[Christmas Books].

A most attractive first edition set of the Christmas Books in very good condition throughout.

After the success attained with A Christmas Carol, Dickens continued the series throughout the 1840s, maintaining what he called 'the Carol philosophy' to strike a 'sledgehammer blow' for the poor, uneducated, and repressed. In typical Dickens fashion, he drove his message home with a mixture of humour and good cheer. Margaret Lane points out in her introduction to the Christmas Stories 'when he had a pill to offer he confected it expertly with spice and sugar' (Christmas Stories, p. vi-vii).

The subsequent Christmas books sold well at the time of their release and The Chimes, the Cricket, and the Carol, were the centrepiece of Dickens' public reading tours in the 1850s and 60s.

First editions, first issues; 8vo (165 x 110 mm); general age toning to text leaves, commensurate with age; A Christmas Carol, first issue with red and blue title-page and 'Stave I to page 1 header, half-title printed in blue, title in red and gold, two pages of advertisements at end, hand-coloured etched frontispiece and three plates by John Leech, four in-text wood-engravings by W.J. Linton after Leech, a few random spots, else very good; The Chimes, first issue, half-title, etched frontispiece and additional vignette title by F.P Becker after Daniel Maclise, numerous in-text woodcut illustrations by Groves, W.J. Linton, C. Gray, and Dalziel Brothers after Richard Doyle, John Leech and Clarkson Stanfield, the odd, minor spot, otherwise near-fine; The Cricket on the Hearth, first issue with the advertisement leaf at rear in the second state, Smith says; 'I have found the second state of the advertisement in all but a few copies of the first edition' and concludes that there is 'no consistent pattern to indicate priority of state' anyway, half-title, etched frontispiece and additional vignette title by Thompson and G. Dalziel respectively after Daniel Maclise, numerous woodcut illustrations by G. and E. Dalziel, Thomas Williams, John Thompson, J. Swain and Groves after Richard Doyle, Clarkson Stanfield, John Leech, and Edwin Landseer, occasional, minor smudge or spot, otherwise very good; The Battle of Life, first issue, title-page vignette in the fourth state of the four variations that Smith identifies as 'being the commonest ', again no priority, etched frontispiece and vignette title by John Thompson after Daniel Maclise, numerous wood-cut illustrations by G. & E. Dalziel, Thomas Williams and W.T. Green after Richard Doyle, Clarkson Stanfield, John Leech and Daniel Maclise, a few minor spots, mostly to preliminary leaves, else near-fine; The Haunted Man, first issue, half-title, etched frontispiece and additional vignette title on toned grounds by Martin & Corbould after John Tenniel, numerous woodcut illustrations by various artists, more pronounced toning and light spotting to preliminary leaves and the odd minor, random spot thereon, else very good plus; modern crimson full calf, spines gilt lettered direct to two panels and dated at the feet, all edges gilt, contained in a matching cloth slip-case with pull-out ribbon, in all, a very handsome set and internally very good indeed.

Bibliography: Eckel, p. 110; Smith II:4; Eckel pp.116-118; Smith II:5; Eckel pp.119-120; Smith II:6; Eckel pp.121-123; Smith II:8; Eckel pp.124-125; Smith II:9. Letters, 1974, v. 4, p. 328; Ackroyd, 1990, p. 408;