THE POSTHUMOUS PAPERS OF THE PICKWICK CLUB

First edition in book form. Later half calf over marbled boards, with five raised bands, gilt titles on red morocco labels to the spine. All edges marbled. Engraved frontispiece, vignette title and 41 plates [43 in total, as called for]. "Weller" vignette title page (no priority established in book form) and the two suppressed plates by R. W. Buss present opposite p.69 and p.74 (in later issues these were replaced with two by Phiz). The Phiz plate for page 353 bound here facing page 1. A very good copy, the binding square and firm, the plates heavily spotted, the text pages clean throughout. Page 1 is remargined at the far edge, not affecting the text.

Pickwick Papers originally appeared in 20 numbers, bound in 19 monthly parts between April 1836 and November 1837 (no issue in June 1837). The novel was first published in book form on November 17, 1837. (Smith, Part 1: 3). (Smith: Dickens in Original Cloth Vol. I, 3 (p.19); Hatton and Cleaver: A Bibliography of the Periodical Works of Charles Dickens).