This is the ultimate bibliophile's set of Dickens' five Christmas books: first editions in especially fine condition, in authentic Cosway bindings by the creators of that style, and with an autograph letter, signed by Dickens or one of the artists who illustrated these works, bound into each volume. â Spines slightly faded to a uniform medium brown (and front cover of 'Haunted Man' just subtly sunned to olive brown), 'Chimes' with faint foxing to engraved title opening, 'Haunted Man' with light offsetting to printed title (as usual), other trivial imperfections, but A SPLENDID SET-clean and fresh internally ('Carol' being virtually pristine), and THE REMARKABLY CHARMING BINDINGS WITH NO SIGNS OF USE. Carol with bound-in ALS FROM DICKENS dated 3 August 1842, and with two original green endpapers, one inscribed with a passage from Foster's 'Life of Dickens,' bound in at rear 'Chimes' with ALS from artist Richard Doyle dated 21 September bound in at front 'Cricket' with ALS from artist John Leech dated 17 July 1846 'Battle' with undated ALS from artist Daniel Maclise bound in 'Haunted Man' with ALS from artist John Tenniel to Dickens collector and bibliographer F. An aggregate total of 53 woodcut illustrations in the texts, four engraved vignette title pages (the one in 'Haunted' tinted), and eight engraved plates (the four in 'Carol' nicely hand-colored), the illustrations by John Tenniel, John Leech, Daniel Maclise, Richard Doyle, and others. Original cloth covers bound in at rear of each volume. CURRIE (signed in gilt on rear turn-ins), the five showing Dickens at different ages, painted on ivory under glass and surrounded by a gilt wreath of holly and mistletoe raised bands, spines gilt in compartments with holly sprig, gilt lettering, gilt-ruled turn-ins with mistletoe sprig at corners, moss green watered silk endleaves, all edges gilt. STONEHOUSE (stamp-signed on front turn-ins), upper covers all with two inlaid red morocco banners, that at head with title in gilt, that at foot lettered 'Lord keep my Memory Green,' and each binding FEATURING AT CENTER AN OVAL MINIATURE PORTRAIT BY MISS C. SUPERB OLIVE GREEN CRUSHED MOROCCO COSWAY BINDINGS BY RIVIERE & SON FROM DESIGNS BY J. Five separately published works in five volumes.

A christmas carol 1843