Pictures from Italy by Charles Dickens. The Vignette Illustrations on Wood by Samuel Palmer. London: Bradbury & Evans, 1846, 8vo.
FIRST EDITION FIRST IMPRESSION OF DICKENS' SECOND TRAVEL BOOK IN THE ORIGINAL PUBLISHER'S CLOTH BINDING.
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Dickens had agreed to edit Bradbury and Evans's new national newspaper the Daily News at the beginning of 1846, but despite the author's phenomenal energy he was unable to combine it with his other commitments and he resigned on 9 February, less than two weeks after the first issue appeared. But he continued to write for the paper, notably a series of "Travelling Letters" (21 January – 11 March), describing his recent journey through France and sojourn in Italy, and five letters (23 February – 16 March) powerfully arguing against capital punishment. The "Travelling Letters" formed the basis for this, his second travel book.
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In the first state binding according to Smith II, 7, in 'moderate blue fine-diaper cloth [...]' with the correct sized ornaments stamped in blind. With all of Smith's internal flaws as called for the first edition (first impression), including the page number column in the contents page being improperly aligned, the 'k' in 'taking' a little higher up on pp.46, three lines up from the bottom, and the spacing in 'hom e' and 'rain s' on pp.86 and pp.101, respectively.
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Size: 119 x 179 mm (approx.)
Condition:
[(1), 2pp (advertisement), h.t., t.p., 1ff (contents), pp.(1)-270, 2pp (advertisements), (1)]
Original publisher's blue cloth binding, a little rubbed, with a small crack at the upper part of the front joint, but with both boards securely attached, the binding secure, with hinges uncracked, without shelf lean. Shelf and edge wear, corners very slightly bumped. Top edges uncut, some leaves still connected at the top, including the contents leaf. C8 with very slight loss at the top right, confined to the blank marginal space, without any text loss on verso or recto. Original pale yellow endpapers, small bookplate of Augusta Crawley to foot of front pastedown and small ink ownership inscription to ffep verso at head of 'e.d.', presumably contemporary. Text block mildly toned throughout but generally very clean, free of foxing or writing. An excellent copy in the original publisher's cloth binding.
[Smith II, 7].
