, 8vo (187 x 117 mm). Late 19th-century full tan calf thrice ruled in gilt, spines in 6 compartments with raised bands, red and green morocco lettering-pieces in 2, others completely gilt with floral centerpieces, top edges gilt, dentelles, stamp-signed by Tout (vol. I front cover professionally reattached, front hinges discreetly reinforced, joints touched up, few spots of wear to spines). (Lacks publisher’s ads at the end of vol. III as usual in rebound copies, very faint spotting to tiles, else fine).
FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE containing the earliest state of every point outlined in the extremely detailed analysis found in the Clarendon edition of Great Expectations (1993, Appendices C & D). A full list of issue points available upon request. As in the Lawrence Drizen copy sold in 2019 at Sotheby’s and in the Clarendon edition, the third volume here contains the numeral “3” in the pagination on p. 103, and the “i” in “inflexible” on p. 193, which are sometimes missing in copies of the first impression of the third volume, indicating THE PRESENT COPY IS AMONG THE EARLIER PRINTINGS OF THE FIRST IMPRESSION. This copy also has the early reading of vol. III, p. 193 with “himself” and “very carefully” on separate lines.
Smith comments that “the rarity of the first issue of Great Expectations has been attributed to the probable small binding-up of copies with the first title-page, coupled with the fact (according to C.P. Johnson, “Hints to Collectors”) that “the first edition was almost entirely taken up by the libraries.” Only 1,000 copies of the first issue and 750 copies of the second were printed and that probably most of the first and more than half of the second (1400 copies in all) were purchased by Mudie’s Select Library. Eckel, pp. 91-93; Sadleir 688; Smith I:14.