Artunderwraps

First Edition Prices, Values and Auction Results

Although not one of his better known titles, Bleak House by Charles Dickens still maintains a healthy pulse in the assemblage of this prolific author's body of work. It outlines the turmoil among the potential beneficiaries of conflicting wills. Earliest publications maintain the integrity of its serialized presentation in 19 blue-green monthly installments from March 1862-September 1853.  Publisher Bradbury and Evans (London) offered both the collected individual installment version as well as a bound 2-volume first edition version in 1853. The former group sells for about $500-$5000 and chiefly depends on condition and inclusion of the parts. Many groups are missing some advertisements. Harper (New York) publishers also put out an 1853 set of installments which commands as much as $3000 intact and in fine condition. The 2-volume set is presented including 40 engraved plates by H.H. Browne with a modern green calf spine and corners and a marbled cover in the $100-$500 range.

We collected a sample of 57 auction results of Dickens, Charles's Bleak House from 3 different auction houses. The lowest overall price realized in our sample was $60 and the highest overall price realized was $5000. The overall average price was $823 and the median price realized for the book was $420. There were 23 auctions (59%) with a price realized below the low estimate, 9 auctions (23%) exceeding the high estimates, and 7 auctions (18%) within the range of the low and high estimates.