The first edition of The Life and Adventures of Martin Chuzzlewit. Originally published in twenty monthly parts between 1843 and 1844, the sheets printed for these parts make up the first edition in book form.
Publisher’s cloth in the rare variant morocco-grain cloth stock, likely indicating a later issue as described in Kremers. Textual flaws match those called for by Smith as first issue, though errata leaf is of the 14-line setting as is usual with bound copies, which quickly replaced the first issue 13-line setting, and the vignette titlepage is the version with “£100” on the signpost.
Original publisher’s cloth somewhat faded and age toned, particularly to the spine. Corners a little rubbed and cloth slightly frayed also at head and tail of the spine. Front hinge is weak, though the joint cloth and the hinge endpaper are intact; some paper repair along hinge. Plates are slightly foxed and signature M slightly sprung. Despite these flaws a much better looking copy than is usual, with the cloth being particularly clean.
Smith, 7. Podeschi, A72. Kremers, “A Comparative Bibliography of the Sheets and Publishers’ Cloth Cases of the Demy Octavo Works of Charles Dickens, 1837-1872”, pp. 162 - 168.
