Master Humphrey's Clock
London: Chapman and Hall, 1840, 1841, 1841. First edition. Hardcover. 3 vol. Large 8vo. [5], iv, [1], 2-306; [3], vi, [1], 2-306, [2]; [3], vi, [1], 2-426 pp. Half-bound in contemporary brown calf over marbled boards, each spine has four raised bands and two black morocco labels with lettering in gilt. Bound from the weekly parts. With illustrations by George Cattermole and Hablot Browne. Illustrations are wood cuts (excepting the frontispieces), a departure from the usual steel-etching. Hatton & Cleaver 163; Eckel 67; Smith I 6. Dickens intended the story to center around a large group of characters, with new characters being introduced and old characters rotated in and out of the stories. This project was scrapped due to lack of readership and Dickens began a serial titled "The Old Curiosity Shop". These volumes contain "The Old Curiosity Shop" and "Barnaby Rudge", and are bound without wrappers and the advertisements, thus the gatherings collate in sixes. Very Good. Item #00007326
A Very Good set with light wear and rubbing to the boards and scattered foxing throughout, two leaves have a small tear (not affecting the text).
Price: $750.00