Charles Dickens:

 

Our Mutual Friend

 

2 Volume First Edition in Book Form

 

1865

 

 

 

 

Synopsis of Our Mutual Friend

Our Mutual Friend (written in the years 1864–65) is the last novel completed by Charles Dickens. It centres on, in the words of critic J. Hillis Miller, "money, money, money, and what money can make of life" (which is, incidentally, a quote from Our Mutual Friend, spoken by Bella. In the opening chapter, a young man is on his way to receive his inheritance, which, according to his father's will, he can claim only if he marries Bella Wilfer, a beautiful, mercenary girl whom he has never met. However, before he can arrive, a body is found in the Thames and identified as him. The money passes on, instead, to the working-class Boffins, and the effects spread throughout various corners of London society.

 

 

 

Please Note:

We have compared this book against the criteria set out by John C. Eckel in his book ‘The First Editions of Charles Dickens’ (1913) an confirm this 2 Volume set to be the First Edition, First Issue.  The issue points noted by Eckel will be stated and confirmed against these Volumes

 

 

 

Both volumes are uniformly bound in green cloth over board with leather spine and corners

 

Volume 1 has the Half Title with no writing to the reverse; the Frontispiece entitled ‘The Bird of Prey’; the Title Page dated 1865 the reverse to this page at the bottom is printed:

 

“LONDON: Printed by William Clowes and Sons, Stamford Street and Charing Cross”

 

as required

 

The Title Page is followed by a one-page Dedication Page to Sir James Emerson Tennent, with the reverse to this page being blank (as required).  This Dedication Page is followed by the Contents Pages of which there are 3, the first being unnumbered and the other two numbered xiii and ix with the reverse to ix being blank (as required).  Lacks the List of Illustrations and slip

 

There are 19 of 20 illustrations in Volume 1 by Marcus Stone that include the following:

 

1.  The Bird of Prey (Frontispiece)

2.  Witnessing the Agreement (Opp. Page 30)

3.  At the Bar (Opp. Page 48)

4.  Mr Venus Surrounded by the Trophies of His Art (Opp. Page 61)

5.  The Boffin Progress (Opp. Page 78)

6.  The Happy Pair (Opp. Page 93)

7.  Podsnappery (Opp. Page 97)

8.  Waiting for Father (Opp. Page 124)

9.  The Bird of Prey Brought Down (Opp. Page 132)

10.                  Mrs. Boffin Discovers an Orphan (Opp. Page 148)

11.                  The Person of the House and the Bad Child (Opp. Page 182)

12.                  Our Journey (Opp. Page 208)

13.                  Bringing Him In (Opp. Page 212)

14.                  The Garden on the Roof (Opp. Page 235)

15.                  Forming the Domestic Virtues (Opp. Page 248)

16.                  Miss Riderhood at Home (Opp. Page 268)

17.                  More Dead Than Alive (Opp. Page 280)

18.                  The Boofer Lady (Opp. Page 298)

19.                  A Friend in Need (Opp. Page 308)

 

 

Volume 2 has the half Title Page being blank to the reverse; the Frontispiece (The Dutch Bottle); followed by the Title Page dated 1865; the reverse to the Title Page is imprinted the same as Volume 1 (as required); 2 (of 3) Contents Pages present; lacks the list of illustrations; and has the 3 pages of Postscript to the end the first page being unnumbered and the other pages being numbered 308 and 309 and is dated September 2^nd 1865; and the imprint of William Clowes and Sons to the back of the last Postscript Page (as required)

 

Volume 2 has all 20 illustrations as called for as follows:

 

1.  The Dutch Bottle

2.  Trying on For the Dolls’ Dressmaker (Opp. Page 12)

3.  Rogue Riderhood’s Recovery (Opp. Page 22)

4.  Bibliomania of the Golden Dustman (Opp. Page 36)

5.  The Evil Genius of the House of Boffin (Opp. Page 64)

6.  The Flight (Opp. Page 70)

7.  “Threepenn’orth Rum” (Opp. Page 90)

8.  Mr. Fledgeby Departs on His Errand of Mercy (Opp. Page 110)

9.  Mr. Wegg Prepares a Grindstone for Mr. Boffin’s Nose (Opp. Page 124)

10.                  Bella “Righted” by the Golden Dustman (Opp. Page 130)

11.                  The Lovely Woman Has Her Fortune Told (Opp. Page 151)

12.                  In the Lock-Keeper’s House (Opp. Page 168)

13.                  The Wedding Dinner at Greenwich (Opp. Page 188)

14.                  The Parting by the River (Opp. Page 210)

15.                  Better to be Abel Than Cain (Opp. Page 224)

16.                  Miss. Wren Fixes Her Idea (Opp. Page 226)

17.                  Eugene’s Bedside (Opp. Page 255)

18.                  Lightwood At Last (Opp. Page 258)

19.                  Mr. Boffin Does the Honours of the Nursery Door (Opp. Page 274)

20.                  Not to be Shaken Off (Opp. Page 292)

 

 

All pages are in Very Good (or better) condition being extremely clean and fresh in appearance with only very minor spotting

 

 

A lovely example of this Dickens classic

 

 

 

 

 

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