 Author Name: A'Beckett (Gilbert)
Title: The Comic History of England
Edition: First Edition
Publisher: London
Illustrator: John Leech
Seller ID: 702
Twenty original parts in nineteen, 1846-48, twenty hand coloured-plates after John Leech, about one in each part, numerous vignette illustrations to text. In the very hard to find original printed wrappers, some very minor defects, contained in a beautiful fine solid modern felt-lined solander box with author, title and "original parts, 1846-1848" all in gilt. This is really a fantastic set, with some marginal wear and some soiling but very solid with many parts in fresh-off-the-newstand shape. Spines mostly perfect and plates hand-coloured which is rarely seen in an edition of parts. There is an ad for Dickens’ Dombey and Son in some of the parts. Not as popular as Dickens and therefore tough to find these days, particularly in this condition. Leech’s illustrations are very reminiscent of Gustave Dore’s Sainte Russie. One wonders if he may have influenced Dore who was but 15 when this came out. This is how the public read their novels, in parts since it was the only cost effective way at a time when novels were very expensive to produce. They would pick up one of these issue at the railway station, perhaps, and much like todays television seried this system would keep them eagerly awaiting the next instalment. This is the true first edition! Very lovely addition to any library.
John Leech, in Parts, Hand-Coloured
Price =
2941.51 USD |
