Master Humphrey's Clock [The Old Curiosity Shop; Barnaby Rudge]

London: Chapman and Hall, 1840-41. [English Literature] FIRST EDITION in book-form. 3 volumes, quartos (25 x 17 x 9cm), pp.[2] iv; 306, pp.vi; 306, pp.vi; 426 [4]. With illustrations by George Cattermole and Hablot Browne. Publisher's vertically-ribbed brown cloth, elaborately blocked in gilt and blind, with gilt-blocked clock design to upper cover (the clock hands indicating the volume numbers on each), white endpapers, volume three with edges marbled. A few minor marks with else contents clean, ink names to each volume (two of which are crossed through), cloth frayed to extremities, some bumping, gilt remains bright. Overall a very good set in the original cloth. First Edition in Book Form; originally a weekly periodical edited and written entirely by Charles Dickens from April 4, 1840 - December 4, 1841; Narrator Master Humphrey was a lonely man who lived in London. He keeps old manuscripts in an antique grandfather clock by the chimney-corner, and decides to start a little club, called Master Humphrey's Clock, where the members, including Mr. Pickwick himself, have a penchant for telling stories. In the book, several short tales are recounted, followed by the novels 'The Old Curiosity Shop', which follows the life of the beautiful and virtuous Little Nell and her Grandfather, and 'Barnaby Rudge', Dickens first effort at historical fiction, set during London's non-Popery 'Gordon' Riots (Protestant rallying against the Roman Catholic Relief Act, 1778). Podeschi; Gimbel Catalogue. Eckel [p67], Grolier Exhibition, Slater; Suzannet Catalogue. Collins; Dickens and Crime (1962).