Christmas Stories...

Fore-edge painting. The first and more important volume has a stunning fore-edge painting depicting a scene from A Christmas Carol, ironically contains the Christmas Stories and not the Christmas Books, which includes A Christmas Carol, therefore we have added a near-contemporary associated edition of the Christmas Books, so one can at least read the relevant store to the fore-edge painting.

This particular fore-edge painting is exceptionally fine and relates to a specific scene from one of the most famous stories in the English language. So often, fore-edge paintings are uninspiring, amateur and unrelated to the content, thus making this example all the more desirable.

2 vols; 8vo (220 x 165 mm & 225 x 150 mm); first vol. with fore-edge painting depicting Scrooge being visited by the ghost of Marley and Christmas Present with a portrait of Dickens in the centre, 24 engraved illustrations by various artists, 14 Christmas stories including The Holly Tree; The Haunted House and Master Humphrey's Clock; early 20th century half, dark green morocco over matching cloth gilt, cockerel endpapers, all edges gilt with fore-edge painting, mild rubbing, otherwise near-fine; the second associated volume contains all five of the Christmas books with illustrations by various artists including Leech's original illustrations for A Christmas Carol; contemporary half-green morocco over marbled paper, maroon lettering pieces to spine gilt, marbled endpapers, top edge gilt, rubbed at extremities but sound and internally fine.