Click for full-size.
The Mystery of Edwin Drood
by Charles Dickens
- Used
- very good
- Hardcover
- first
- Condition
- Very Good
- Seller
-
BATH, Somerset, United Kingdom
Item Price
A$338.33A$304.49
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
London: Chapman and Hall, 1870. First edition. Leather. Very Good. 9" by 5.5". S. L. Fildes. A first edition, bound from the parts, of Charles Dickens' last and unfinished novel, illustrated by S. L. Fildes. The first edition of this work in a half calf binding. Illustrated with a portrait frontispiece of Dickens with a facsimile signature and the date 1870; an engraved title page complete with vignette; and twelve further plates. Collated, complete. 'The Mystery of Edwin Drood' was Dickens' final work, left unfinished upon his death in June 1870; of the twelve instalments planned, only six had been written. As Dickens hadn't left a clear or detailed plan as to the continuation or resolution of the plot, the 'Mystery' was left unsolved. Illustrated throughout by Sir Samuel Luke Fildes, a British painter and illustrator. This copy complies with all issue points for the first impression according to Eckel (p.97), but is lacking the cover wraps for each part and the advertisements. In a half calf binding. Externally fairly smart, though rubbed to the spine and extremities, with light shelf wear to the boards. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are lightly age toned with the occasional spot. Very Good
Synopsis
The Mystery of Edwin Drood marked the last of Charles Dickens novels, and was left unfinished in its publication. It follows the story of an orphan, Edwin Drood who worked as an engineer for his adoptive father’s firm, and his betrothal to fellow orphan Rosa Bud. As they come to age there is recognition that their love has been replaced by friendship, and the engagement is soon broken off. Shortly afterwards, in the middle of a storm on Christmas Eve, Edwin disappears, leaving nothing behind but some personal belongings and the suspicion that his killer was his jealous uncle John Jasper, or a fellow orphan Neville, who were both madly in love with Rosa. The fantastical story intrigues the reader with the darkness the opium dens within the sleepy cathedral town of Cloisterham, and the sinister double life of Choirmaster Jasper, whose drug-fuelled fantasy life belies his respectable appearance. Charles Dickens passed before the novel could be completed, leaving a tantalizing mystery that will never be solved.
Read More: Identifying first editions of The Mystery of Edwin Drood
Reviews
(Log in or Create an Account first!)
Details
- Bookseller
- Rooke Books
(GB)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 869M20
- Title
- The Mystery of Edwin Drood
- Author
- Charles Dickens
- Illustrator
- S. L. Fildes
- Format/Binding
- Leather
- Book Condition
- Used - Very Good
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First edition
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Publisher
- Chapman and Hall
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1870
- Size
- 9" by 5.5"
- Keywords
- Dickens Novels Fildes Novels
Terms of Sale
Rooke Books
Books are sent on approval and may be returned in like condition for any reason within 14 days of receipt. Responsibility of return to be with the purchaser.
About the Seller
Rooke Books
Biblio member since 2007
BATH, Somerset
About Rooke Books
Welcome to Rooke Books Antiquarian Bookseller
We are a small team dedicated to bringing you very scarce books at reasonable prices. We specialise in rare and hard to come by works on all subjects over the last 500 years, together with modern first editions and decorative sets and bindings. Our library has something for every interest and specialism. We deliver worldwide using a fully tracked and insured courier delivery service.
Where are We?
Based in the literary city of Bath, our offices are housed in the Eastern Dispensary. Built in 1845, the building originally existed as a charitable institution providing medical care. The building now houses our collection of over twenty thousand books and has five full time members of staff.
We are a small team dedicated to bringing you very scarce books at reasonable prices. We specialise in rare and hard to come by works on all subjects over the last 500 years, together with modern first editions and decorative sets and bindings. Our library has something for every interest and specialism. We deliver worldwide using a fully tracked and insured courier delivery service.
Where are We?
Based in the literary city of Bath, our offices are housed in the Eastern Dispensary. Built in 1845, the building originally existed as a charitable institution providing medical care. The building now houses our collection of over twenty thousand books and has five full time members of staff.
Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Facsimile
- An exact copy of an original work. In books, it refers to a copy or reproduction, as accurate as possible, of an original...
- First Edition
- In book collecting, the first edition is the earliest published form of a book. A book may have more than one first edition in...
- Calf
- Calf or calf hide is a common form of leather binding. Calf binding is naturally a light brown but there are ways to treat the...
- Title Page
- A page at the front of a book which may contain the title of the book, any subtitles, the authors, contributors, editors, the...
- Shelf Wear
- Shelf wear (shelfwear) describes damage caused over time to a book by placing and removing a book from a shelf. This damage is...
- Spine
- The outer portion of a book which covers the actual binding. The spine usually faces outward when a book is placed on a shelf....
Frequently asked questions
This Book’s Categories
Beat Poet Michael McClure
From the fateful reading at Six-Gallery in 1955 to his novels, poetry, and stage productions, Michael McClure was right in the thick of the Beat Generation as it was born. See his books and art and learn more about the works of Michael McClure.
Collecting The Beat Generation
The Beat Generation was born out of WWII, and it still continues to exert considerable influence on today’s literary scene. Biblio sellers have a fantastic collection of Beat Generation books and ephemera for browsing.
