'THE GHOSTLY PASSENGERS IN THE GHOST OF A MAIL', An original illustration by "Phiz" for THE POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF THE PICKWICK CLUB. Signed and Inscribed by Charles Dickens.

An original drawing by Halbot K. Browne ["Phiz"] illustrating Charles Dickens' first novel. Ink and wash, heightened in white on paper. Signed and humorously inscribed by the author in black ink "Charles Dickens, his X mark" upper right. The image measures 17.8 x 13.2cm. In very good condition with some toning and a few light foxing spots. Laid down and mounted. The mount measures 28 x 22.8cm and is inscribed in a later hand in black ink 'The Ghostly Passengers in the Ghost of a Mail by "Phiz". Preserved in a quarter red calf slipcase and silk cloth chemise.

A remarkable Dickens artifact, bringing together the author and his career-long illustrator at the very beginning of their literary partnership. First issued in 20 weekly parts between March 1836 to November 1837, 'The Pickwick Papers' skyrocketed the young Dickens from obscurity to the position of the best-selling novelist of his time. This is the original drawing from which the engraving was made. The printed illustration appears (in reverse) in part 17 of the parts issue, and as plate 37, opposite page 523 of the first state of the published work in book form. The author's inscription is a wonderfully humorous reference to an episode in the novel when Pickwick discovers an old stone seemingly engraved with the words 'X / BILST / UM / PHSI / S.M. / ARK'. Believing it to be of Roman origin, he buys it from the owner, a farmer, for 10 shillings and later takes it back to London where his lectures and findings on the subject are accepted by dozens of experts in British and foreign historical societies. Hoping to expose Pickwick, Mr Blotton, a rival in an upcoming election, visits the farmer, a Mr. Stumps, and discovers that the illiterate old man had indeed carved the stone himself, intending that it should read 'X BILL STUMPS, HIS MARK'. Despite Blotton's best efforts, Pickwick has the last laugh as all the learned societies eventually pronounce in favour of their much-lauded hero resulting in Blotton's expulsion from the club. Hablot Knight Browne ["Phiz"] illustrated ten of Dickens's fifteen novels, contributing over 500 plates, title vignettes, frontispieces and cover illustrations, each of which was approved by the critical eye of Dickens himself: 'By whatever means Dickens relayed his instructions […] he was unvarying in his insistence that he approve the artist's preliminary sketches' (Cohen). Provenance: Stuart M. Samuel M.P. (1856-1926, politician, manuscript collector, owner of the autograph manuscript of A Christmas Carol between 1882-1890, his library sold in 1907); Anderson Galleries, 8 December 1925, lot 274 (one of 15 Pickwick drawings offered for sale); Edward Lowell Dean (rare-book and autograph dealer, 347 Madison Avenue), typed copy of note recording purchase from him on 21 December 1925; William Randolph Hearst (stated provenance in 1953 PBG catalogue); Lewis A. Hird, bookplate on inside cover of cloth folder; his sale (First Editions, Autographs, Manuscripts, Original Drawings by and Relating to Charles Dickens... Collection of Lewis A. Hird, Englewood, New Jersey), Parke-Bernet Galleries, New York, 17 November 1953, lot 113 (illustrated on facing page); private collection.