Available Copies from Independent Booksellers
Price: US$100.00 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Binding missing. Stated Fourth Edition on second title page with MDCCCXLV bottom. (1) By the Same Author. A Christmas Carol. In Prose Being A Ghost of Christmas with Four Coloured Etchings, and Woodcuts, by Leech. Tenth Edition. In small Svo, bound in cloth, gilt edges, price 5s. half title page. (2) Engraved Title Page and Frontispiece by D. Maclise R. A. del. & E. P. Becker s. c. gilt edges signatures tight. 175 pgs. Candidate for rebinding. 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall 16mo - over 5¾" - 6¾" tall
Seller: Open Door Books MABA, Bath, ME, U.S.A.
Price: US$121.91 + shipping
Condition: Good
Description: Thirteenth Edition. 13 engraved illustrations by D. Maclise R.A., R. Doyle, J. Leech and C. Stansfield R.A. Original red publishers cloth with gilt decoration to top board and spine. Illustrated title page and yellow endpapers, all edges gilt, pp175. Slight wear to top and tail of spine, W.H. Smith blind library stamp to front endpaper, light wrinking at edges of covers; pages clean, binding tight. A very good copy of the classic seasonal tale.
Seller: Celsus Books, PBFA., London, United Kingdom
Lever, Charles. ST. PATRICK'S EVE. , 1845.
Price: US$200.00 + shipping
Description: Illustrated by Phiz. London: Chapman & Hall, 1845. Original grey-green cloth decorated in gilt, all page edges gilt. First Edition of this children's book -- "It was on the 16th of March, the eve of St. Patrick, not quite twenty years ago." -- modeled on the Christmas books of Charles Dickens, at that time quite the rage, coming out annually. Included are four plates (including the frontispiece), plus vignettes in the text, by "Phiz" -- Hablot K. Browne. This copy is in the first binding state, with all page edges gilt, with the gilt vignette on the front cover, and with the blind-stamped harps in the corners of both covers. It is in very good-plus condition (cloth a little rubbed and mottled, one plate reinforced on its backside). Sadleir 1420; Wolff 4103.
Seller: Sumner & Stillman [ABAA], Yarmouth, ME, U.S.A.
Price: US$250.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Hardcover. 175 pages. Bound in very handsome three quarters leather. Maroon leather on spine and corners, red cloth over the rest of the boards. Raised cords on the spine and splendid gold decorations in the panels. The date of 1845 is stamped on the spine, as well. Marbled endpapers. Page edges gilt Advertisement for the tenth edition of The Christmas Carol at the front, followed by engraved title page and frontispiece. There is no traditional printed title page. List of illustrations follows the title page, and then the text. Illustrated throughout. This is, at earliest, the second printing of the first edition. (Publishers imprint at the bottom margin of the title page and page number 39 numbered correctly.) As there is no printed title page, any clues to the exact printing that were printed on the copyright page are deprived us. This is the second of Dickens celebrated Christmas books, following the success of the Christmas Carol the previous year. This edition is as handsome as you could wish, despite a scuff to the bottom corner and, upon close examination, some rubbing to covers.
Seller: Riverby Books, Fredericksburg, VA, U.S.A.
Price: US$263.05 + shipping
Description: DICKENS, Charles. The Chimes : A Goblin Story, or, Some Bells That Rang anOld Year Out and a New Year In. London: Chapman and Hall, 186, Strand, MDCCCXLV. FIRST EDITION, early issue (colon after London on title page; publisher's information in illustrated title page vignette). Pp. (8),[1]-175,(1),frontispiece, illustrated title page. Illustrated. Small 8vo original pressed crimson cloth with gilt decoration and gilt lettering to front board andspine, all edges gilt. Gimbell, A86. Eckel, pp. 116-8. Top two inches of spine nearly detached (but repairable, with horizontal split just above title and still attached at rear hinge), front inner hinge broken, rear inner hinge starting, June 1846 acquisition inscription to flyleaf, else good. 350.00
Seller: John W. Doull, Bookseller, Dartmouth, NS, Canada
DICKENS, Charles.. The Chimes.. Chapman & Hall. 1845 [1844], 1845.
Price: US$318.25 + shipping
Description: FIRST EDITION, 2nd issue. Half title, front., engr. title & illus., initial ad. leaf. Orig. red vertical-grained cloth, blocked & lettered in gilt; spine dulled & a little rubbed, with some neat repairs. Contemp. gift inscription on leading f.e.p., & early stamp on titlepage of Wm. Mason Roden, solicitor, Kidderminster. a.e.g. A good sound copy. Smith II 5. With engraved titlepage imprint in the second state, the imprint beneath the border of the image.
Seller: Jarndyce, The 19th Century Booksellers, London, United Kingdom
DICKENS, Charles. The Chimes. Chapman and Hall, London, 1845.
Price: US$350.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: 12mo, 175pp., illustrated, with engraved title page and frontispiece. A very good example, bound in early 20th century full green polished calf by Sangorski & Sutcliffe, with brown crushed morocco spine labels, gilt compartments, all edges gilt, and marbled endpapers. Front board expertly re-attached with archival japanese tissue. Front board somewhat sunned. Interior contents fine, especially the illustrations, the only flaw being a tiny, very shallow chip to the front free endpaper (no more than 1mm deep). Dickens' classic Christmas tale, the second of his "Christmas Books" following "A Christmas Carol."
Seller: Cleveland Book Company, ABAA, Rocky River, OH, U.S.A.
Price: US$400.00 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: [FICTION] [HOLIDAY: CHRISTMAS]. First American edition published in cloth. 16mo (6 ½" x 4 ¼"); [1-9] 10-96pp; teal colored cloth over board, blind stamped decorative borders, gilt-stamped lettering and bells hanging from a roof with goblins atop; pale yellow endpapers; gift inscription in pencil dated 1858; 6 fly-leaves; engraved frontispiece and pictorial half-title; 10 engraved plates; age-toning of paper, darkening of text block from acidic ink; a few pencil marks,4 of the rear fly-leaves have penciled graffiti and contemporary drawings of women; binding is tight; fading of boards, chipping at head and tail of spine, bumped corners, light staining; very good minus. Charles Dickens (1812-1870) was an English novelist perhaps most famous for his story, A Christmas Carol. This is the second book in his series of five Christmas novellas, all with strong moral and social messages often involving the disparity between the poor and rich classes. First published in London by Chapman and Hall in 1845. There was a reading of this new story by Dickens to a select audience of friends on December 2, 1844. This is the first American edition to be published in cloth with illustrations.
Seller: Sandra L. Hoekstra Bookseller, Thomaston, ME, U.S.A.
Price: US$410.64 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: Book measures 6 5/8 x 4 1/4 inches. Collation, [4],175pp, engraved frontis, engraved title, 1pp advertising '' A Christmas Carol '', half title, illustrated throughout. Bound in full red morocco by Bayutun of Bath, raised bands, gilt tooling within compartments, gilt rulled lines, full gilt edges, marble decorative endpapers, inner dentelles. A couple of very minor marks. Binding in very good clean firm condition. Internally, pages clean and bright throughout. A very nice copy, in a near fine binding. Size: Small 8vo
Seller: George Jeffery Books, HERTFORDSHIRE, United Kingdom
DICKENS, Charles.. The Chimes.. Chapman & Hall. 1845 [1844], 1845.
Price: US$494.06 + shipping
Description: FIRST EDITION, 2nd issue. Half title, front., engr. title & illus., initial ad. leaf. Orig. red horizontal-grained cloth, blocked & lettered in gilt; spine a little dulled & v. sl. chipped at head. Evidence of label removal from leading pastedown. a.e.g. Overall a nice bright copy. Smith II, 5. With engraved titlepage imprint in the second state, the imprint beneath the border of the image.
Seller: Jarndyce, The 19th Century Booksellers, London, United Kingdom
Price: US$501.91 + shipping
Description: London: Chapman and Hall, 1845. 8vo. Contemporary red half-morocco with marbled boards. Spine with raised bands and gilt. All edges gilt. Original front cover cloth bound in at back. (176pp.). With 13 black and white illustrations, engraved frontispiece, and title-page. New end-papers. 1st edition, second state. Corners of engraved frontispiece and title-page water stained. NOTE: The illustrations in this edition were done by D. Maclisse, R. Doyle, J. Leech and C. Stanfield. This was the second book in Charles Dicken's series of Christmas Books of which there were five. The others in the series include 'A Christmas Carol' (1843), 'The Cricket on the Hearth' (1845), 'The Battle of Life' (1846) and 'The Haunted Man' (1848).
Seller: Berkelouw Rare Books, Berrima, NSW, Australia
Price: US$862.50 + shipping
Description: Frontis, extra illustr title page; illustr, 6.5 x 4.25,full gilt ruled crushed golden morocco with raised bands; aeg, binding by Bayntun-Riviere (though not identified as such), 175 pp, minor cover rubbing, hinges a little loose, pp toned, but still an elegant fine leather binding with original red cloth covers and spine bound-in at rear. FIRST ED with most points in Smith: Heritage Bookshop bibliography, and the SECOND STATE VIGNETTE TITLE PAGE. With no punctuation on copyright page, and ad page (tenth edition of A Christmas Carol) inserted after printed title page.
Seller: John K King Used & Rare Books, Detroit, MI, U.S.A.
Charles Dickens. The Chimes a Goblin Story. Chapman and Hall, London, 1845.
Price: US$1219.10 + shipping
Condition: Very Good
Description: A nice first edition of one of Charles Dickens' immensely popular 'Christmas Books', an entertaining festive tale complete with illustrations. The first edition, first issue of this work, with the publisher's imprint within the border of the engraved vignette title.Illustrated with a frontispiece, a vignette title page, and in-text engravings.Collated, complete.'The Chimes' is Dickens' second 'Christmas Book', published after his popular 'A Christmas Carol'.Like his other Christmas books, 'The Chimes' has strong social and moral messages, typical of many Victorian fiction works.'The Chimes' deals with the sad disillusionment of a poor working-class man, Toby 'Trotty' Veck.Charles Dickens is one of the most popular authors of the Victorian age. His novels show the grimy side of poverty and prosperity in Victorian England, showing poor social conditions alongside repulsive characters.With a preliminary advert leaf and half-title. In the original publisher's cloth binding. Externally, generally smart, with a few light marks and a few patches of light rubbing to the board and spine. Light bumping to the head and tail of the spine and to the extremities, resulting in small chips to the head and tail of the spine. Spine is a touch faded. Front hinge is lightly strained, rear hinge is starting. Rubbed out ink inscription to the front paste down. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are bright and generally clean with only the occasional spot. Very Good
Seller: Rooke Books PBFA, Bath, United Kingdom
Price: US$1250.00 + shipping
Description: First edition. 12mo. Scarce unrecorded publisher's binding (see below). Bound in plain dark green pebbled cloth and plain endpapers, speckled edges, in what appears to be a trial binding. First State, preliminary advertisement for Christmas Carol, half-title, engraved frontispiece and additional title, thirteen illustrations. Ink name on letterpress title, some light soiling. First issue (Chapman & Hall appearing within the cloud rather than at bottom). The present binding is unique, and not a contemporary library binding (no ex-library indications), nor is it probably a remainder binding---the Christmas books were printed in subsequent editions so quickly and in such large numbers to satisfy demand, that the publishers (and Dickens) wouldn't have sanctioned and released anything like the binding on this copy. It's also not likely that an owner would have contemporarily (or shortly thereafter) rebound your copy so simply, but it's possible. There is a documented sand-grained copy (with brown speckling, to which red might fade) that was probably made for review (early distribution) purposes, and this copy was likely put together quickly for the same purpose. Dickens (famous and self-determined as he was at the time) would not have sanctioned a trial binding like this for The Chimes, especially after how finicky and particular he was about the binding, title page and endpapers of A Christmas Carol. With special thanks to Bruce Crawford, president of the Grolier Club 2018ñ2022, and book collector with a particular interest in Charles Dickens for kindly providing supportive discussions in determining the origins of this rare binding.
Seller: Nudelman Rare Books, Seattle, WA, U.S.A.
Price: US$1375.00 + shipping
Description: First edition, First Issue with the publisher's imprint within the border of the engraved vignette title, complete with the initial ad leaf and half-title. Engraved frontispiece and title-page, 11 other illustrations by John Leech, Richard Doyle, and others. Small 8vo, handsomely bound in full dark blue-green crushed levant morocco by the French binder S. David showing the refinement and delicacy associated with the best traditional bindings of the ages. The spine with raised bands, one compartment lettered in gilt, fine French marbled endleaves, binding edges gilt tooled, the turnovers with gilt roll tooling at the borders surrounding triple gilt fillet rules surrounding another roll tooled inner border gilt, all edges gilt, the original cloth covers bound in at the front and rear. [viii], 175 pp. A very bright, handsome and well preserved copy. RARE FIRST EDITION IN A REFINED AND HANDSOME BINDING BY THE FRENCH BINDER S. DAVID. This was Dickens second installment in the "Christmas Books" series and his labors in creating THE CHIMES were "very arduous" in order to make it a worthy successor to A CHRISTMAS CAROL. He wrote to one of his friends that he believed he had "written a tremendous book and knocked the Carol out of the field. It will make a great uproar I have no doubt." It exceeded the CHRISTMAS CAROL in initial sales, and is a charming tale. This is a pleasing copy in fine binding and an altogether delightful piece of Dickensiana.
Seller: Buddenbrooks, Inc., Newburyport, MA, U.S.A.
Price: US$2000.00 + shipping
Description: First editions of the four final novellas in Charles Dickensâ Christmas Book series. Octavo, 4 volumes bound in three quarter morocco over marbled boards with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt. The set is comprised of a first edition of The Chimes [London: Chapman & Hall, 1845 (1844)] Half-title and 13 illustrations, including frontispiece and vignette title, by Daniel Maclise, Richard Doyle, John Leech and Clarkson Stanfield. Second state of the vignette title; First edition of The Cricket on the Hearth [London: Bradbury & Evans, 1846 (1845)] Half-title and 14 illustrations, including frontispiece and vignette title, by Leech, Doyle, Stanfield, Maclise and Edwin Landseer; 2 pp. advertisements at rear (second state); first edition of The Battle of Life[ London: Bradbury & Evans, 1846] Half-title, 13 illustrations, including frontispiece and vignette title, by Maclise, Doyle, Leech and Stanfield, fourth state of the vignette title, 2pp. advertisements at rear, fourth state of vignette title; first edition of The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain [London: Bradbury & Evans, 1848] with 17 illustrations, including frontispiece and vignette title by Leech, Stanfield, Tenniel and Stone. In very good condition. Following the immense success of A Christmas Carol, which first appeared in December of 1843, Dickens published four other Christmas tales: The Chimes (1844), The Cricket on the Hearth (1845), The Battle of Life (1846) and The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain (1848); these were secular conversion tales which acknowledged the progressive societal changes of the previous year, and highlighted those social problems which still needed to be addressed. The public eagerly bought the later books, each published in an attractive bright red cloth with fine gilt vignettes and elaborate illustrations.
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Price: US$4000.00 + shipping
Description: First editions of the four final novellas in Charles Dickensâ Christmas Book series. Octavo, 4 volumes bound in full crushed burgundy morocco by Bayntun Riviere with gilt titles and tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, gilt ruling to the front and rear panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, marbled endpapers, all edges gilt. The set contains: a first edition of The Chimes: A Goblin Story of Some Bells that Rang an Old Year Out and a New Year. [London: Chapman and Hall, 1845] [1844] with the publisher's advertisement for A Christmas Carol; half-title; 13 illustrations including frontispiece and vignette title by Maclise, Doyle, Leech and Stanfield; second state of the vignette title. First edition of The Cricket on the Hearth. A Fairy Tale of Home. [London: Bradbury and Evans for the author, 1846] [1845] with the half-title; 14 illustrations including frontispiece and vignette title by Leech, Doyle, Stanfield, Maclise and Landseer; 2 pp. advertisements at rear. First edition, fourth state of The Battle of Life. A Love Story. [London: Bradbury and Evans, 1846] with half-title; 13 illustrations including frontispiece and vignette title by Maclise, Doyle, Leech and Stanfield; fourth state of the vignette title; 2pp. advertisements at rear. First edition of The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain. [London: Bradbury and Evans, 1848] with half-title; 7 illustrations including frontispiece and vignette title by Leech, Stanfield, Tenniel and Stone. In fine condition. Following the immense success of A Christmas Carol, which first appeared in December of 1843, Dickens published four other Christmas tales: The Chimes (1844), The Cricket on the Hearth (1845), The Battle of Life (1846) and The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain (1848); these were secular conversion tales which acknowledged the progressive societal changes of the previous year, and highlighted those social problems which still needed to be addressed. The public eagerly bought the later books, each published in an attractive bright red cloth with fine gilt vignettes and elaborate illustrations.
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Price: US$7200.00 + shipping
Description: Complete set of Charles Dickens' Christmas Books. Octavo, 5 volumes, original cloth with gilt titles and tooling to the spine and front panels, all edges gilt. A Christmas Carol is an eleventh edition, plates hand-colored, recased by Morrell [1845]; The Chimes: A Goblin Story is a sixth edition, recased [1845]; first edition of The Cricket on the Hearth, Âsecond state of advertisement leaf, spine repaired and new endpapers [1846]; first edition of The Battle of Life with vignette title-page in fourth state without imprint (Todd's E1) [1846]; first edition of The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain [Bradbury & Evans, 1848]. All but A Christmas Carol with additional vignette titles. In very good condition. A Christmas Carol "may readily be called the Bible of Christmas. It was issued about ten days before Christmas, 1843, and 6000 copies were sold on the first day"(Eckel, 110). "It was a work written at the height of Dickensâ great powers, which would add to his considerable fame, bring a new work to the English language, increase the festivities at Christmastime, and contain his most eloquent protest at the condition of the poor" (John Mortimer). "Suddenly conceived and written within a few weeks, [A Christmas Carol] was the first of Dickensâ Christmas books (a new literary genre thus created incidentally) it was an extraordinary achievementâ"the one great Christmas myth of modern literature."
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.
Price: US$7500.00 + shipping
Description: First edition, early printings of all five of Charles Dickens' Christmas Books, finely bound. Octavo, 5 volumes, bound in full calf with elaborate gilt tooling to the spine in six compartments within raised gilt bands, black and green morocco spine labels lettered in gilt, double gilt ruled panels, gilt turn-ins and inner dentelles, all edges gilt, marbled endpapers. Illustrated with sixty-three engravings altogether, four in color, by Leech, Maclise, Stanfield, Doyle and Landseer. In fine condition. An exceptional set. A Christmas Carol "may readily be called the Bible of Christmas It was issued about ten days before Christmas, 1843, and 6000 copies were sold on the first day the number of reprintings have been so many that all attempts at the figures have been futile. Altogether 24 editions were issued in the original format" (Eckel, 110). "It was a work written at the height of Dickensâ great powers, which would add to his considerable fame, bring a new work to the English language, increase the festivities at Christmastime, and contain his most eloquent protest at the condition of the poor" (John Mortimer). "Suddenly conceived and written within a few weeks, [A Christmas Carol] was the first of Dickensâ Christmas books (a new literary genre thus created incidentally) it was an extraordinary achievementâ"the one great Christmas myth of modern literature."
Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.