HARD TIMES: For These Times

[New York: Household Words, 1854]. First edition thus: first U.S. appearance serialized in the American version of Dickens' British weekly, "Household Words," May - September 1854." The American publisher of Household Words, T. L. McElwrath, placed HARD TIMES in his version of the magazine in such a way that the segments of the novel could be excised and bound up together--which is what his customers were urged to do. He provided a wrapper (which was also later used for his unissued sheets) in which to bind HARD TIMES, thus constituting the actual first American edition of the novel. This copy, which has been bound-up without the title page and wrapper, starts at page [1] with heading, "HARD TIMES. / By Charles Dickens, Esq. /Furnished in advance exclusively for this Journal." 108 double-column pages, bound in period three-quarter leather and marbled boards. Some darkening and foxing to text otherwise altogether very good. TOGETHER WITH the U.S. illustrated "Household Edition" issued from the sheets of the Chapman Hall London edition. Retains Chapman Hall title page. Covers of same design as Chapman Hall edition but with imprint of D. Appleton New York on front. Undated, circa 1880s. Illustrated with 20 engravings by H. French. Very good. TWO INTERESTING U.S. EDITIONS.