The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby by Charles Dickens, with illustrations by Phiz [Hablot Knight Browne]. Published in London by Chapman & Hall in 1839.
FIRST EDITION FIRST IMPRESSION
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Dickens' biographer, Peter Ackroyd says in his work that Nicholas Nickleby "has some title to being the funniest novel Dickens ever wrote; it is perhaps the funniest novel in the English language" (pp.262)
Edition points: (all present)
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pp.18 plate with "London, Chapman & Hall, 186, Strand." imprint at the foot.
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"latter" for "letter" error pp.160 line 43
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"flys" for "flies" error pp.245 line 10
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"visiters" for "visitors" error pp.272 line 2
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"incontestible" for "incontestable" error pp.297 line 22
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"suprise" for "surprise" error pp.586 line 24
...etc
Size: 140 x 220 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(2), h.t., frontis, t.p., t.p., vi-xvi, 624pp, (2)]
Bound with the very scarce half title which is almost always lacking. Contemporary half calf over marbled paper backed boards, rubbed with joints cracked, but with both boards attached, the front a little fragile. Retaining the tooled morocco label. Without any attached bookplates or ownership inscriptions, but with a few light pencil marks from previous booksellers, as often. Text block mildly toned, some minor foxing in places. Some plates with some early leaf edge repairs, only ever visible for a few mm (maximum), never affecting the illustration. Some leaves a little unevenly trimmed, as bound. Plates oxidised as typical with some foxing, some heavily.
