THE LIFE AND ADVENTURES OF NICHOLAS NICKLEBY

First edition, first printing. Bound from the parts in contemporary half red morocco, ruled in gilt, purple cloth boards. Five raised bands, gilt decorated compartments and titles in gilt to the spine. All edges marbled. Half title discarded by the binder. Portrait frontispiece of the author [in the first state], engraved by Finden from a painting by Maclise. Illustrated with 39 full pages plates by "Phiz". A handsome copy, the binding square and firm with minor rubbing to the extremities. The contents, with the bookplate to the front pastedown and contemporary ownership name of William Frederick Fownes Tighe, Lord Lieutenant of Kilkenny (1794-1878) at the head of the title page and some spotting to the plate margins are otherwise clean throughout. A very attractive example.

Nicholas Nickleby originally appeared in 20 numbers, bound in 19 monthly parts between April 1838 and October 1839. The novel was first published in book form on October 23, 1839. This example with two of the first four plates in the first state (with publisher's imprint), an most of the earliest text points noted in Smith. (Smith, Part 1: 5).