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    By Charles Dickens
    London   Bradbury & Evans
    6.5" by 4.5" [2], 175; 3]pp.
    A first edition, fourth issue of Charles Dickens's lesser known Christmas book, complete with thirteen plates of illustrations.
    By Charles Dickens

    1846 The Battle of Life: A Love Story

    London   Bradbury & Evans
    6.5" by 4.5" [2], 175; 3]pp.
    A first edition, fourth issue of Charles Dickens's lesser known Christmas book, complete with thirteen plates of illustrations.
    £250.00
    : 0.5kgs / : 823A27
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    Description

    First Edition, Illustrated, Publishers' Original Binding

    The fourth of Dickens's Christmas Books, narrating of a charming love story set in an English village that stands on a site of a historic battle. It was first published on December 19, 1846, selling twenty-three thousand copies within the first twenty-four hours, despite being known as one of the lesser known of his 'Christmas Books.' 

    An interesting book due to the unusual number of different issues within the first and only edition.

    The present is a fourth state, featuring 'A Love Story' on a banner carried by a naked cherub to additional vignette title page without publisher's information (John G. Eckel, A Bibliography). 

    Featuring thirteen vignette illustrations, as well as a frontispiece and additional title page. 

    From the library of Richard Wood, with his bookplate to front pastedown.

    Condition

    In the original publisher's full crimson cloth binding with gilt to spine and front board, gilt to edges. Externally sound with shelf wear, bumped and chipped to extremities of spine and boards, back-strip now laid down. Richard Wood's bookplate to front pastedown. Front hinge slightly strained, holding firm. Internally, firmly bound. Odd light spotting to odd leaf, otherwise pages generally bright and clean.

    Good

    Delivery & payment

    We send all of our books via courier which is a fully tracked and insured service. In our experience we find this to be the most reliable and quickest form of delivery. Our primary courier is DHL, but we are able to accommodate special requests if required, including postal delivery for items under 2kg. See More Details