Charles Dickens's Christmas Books, all in original cloth (with one being in custom slip-case.) Includes: ** A CHRISTMAS CAROL. London: Chapman and Hall, 1843. [6], 166, [2 ads] pp. + 4 color plates. Lacks half-title. In publisher's original brown cloth, possibly recased (?) but gutters intact. FIRST EDITION and FIRST ISSUE (being Smith's second state of the first issue, with green endpapers.) Smith, II, p.25; Eckel 110. ** Together with 1st editions of THE BATTLE OF LIFE (London, 1846), THE HAUNTED MAN AND THE GHOST'S BARGAIN (London, 1848), THE CRICKET ON THE HEARTH (London, 1846), THE CHIMES, A GOBLIN STORY (London, 1845.) *************** The importance of Dickens's Christmas books, particularly "A Christmas Carol," cannot be overstated. With the stroke of his pen, Dickens defined much of Christmas tradition as we know it today. The first issue of the "Carol" was printed in a relatively small quantity, but its popularity propelled it into numerous subsequent printings. Copies of the first issue are scarce, and copies of the first issue bound in original cloth are scarcer still. Owing to the popularity of the "Carol," Dickens would subsequently publish four other Christmas books, all present in this lot alongside their progenitor.

Christmas Carol: Light wear and fading to cloth, title and plates with some mild toning/foxing, a few corners lightly creased, Very Good. ** The Cricket on the Hearth: Cloth with light wear, contents clean, Very Good. ** The Chimes: frontis and engraved title detached, else cloth and contents excellent, slipcase also excellent, Very Good. ** The Haunted Man: cloth toned and soiled, cloth with some tearing and fraying, contents Very Good, binding Good-. ** The Battle of Life: Rebacked with original spine panel laid on, cloth with some staining/toning, contents with occasional mild toning or foxing, overall Good+.