A CHRISTMAS CAROL by Dickens, Charles - 1915

Published by William Heinemann, 1915. 1st USA edition.. Hardback. Very Good/Good. Illustrated by Rackham, Arthur. Very good condition in a good dustwrapper. The first Dickens story Rackham attempted. Despite its ghostliness and opportunities for the supernatural, Rackham did not exploit these to the full. He seems to have voluntarily passed up the opportunity to terrify his readers, choosing instead to calm them with charming images of families enjoying the spirit of Christmas. Perhaps his choice resulted from the mood of national anxiety and tragedy of wartime. 147pp. 8 x 6". 12 colour plates plus b/w illustrations and decorations. First American edition. Lavender cloth, gilt titles and vignette to front cover. Grey/white pictorial endpapers. Some light bumping and wear to spine and corners. Fading to spine. Foxing to endpapers, outer page edges and a few page margins. All colour plates are present, with captioned tissue-guards. Wrapper is in two pieces, all the way down spine edge next to front cover; repaired previously to verso with tape. A few other closed tears and small nicks, but minimal loss.