William Makepeace Thackeray. Vanity Fair: A Novel Without a Hero. Bradbury and Evans, London, 1848.

Price: US$2500.00 + shipping

Condition: Near Fine

Description: Rebound: spine elaborately gilt in compartments, brown morocco labels, woven pattern blocked in blind to boards, marbled endpapers, double-line rules to boards, floral turn-ins, and top edge gilt, others untrimmed. Frontispiece and illustrated title page, 38 plates, illustrations throughout. This copy has all the first issue points traditionally associated with the first edition: the drop-head title in rustic lettering to p.1; the "Marquis of Steyne" woodcut on p. 336 (later suppressed) and "Mr Pitt" for "Sir Pitt" on p. 453. An excellent copy. Bound in dark green leather with single gilt fillet (23 1/2k gold leaf) border on covers. Raised spine bands. Gilt ornaments, fillets and title on spine. Gilt decorative roll on turn-in. All edges gilt. Signed binding. Tooled in gilt: Bayntun. Binder. Bath. Eng.

Seller: Sam Barcelo, Cambridge, MA, U.S.A.

Thackeray, William Makepeace. Vanity Fair. A Novel Without a Hero. Bradbury and Evans, London, 1848.

Price: US$3500.00 + shipping

Description: First edition, mixed issue: with the title on p. 1 in rustic type, "Mr. Mott" for "Sir Pitt" on p. 453, but lacking the suppressed woodcut on p. 336. With engraved frontispiece, engraved title-page, 38 engraved plates, and numerous engravings on steel and textual wood illustrations by the author. xvi, 624, [1] pp. 8vo. Finely Bound, with an Autograph Letter, Signed. The letter, on a folded 8vo sheet, is undated, and likely written to Percival Leigh, the humorist who wrote for Punch, and who was an intimate of Thackeray. The full text reads: Clarendon, Sunday Dear Mr. Leigh I hope the clerk at the bar told you that I was prevented from coming home by illness last night. Will you call here the first morning you are free? About 9 will to the best time & I'll see you well or ill. Fathfully yours WM Thackeray. Van Duzer 230; Grolier English 87 Full red crushed red levant with gilt borders, spine and turn-ins gilt, marbled endpapers, a.e.g., by Bayntun Riviere. Autograph Letter, signed, inserted at front. Fine With engraved frontispiece, engraved title-page, 38 engraved plates, and numerous engravings on steel and textual wood illustrations by the author. xvi, 624, [1] pp. 8vo First edition, mixed issue: with the title on p. 1 in rustic type, "Mr. Mott" for "Sir Pitt" on p. 453, but lacking the suppressed woodcut on p. 336.

Seller: James Cummins Bookseller, ABAA, New York, NY, U.S.A.