DICKENS, Charles. A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. London: Chapman and Hall, 1843. 8° (164 x 100 mm). Half-title printed in blue, title printed in red and blue, verso in blue. Hand-coloured etched frontispiece and 3 hand-coloured etched plates by John Leech, 4 wood-engravings by W.J. Linton after Leech. 2-page publisher's advertisement at end. (Light offsetting from frontispiece onto title, light even browning throughout, some light spotting.) Original brown fine-ribbed cloth, gilt edges, green endpapers (lightly rubbed, a few light stains, lower corner of rear endpaper excised); cloth chemise.

DICKENS, Charles. A Christmas Carol. In Prose. Being a Ghost Story of Christmas. London: Chapman and Hall, 1843. 8° (164 x 100 mm). Half-title printed in blue, title printed in red and blue, verso in blue. Hand-coloured etched frontispiece and 3 hand-coloured etched plates by John Leech, 4 wood-engravings by W.J. Linton after Leech. 2-page publisher's advertisement at end. (Light offsetting from frontispiece onto title, light even browning throughout, some light spotting.) Original brown fine-ribbed cloth, gilt edges, green endpapers (lightly rubbed, a few light stains, lower corner of rear endpaper excised); cloth chemise.

FIRST EDITION OF PROBABLY THE MOST CELEBRATED SHORT STORY IN ENGLISH, its festive appeal heightened by Leech's hand-coloured plates. Smith’s second issue with title printed in red and blue and dated 1843 and with "Stave I" as the first chapter heading but with the green endpapers of the first state. Eckel, p. 110; Podeschi A79; Smith II: 4.