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Dickens, Charles. A CURIOUS DANCE ROUND A CURIOUS TREE. , 1860.

Price: US$675.00 + shipping

Description: [London: St. Luke's Hospital, 1860.] Original pale pink wrappers. First Edition, second and usual issue -- with the final paragraph in bold (not like the rest of the text), with the wrapper pink (not mauve -- though all are today faded), with the front cover title followed by a comma (not by a period), and with the front cover border decorative only at the corners (not all 'round). Dickens describes the wretched conditions inside St. Luke's Hospital ("established in 1751, for the treatment and care of lunatics"), and in particular the "very sad and touching spectacle" of the annual Christmas Ball there (dancing around the Christmas tree). He actually wrote the original piece in 1852, at which time it appeared in his Household Words (Dickens's authorship was questioned until 1913, when the original manuscript -- in his hand -- turned up). It is here published in book form for the first time, eight years later, when Dickens gave permission for the hospital to use it as a fundraising appeal. The hospital added two items to update the piece: an article about the 1860 Ball from the "Times," plus a brief article "Contrast between 1852 and 1860," in which the hospital asserts that many of the deficiencies cited by Dickens have since been addressed. (The results of the initial mailing were not good -- which is why for this second issue, the final paragraph, the actual appeal, was highlighted in bold.) This is a fine copy of this very fragile item, with scarcely any wear, soil, or foxing; as usual, the pink wrappers have faded. (Tipped to a corner of the inside front wrapper is an old but hyperbolic catalogue description.) As with almost all copies, there is a vertical crease, because the booklet was folded vertically when the fundraising appeal was mailed out in narrow envelopes. Uncommon in this condition. Podeschi (Yale) B216 (second copy); Carr (U of Texas) B465; Eckel pp 188-191. Housed in a cloth clamshell case lined with felt.

Seller: Sumner & Stillman [ABAA], Yarmouth, ME, U.S.A.

DICKENS, Charles.. A Curious Dance Round a Curious Tree.. [London:] St Luke's Hospital, 1860, 1860.

Price: US$844.70 + shipping

Description: First edition, first issue, distinguished by a period after "tree" on the front wrapper and the final text paragraph being in regular type; for the second issue, the period was replaced by a comma and the final paragraph was printed in bold. The sketch was first published in Household Words, 17 January 1852, and here published as a pamphlet by the management of St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics, as a means of soliciting donations. Eckel p. 188; Gimbel B216. Octavo, 20 pp. Original pale purple wrappers printed in black. A little worn and soiled with central crease throughout, still a good copy of a fragile item.

Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom

DICKENS, Charles.. A Curious Dance Round a Curious Tree.. St. Luke's Hospital. [1860], 1860.

Price: US$929.18 + shipping

Description: FIRST EDITION, 2nd issue. Single vertical fold. Orig. pale pink wrappers. v.g. With the last paragraph of text in bold type, & sl. less elaborate front cover border. Issued in support of the benevolence fund for St. Luke's Hospital for the Treatment and Cure of Lunatics. 'A Curious Dance.', a sketch about St. Luke's, is reprinted from Household Words (1852) and is followed by an unsigned piece about the hospital, reprinted from the Times. With the original (unaddressed) envelope for conveying the pamphlet to prospective donors (18 x 6.5cm), and the smaller printed envelope for reply (10 x 6cm), addressed to 'Henry F. Shaw Lefevre Esq: Treasurer, St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics, Old Street, London E.C.' The back wrapper informs potential donors that a contribution of 30 guineas and upwards constitutes the qualification of a 'Governor of the Hospital' and that an annual subscription of three guineas buys 'the privilege of recommending patients for admission'.

Seller: Jarndyce, The 19th Century Booksellers, London, United Kingdom

Dickens, Charles. A CURIOUS DANCE ROUND A CURIOUS TREE [with envelope]. , 1860.

Price: US$1450.00 + shipping

Description: [London: St. Luke's Hospital, 1860.] Original pale pink wrappers, with original narrow "one penny" envelope. First Edition, second and usual issue. Dickens describes the wretched conditions inside St. Luke's Hospital ("established in 1751, for the treatment and care of lunatics"), and in particular the "very sad and touching spectacle" of the annual Christmas Ball there (dancing around the Christmas tree). He actually wrote the original piece in 1852, at which time it appeared in his Household Words (Dickens's authorship was questioned until 1913, when the original manuscript -- in his hand -- turned up). It is here published in book form for the first time, eight years later, when Dickens gave permission for the hospital to use it as a fundraising appeal. The hospital added two items to update the piece: an article about the 1860 Ball from the "Times," plus a brief article "Contrast between 1852 and 1860," in which the hospital asserts that many of the deficiencies cited by Dickens have since been addressed. (The results of the initial mailing were not good -- which is why for this second issue, the final paragraph, the actual appeal, was highlighted in bold.) This second issue not only has the final paragraph in bold, it also has a pink wrapper (not mauve -- though all are today faded), it has the front cover title followed by a comma (not by a period), and it has a front cover border decorative only at the corners (not all 'round). This is a fine copy of this very fragile item, with scarcely any wear, soil, or foxing; as usual, the pink wrappers have faded. As with almost all copies, there is a vertical crease, because the booklet was folded vertically when the fundraising appeal was mailed out in narrow envelopes. Included with this copy is the original (unaddressed) narrow envelope with "Postage One Penny" in the corner. Since it is exactly the size to fit within the folded booklet, and a little too small to fit around the folded booklet, it is our belief that this was the envelope for the hoped-for, postage-paid contribution. It is extremely uncommon. Podeschi (Yale) B216 (second copy); Carr (U of Texas) B465; Eckel pp 188-191. Housed in a morocco-backed clamshell case with inner chemise.

Seller: Sumner & Stillman [ABAA], Yarmouth, ME, U.S.A.

DICKENS, Charles.. A Curious Dance Round a Curious Tree.. [London: St Luke's Hospital, 1860, 1860.

Price: US$1624.43 + shipping

Description: First edition, second issue. Together with the original stamped and addressed envelope for the return of donations tipped-in at the end. In this second issue the appeal for funds was emphasized by placing the final paragraph in bold text and it included a stamped and addressed envelope for the return of donations. The sketch was first published in Household Words, 17 January 1852, and here published as a pamphlet by the management of St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics, as a means of soliciting donations. Eckel p. 188; Gimbel B216. Octavo, 20 pp. Original pink wrappers printed in black, expertly rebacked. Housed in a custom black solander cloth box, printed paper label to spine. Traces of vertical fold, otherwise a particularly fine copy.

Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom

Dickens, Charles [1812 - 1870]. A CURIOUS DANCE AROUND A CURIOUS TREE. [St. Luke's Hospital], [London], 1860.

Price: US$1650.00 + shipping

Description: 19, [1] pp. 7" x 4-3/4" This short piece by Dickens, on St. Luke's Hospital, originally published in the January 17 1852 issue of HOUSEHOLD WORDS. With Dickens' consent, it was reissued in this pamphlet form by the Hospital management as a fund-raising mechanism. The first issue had purple wrappers, in which the 'appeal' was not highlighted from the remainder of the text and, evidently, donations suffered accordingly. in this second issue, the wrappers are pink, the 'appeal' is boldly printed, and it was accompanied by an easy-to-use return envelope [much as we see today in the solicitations we receive. make it easy on the mark!]. A rather uncommon item of Dickensiana. Wrappers a bit faded, & show a mite of soiling. Paper repair to front wrapper top edge, as well as spine paper. Old vertical fold crease to center, as is usually found [from mailing?]. A VG copy. Original pale pink printed wrappers, sewn. Typographical border surrounding title lettering on front wrapper 1st separate edition, second issue (Eckel, pp. 188-191; Gimbel B-216; VanderPoel B-465).

Seller: Tavistock Books, ABAA, Reno, NV, U.S.A.

DICKENS, Charles.. A Curious Dance Round a Curious Tree.. [London:] St Luke's Hospital, 1860, 1860.

Price: US$1949.32 + shipping

Description: First edition, first issue, the superlative Suzannet copy, with his bookplate to chemise, and sold in his 1971 sale (lot 123). The Dickens collection of Comte Alain de Suzannet (1882-1950) ranks as one of, if not the, finest Dickens libraries ever assembled. His books are renowned for their quality and much sought after. The sketch was first published in Household Words, 17 January 1852, and is here published as a pamphlet by the management of St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics, as a means of soliciting donations. The first issue is distinguished by a period after "tree" on the front wrapper and the final text paragraph being in regular type; for the second issue, the period was replaced by a comma and the final paragraph was printed in bold. It has long been a desirable element of any comprehensive Dickens collection, though is very elusive in collectable condition, and few surviving copies can be as fine as this copy. Eckel p. 188; Gimbel B216. Octavo, 20 pp. Original pale purple wrappers printed in black. Housed in red cloth chemise within red half morocco box. Central crease, else a fine copy.

Seller: Peter Harrington. ABA/ ILAB., London, United Kingdom

Dickens, Charles. A Curious Dance Round a Curious Tree.. St. Lukes Hospital, London, 1860.

Price: US$2500.00 + shipping

Description: First edition, first issue of Charles Dickens' article on Saint Luke's Hospital "for the gratuitous treatment of the insane poor." Octavo, loosely bound in wrappers. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom full morocco and chemise pull-off box. Rare. Dickens' A Curious Dance Round a Curious Tree was published by St. Luke's Hospital in 1860 to raise funds for their Hospital for Lunatics. The volume contains a sketch about a visit to St. Luke's at Christmas by Dickens, along with another piece he wrote about the hospital from an unsigned article in the London Times.

Seller: Raptis Rare Books, Palm Beach, FL, U.S.A.