# Is "The Old Curiosity Shop / Dickens in parts" by Charles Dickens a First Edition?

> **Quick answer.** A first edition of The Old Curiosity Shop / Dickens in parts by Charles Dickens (Chapman and Hall, 1840-1841) is identified by: 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. 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.

**Checklist — a true first has these:**
- 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
- Publisher imprint reads Chapman and Hall
- Not a book-club edition (see below)

| | |
|---|---|
| Author | Charles Dickens |
| Publisher | Chapman and Hall |
| Year | 1840-1841 |
| True first | — |
| Format | Hardcover (trade) |
| Key point | For Dickens issued in monthly parts (e.g., this and 'David Copperfield', 'Bleak House'): true first is the original monthly parts in… |
| Book-club edition exists? | — |

## 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.

## 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.

## Source
New Mexico Literacy Project — Is *The Old Curiosity Shop / Dickens in parts* by Charles Dickens a first edition? https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/first-edition/the-old-curiosity-shop-dickens-in-parts
CC BY 4.0. Part of the Canonical First-Edition Points of Issue dataset (https://newmexicoliteracyproject.org/api/first-edition-titles.json). Last reviewed 2026-07-04.