'When Bentley decided to publish Oliver in book form before its completion in his periodical, Cruikshank had to complete the last few plates in haste. Dickens did not review them until the eve of publication and objected to the "Fireside" plate ("Rose Maylie and Oliver")... Dickens had Cruikshank design a new plate which retained the same title [The "Church" plate]... This Church plate was not completed in time for incorporation into the early copies of the book but it replaced the Fireside plate in later copies'.

'A New Edition, Revised and Corrected'; 8vo (230 x 160 mm); a reissue of the 1846 first single volume edition published by Bradbury and Evans, engraved frontispieces and a further 24 illustrations by George Cruikshank, very mild, random spotting to preliminary leaves, top outer corner of p.45 missing (probably during printing and cutting). some gatherings slightly loose but holding, marginal stain to fore-edge of p.242, not affecting text, short closed tear to top edge p.162; publisher's green cloth, bumped and worn at extremities, ablation (?plate removal) to upper endpapers, with a chip to bottom edge of flyleaf, two marks to rear pastedown but in all a very good, early copy.