Master Humphrey's Clock by Charles Dickens.
With illustrations by George Cattermole and Hablot Browne.
The FIRST EDITION, published in 1840-41 in London by Chapman and Hall.
[i-iv], [1-306], [1-306], [1-426].
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Master Humphrey's Clock is a collection of short stories and sketches written by Charles Dickens, published in 1840-41. The book is presented as a framing narrative, with the eponymous character Master Humphrey inviting friends to gather around his clock and share stories with each other. The collection includes a range of stories, from humorous sketches to poignant tales of human suffering and redemption. Some of the most famous stories from the collection include The Old Curiosity Shop, which tells the story of a young girl and her grandfather who fall on hard times and are pursued by a villainous loan shark, and Barnaby Rudge, a historical novel set against the backdrop of the Gordon Riots of 1780. The stories in Master Humphrey's Clock showcase Dickens' mastery of character and his ability to weave together multiple plotlines to create a rich and engaging narrative.
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Size: 175 x 245 mm (approx.)
Condition:
Spines rubbed and scuffed with wear to heads and bottoms of spines (with some small fragments lacking, primarily from the top of volume one). Bottom of the backstrip on volume two lightly peeling off. Tooled labels present with larger fragments lacking from volumes one and three. All boards attached with wear joints and hinges starting/cracked. Front board of volume one very loosely attached. Boards with very minor superficial scratches, rubbing, and marks. Most prominent marks on the front board of volume one. Shelf and edge wear. Shelf lean to volumes one and two. Rubbed corners, with more prominent wear to the top corners of volume three. Minor dulling to page edges. Text blocks very clean with light toning and very sporadic very minor foxing. One detached plate present, and prominently toned and foxed. Pencil marks on preliminary in volume two.
