1848 Dombey and Son

Description

First Edition, Illustrated, Leather Binding

The first edition, first issue, bound from the parts with stab holes to the gutter. Issue points present: 'Bradbury & Evans' to the title page; the vignette title shows the hook on Captain Cuttle's left arm rather than his right; no quotation marks around the word 'party' to page XV line 2; 'delight' rather than 'joy' to page 284 5 lines up from the bottom; no apostrophe in 'aint' on page 14 10 lines up from the bottom; 'shewed' and 'shew' to for 'showed' and 'show' to page 40 lines 16 and 17; 'fidgetty' for 'fidgety' on page 26 on line 11; no full stop to the final line to page 582; entry for the frontispiece and vignette to the list of plates; 'Capatin' for 'Captain' as the final word on page 324.

Illustrated with a frontispiece, engraved title, and thirty-seven plates. Plate 35, 'On the Dark Road' facing page 547, is the first published example of a 'dark plate'.

Bound without plate to face page 10, the half-title, and the front endpaper.

Errata is present.

‘Dombey and Son’ is about Paul Dombey, the owner of a shipping company, who intends to pass down ownership of his company to his son, ignoring his daughter, Florence. The novel tells the story of their family, and their hopes and fears

Dickens is one of the most popular authors of the Victorian age. His novels show the grimy side of poverty and prosperity in Victorian England, showing poor social conditions alongside repulsive characters.

Illustrated by Hablot Knight Browne, most often known by his pen-name 'Phiz'. As Phiz, he illustrated many of Dickens' novels, including 'David Copperfield', 'Dombey and Son', and 'Bleak House', as well as illustrating for 'Punch' throughout his life.