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First-Edition Identification · Charles Dickens

Is My The Old Curiosity Shop / Dickens in parts a First Edition?

Chapman and Hall, 1840-1841

The points of issue

For Dickens issued in monthly parts (e.g., this and 'David Copperfield', 'Bleak House'): true first is the original monthly parts in printed wrappers WITH the inserted advertisements ('Dickens advertiser') in the correct states, complete plates by the correct etcher state, and the part-wrappers intact.

Decode the printer’s key: paste the number line into the decoder.

Is this the true first?

The part-issue in original wrappers with all ads present precedes the bound first edition; complete sets of parts with correct ad states are the landmark and far scarcer than the bound book.

Telling it from reprints & book-club editions

The bound first edition lacks the part-wrappers and ads; reading copies and reprints lack the plate states. Missing or facsimile ads/wrappers are the tell.

Frequently asked questions

Is my copy of The Old Curiosity Shop / Dickens in parts a first edition?

Look for these first-edition points: For Dickens issued in monthly parts (e.g., this and 'David Copperfield', 'Bleak House'): true first is the original monthly parts in printed wrappers WITH the inserted advertisements ('Dickens advertiser') in the correct states, complete plates by the correct etcher state, and the part-wrappers intact.

How do I tell the first printing from a later one?

Check the copyright page for the publisher's first-printing convention and confirm the points above. The part-issue in original wrappers with all ads present precedes the bound first edition; complete sets of parts with correct ad states are the landmark and far scarcer than the bound book.

Is the book-club edition the same as the first?

The bound first edition lacks the part-wrappers and ads; reading copies and reprints lack the plate states. Missing or facsimile ads/wrappers are the tell.

I have a first edition of The Old Curiosity Shop / Dickens in parts — what should I do?

If you're clearing books, New Mexico Literacy Project offers free pickup in Albuquerque, any condition, and makes sure collectible copies aren't lost. To sell, see the author's collecting guide. Either way, nothing valuable ends up in a landfill.

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