Master Humphrey's Clock.

London: Chapman and Hall,, 1840-41. Fine and fresh First edition, a complete run of the 88 original weekly parts issued from 4 April 1840 to 4 December 1841, here in exceptional condition. Master Humphrey's Clock - "the pinnacle of Dickensian Gothic" (Ray, p. 60) - united two novels together, The Old Curiosity Shop and Barnaby Rudge, an experiment unique in the Dickens oeuvre. The publication was issued in three formats: these weekly parts, in monthly parts, and on completion in book form in three cloth volumes. Of these three issues, the weekly parts are the least commonly encountered in fine or near-fine condition, as here. 88 weekly parts, octavo. Original white wrappers printed in black. Housed in two mid-20th-century red calf solander boxes by Bayntun (Riviere). With 3 engraved frontispieces (found in parts 26, 52, and 88) and wood engraved illustrations in text. Inside cover of box with mid-20th-century bookplate of Ethel & George Booth, and recent bookplate of Peter Russell. Slight soiling to front wrapper of 17, 50, and 87, part 88 with a couple of corner tears to rear covers. In all other respects a fine, fresh, clean set. Eckel p. 67ff; Gimbel A49; Hatton & Cleaver p. 163ff. Gordon Ray, The Illustrator and the Book in England from 1790 to 1914, 1976.