The Battle of Life, A Love Story, by Charles Dickens. Printed in London by Bradbury & Evans in 1846.
FIRST EDITION of Charles Dickens fourth book in his Christmas Books series, following A Christmas Carol three years earlier. This book is of particular interest to Dickens collectors due to the four variations in the engraved title page. This title page follows Eckel's fourth state without the publisher imprint etc and with the cupid holding the scroll reading "A Love Story".
Bound in the original red cloth with the spine expertly rebacked preserving the majority of the original backstrip.
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Condition:
Spine rebacked but preserving the majority of the original backstrip, slightly dulled but significantly better than typically found. Boards very bright and without significant wear. Hinges reinforced. Both boards are securely attached with the joints fine. No shelf lean but the book is slightly cocked. Whoever carried out the restoration work on this example did a phenomenal job it must be said! All page edges gilt with the top edge very slightly dulled. Some toning through the text block but generally remains very clean and fully legible. Some pencil writing to front pastedown from a previous bookseller. Collated as complete, including the scarce advertisement leaf at the rear.
