The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby. -

London, Chapman & Hall, 1839. . First edition in book form, early issue (with 'visiter' for 'sister' on p.u 123, 'latter' for 'letter', p. 160; 'flys' for 'flies', p. 245; 'visiters' for 'visitors', p. 272, 'incontestible' for 'incontestable' p. 297; 'suprise' for 'surpise' p. 586) but only first and second plates with imprint of Chapman and Hall, therefore frontispiece, the third and fourth plates, are second issue (cf. Smith I, 5, p. 42) ; 8vo (215 x 140 mm); half-title, engraved portrait of Dickens after Daniel Maclise (mildly spotted), 39 engraved plates by H.K. Browne [Phiz], bottom of plate opposite p. 25 reinforced at gutter, small hole repair to inner margin of plate opposite p. 322,toning and sporadic spotting to some plates and printed title but compared to most copies, relatively clean and bright; later half tan calf over marbled boards gilt, with matching endpapers and edges, mild wear at commensurate with age, otherwise a very handsome copy. some minor toning and a few spots to plates, portrait of Dickens spotted (as usual) with transfer onto title-page opposite, plate 37 ('The breaking up at Dotheby's Hall') bound out of sequence after p. 620, small closed tears to list of plates professionally repaired at outer margin, very small loss to upper corner of pp. 501-502 (not affecting text); 'Nicholas Nickleby originally appeared in twenty numbers, bound in nineteen monthly parts, the last part forming a double number, from April 1838-October 1839. It was published in book form on October 23, 1839 [priced at] 21s.' (Smith I, 5, p. 43) Eckel pp. 64-66; Smith I, 5