[Charles Dickens]. The Life and Adventures of Nicholas Nickleby.
 
Edited by “Boz.” Illustrations by Hablot K. Browne (“Phiz”). London: Chapman and Hall, April 1838–October 1839.
 
First Edition in the Original Monthly Parts.
20 parts in 19, 8vo. Half-title. Frontispiece portrait of Dickens by Daniel Maclise, engraved by Finden, together with 39 engraved plates by Phiz. Original blue-green pictorial wrappers, uncut; housed in a custom quarter Morocco slipcase.
 
📖 Bibliographic Significance
 
• Dickens’s first original parts issue following the phenomenon of Pickwick, cementing his reputation as the literary voice of Victorian England.
• Contains the first issue text points: “visiter” for “sister” (p. 123, Part 4) and “latter” for “letter” (p. 160, Part 5).
• All plates in Parts 1–2 and the portrait in Part 19/20 are first state, with publisher’s imprint at bottom. Plate 29 is in the first of four impressions.
• Collates near complete, with The Nickleby Advertiser in each part and most of the inserted advertisements and announcement slips noted in Hatton & Cleaver.
• Notable inclusions: the rare “optional” yellow slip in Part 11 (Charles Tilt) and the fragile “Hill’s Wafer’s” ad in Part 19/20, both seldom encountered.
• Lacking only two ads: Part 8 (“This Day is Published…”) and Part 16 (“The Medical Casket”).
 
📚 Condition
• Wrappers: Some spines (approx. seven) repaired or rebacked; minor chips and wear to spine ends and edges; scattered soiling.
• Provenance marks: A few parts with old ink numerals on spines; one with early owner’s inscription on front wrapper.
• Plates: Generally, very good, with slight marginal browning and foxing; plate 39 heavily browned.
• Overall: An excellent, near complete set that collates well and presents attractively, housed in a protective slipcase.
 
🔎 References
• Eckel, Bibliography of Dickens, pp. 64–66.
• Hatton & Cleaver, Bibliography of the Periodical Works of Charles Dickens, pp. 131–160.
 
🏛 Provenance
From the Library of a Minnesota Collector.
 
✨ Collector’s Note
Sets of Nicholas Nickleby in the original monthly parts are increasingly scarce, especially with the fragile ephemeral advertisements intact. The presence of the rare Tilt slip and Hill’s Wafer’s ad elevates this example, making it a desirable cornerstone for any Dickens collection.