Great Expectations
Chapman and Hall, London, 1861. 5th or later Edition. Hardcover. Near Fine. Item #1602012
First Edition, fifth issue. Three volumes, including the publisher's catalog dated August 1861 at the rear of Volume III. Bound in the publisher's original ribbed purple cloth binding, with ruling and decorations in blind to boards, lettering and decorations in gilt to spine. This copy has the majority of the first issue points, with only a few of the corrections that were made after the first issue. Overall, a clean and attractive set, extremely rare in the unsophisticated publisher's cloth. The first issue of the first edition book, published on July 6, 1861, was followed by four subsequent issues of the same edition, published on August 5, August 17, September 21, and October 30 of the same year. Smith notes that "These first five issues were probably printed at a single impression and published with altered title pages to imply and encourage a rapid sale In all five issues, the same misprints persist." The first issue, which included a print run of 1,000 copies was "almost entirely taken up by the libraries," leaving only a few hundred copies for private ownership. Overall, a beautiful unrestored, uniform set. Housed in a custom-made collector's slipcase.
Price: $25,000.00