The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club
by Dickens, Charles
- Used
- near fine
- first
- Condition
- Near Fine
- Seller
-
Pasadena, California, United States
Payment Methods Accepted
About This Item
Collating [xvi], 609, [1], complete with half title and 43 inserted plates. A few of Hatton and Cleaver's first issue points to the later half of text; all plates in the Phiz states and with the later Chapman & Hall imprints. Given that the early parts continued to be reprinted (and corrected) while the later parts were produced, it is common for the cloth-bound (or publisher's morocco-bound copies) to have most of the earlier misprints corrected, as here.
Dickens' first novel, showcasing his astounding talent for sketching charming, sympathetic characters, helped to launch his career. "Its main literary value and appeal was formed by its numerous memorable characters...The Pickwick Papers are mostly a series of humorous misadventures, with a bit of satire, that give some insight into the mores of Victorian society. You can witness Dickens here working on a few prototypes that will show up in later novels...you also see his social consciousness manifesting itself" (Inverarity). An important early work that remains beloved by Dickens' fans for its sensationalism and humor. Near Fine.
Synopsis
The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club (commonly known as The Pickwick Papers ) is the first novel published by Charles Dickens. The Posthumous Papers Of The Pickwick Club catapulted the 24-year-old author to immediate fame. Readers were captivated by the adventures of the poet Snodgrass, the lover Tupman, the sportsman Winkle &, above all, by that quintessentially English Quixote, Mr. Pickwick, & his cockney Sancho Panza, Sam Weller. From the hallowed turf of Dingley Dell Cricket Club to the unholy fracas of the Eatanswill election, via the Fleet debtor’s prison, characters & incidents sprang to life from Dickens’s pen, to form an enduringly popular work of ebullient humor & literary invention The novel was published in 19 issues over 20 months by Chapman and Hall, London in 1836. After the publication the widow of illustrator Robert Seymour claimed that the idea for the novel was originally her husband's; however, in his preface to the 1867 edition, Dickens strenuously denied any specific input, writing that "Mr. Seymour never originated or suggested an incident, a phrase, or a word, to be found in the book.
Read More: Identifying first editions of The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club
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Details
- Bookseller
- Whitmore Rare Books (US)
- Bookseller's Inventory #
- 5371
- Title
- The Posthumous Papers of the Pickwick Club
- Author
- Dickens, Charles
- Book Condition
- Used - Near Fine
- Quantity Available
- 1
- Edition
- First edition
- Publisher
- Chapman and Hall
- Place of Publication
- London
- Date Published
- 1837
Terms of Sale
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Glossary
Some terminology that may be used in this description includes:
- Fine
- A book in fine condition exhibits no flaws. A fine condition book closely approaches As New condition, but may lack the...
- 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...
- Half Title
- The blank front page which appears just prior to the title page, and typically contains only the title of the book, although, at...
- Leaves
- Very generally, "leaves" refers to the pages of a book, as in the common phrase, "loose-leaf pages." A leaf is a single sheet...
- Edges
- The collective of the top, fore and bottom edges of the text block of the book, being that part of the edges of the pages of a...
- Gilt
- The decorative application of gold or gold coloring to a portion of a book on the spine, edges of the text block, or an inlay in...
- Morocco
- Morocco is a style of leather book binding that is usually made with goatskin, as it is durable and easy to dye. (see also...
- 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....