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LITTLE DORRIT.
(Philadelphia: T. B. Peterson, [1857]). 235 x 150 mm. (9 1/4 x 5 3/4"). 1 p.l., 1-8, ix-x, 9-317 [1] pp., [1] leaf (ads). First American Edition in Book Form.
Publisher's blind-stamped brown buckram, smooth spine with gilt text and illustration of Dorrit. Frontispiece portrait of Dickens, engraved title, and 39 plates. Edgar & Vail, p. 27. Corners bumped and exposed, small loss at top of spine, boards slightly soiled and chafed, but the unrestored original binding entirely solid; just perceptible dampstain along the lower edge, extending approximately 10 lines into the text, plates a little toned, otherwise clean and bright internally.
The first American edition of "Little Dorrit" is offered here in its original publisher's cloth. The story is the saga of Little Dorrit, a saintly young seamstress who, with the help of the eccentric Pancks, secures the release of her father from debtors' prison and sees him at last prosperous, only to find her beloved Arthur bankrupt and in need of a Pancks rescue himself. The second Dickens novel to deal with the injustice of debtors' prison, this novel also created some trouble in Dickens' life, both personally and professionally. The "Dorrit" character of Flora Finching was based on Dickens' early love, Maria Beadnell, and this connection led to a public awareness of problems in the author's marriage. Dickens asked his publisher, Bradbury, to issue a notice regarding those problems, and when his request was refused, he went over to Chapman and Hall. Edgar & Vail says this is "probably the first American edition" (i.e., first edition in book form). It was published as volume six of "Peterson's Uniform Edition of Dickens' Works" from the text that was serialized in the United States in "Harper's" magazine from 1855-57. (ST16660bB)
Price: $75.00