A Tale of Two Cities -
Charles Dickens, Hablot Knight Browne “Phiz” (Illustrator)
1860 - Chapman and Hall, London - First Edition, Third Issue
The storming of the Bastille… the death carts with their doomed human cargo… the swift drop of the guillotine blade. The sinister Madame Defarge, knitting her patterns of death; the gentle Lucie Manette, unswerving in her devotion to her broken father; Charles Darnay, the lover with a secret past; and dissolute Sydney Carton, whose unlikely heroism gives his life meaning.
With sixteen engraved plates by "Phiz", including a frontispiece and vignette title page. Third issue - date 1860 to title page, Lacking the signature 'b' at the bottom edge of the list of plates (removed after the 1st issue), Page number is correct on page 213 (was ‘113’ in the 1st issue), other points noted - 'affectionately' is misspelled as ‘affetcionately’ on p.134 line 12 and the name of 'Stryver' misspelt 'Striver' on plate opposite page 94. First edition first issue was published in November of 1859.
‘A Tale of Two Cities marks the last time Hablot K. Browne aka “Phiz” was to illustrate a work by Dickens. After a twenty-three year association, the quality of his work had begun to deteriorate and their relationship was severed.’
References: Eckel, First Editions of the Writings of Charles Dickens, 86. Walter Smith, Charles Dickens in the Original Cloth, I 13. Shepherd 75. Gimbel A143. Christie’s, Kenyon Starling Library of Charles Dickens, Lot 149
Octavo (binding size 22.1x14.8cm), pp. [2] viii 254 [2]. In contemporary red half pebble grain morocco over matching pebbled cloth boards, spine with intricately gilt decorated panels and gilt lettering, marbled edges and endpapers. Condition: Very good, foxing to first and last few pages, some creasing to pages, chipping to edge of plate opposite page 50, not affecting the illustration, one or two pages over opened, in very good binding, with some darkening and rubbing of cloth and edges. Ref: 112381 Price: HK$ 9,000
With sixteen engraved plates by "Phiz", including a frontispiece and vignette title page. Third issue - date 1860 to title page, Lacking the signature 'b' at the bottom edge of the list of plates (removed after the 1st issue), Page number is correct on page 213 (was ‘113’ in the 1st issue), other points noted - 'affectionately' is misspelled as ‘affetcionately’ on p.134 line 12 and the name of 'Stryver' misspelt 'Striver' on plate opposite page 94. First edition first issue was published in November of 1859.
‘A Tale of Two Cities marks the last time Hablot K. Browne aka “Phiz” was to illustrate a work by Dickens. After a twenty-three year association, the quality of his work had begun to deteriorate and their relationship was severed.’
References: Eckel, First Editions of the Writings of Charles Dickens, 86. Walter Smith, Charles Dickens in the Original Cloth, I 13. Shepherd 75. Gimbel A143. Christie’s, Kenyon Starling Library of Charles Dickens, Lot 149
Octavo (binding size 22.1x14.8cm), pp. [2] viii 254 [2]. In contemporary red half pebble grain morocco over matching pebbled cloth boards, spine with intricately gilt decorated panels and gilt lettering, marbled edges and endpapers. Condition: Very good, foxing to first and last few pages, some creasing to pages, chipping to edge of plate opposite page 50, not affecting the illustration, one or two pages over opened, in very good binding, with some darkening and rubbing of cloth and edges. Ref: 112381 Price: HK$ 9,000