The Posthumous Papers of The Pickwick Club.: With forty-three illustrations, by R. Seymour and Phiz.

London: Chapman and Hall,, 1837. In a particularly attractive binding First edition, bound from the parts, in a particularly attractive contemporary binding, extra-illustrated with four of Onwhyn's plates, a choice example of a contemporary reader investing in the finest dress for their copy of Dickens's extraordinarily successful debut novel. Pickwick Papers transformed Dickens from an obscure journalist into England's most famous writer in a matter of months. To capitalize on the novel's success, Thomas Onwhyn published a suite of plates in the same year, allowing enthusiasts to extra-illustrate their copies, as here. The plates are signed under the pseudonym "Sam Weller", after the popular Pickwickian. Octavo (207 x 128 mm). Contemporary purple pebble-grain morocco, skilfully rebacked with original spine laid down, spine lettered in gilt within ornamental floral cartouche, covers with elaborate gilt centrepieces, within triple blind rules, blind serrated cover edges, yellow endpapers, gilt edges. Bound without half-title. Etched vignette title page ("Veller", no priority), frontispiece, and 41 plates by Robert Seymour (early Seymour plates re-engraved by the artist after his original designs, as often), Buss (his plates here present, later replaced by new Phiz designs), and H. K. Browne (Phiz); extra-illustrated with 4 plates by Onwhyn. All plates are in their earlier states, prior to their re-engraving by Phiz with added captions. Inscription to front free endpaper "Francis Smith a present from his affte father July 1st 1857", above inscription "Alfred Smith January 13th 1877" (who repeated "W. A. Smith 15/1/77" on vignette title), and "Cha. Alexander Smith Oct 1895", the latter's stamp on front pastedown and rear free endpaper, and signature on following binder's blank; front free endpaper also with mounted Dickens' centennial commemoratory stamp. Morocco a little darkened, tips worn, endpapers soiled, plates and contents generally browned, chip and tear at foot of pp 67/8 slightly affecting text. A good, attractively bound copy. Kremers pp. 54-69; Smith, I.3.