Search Results: a curious dance round a curious by dickens charles

1860. [London: St. Luke's Hospital, 1860.] Original pale pink wrappers. First Edition, second and usual issue -- with the final paragraph in bold (not like the rest of the text), with the wrapper pink (not mauve -- though all are today faded), with the front cover title followed by a comma (not by a period), and with the front cover border decorative only at the corners (not all 'round). Dickens describes the wretched conditions inside St. Luke's Hospital ("established in 1751, for the treatment and care of lunatics"), and in particular the "very sad and touching spectacle" of the annual Christmas Ball there (dancing around the Christmas tree). He actually wrote the original piece in 1852, at which time it appeared in his Household Words (Dickens's authorship was questioned until 1913, when the original manuscript -- in his hand -- turned up). It is here published in book form for the first time, eight years later, when Dickens gave permission for the hospital to use it as a fundraising appeal. The… Read More

[London:] St Luke's Hospital,, 1860. Dickens rarity in original wrappers First edition, first issue, distinguished by a period after "tree" on the front wrapper and the final text paragraph being in regular type; for the second issue, the period was replaced by a comma and the final paragraph was printed in bold. The sketch was first published in Household Words, 17 January 1852, and here published as a pamphlet by the management of St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics, as a means of soliciting donations. Octavo, 20 pp. Original pale purple wrappers printed in black. A little worn and soiled with central crease throughout, still a good copy of a fragile item. Eckel p. 188; Gimbel B216.

1860. [London: St. Luke's Hospital, 1860.] Original pale pink wrappers, with original narrow "one penny" envelope. First Edition, second and usual issue. Dickens describes the wretched conditions inside St. Luke's Hospital ("established in 1751, for the treatment and care of lunatics"), and in particular the "very sad and touching spectacle" of the annual Christmas Ball there (dancing around the Christmas tree). He actually wrote the original piece in 1852, at which time it appeared in his Household Words (Dickens's authorship was questioned until 1913, when the original manuscript -- in his hand -- turned up). It is here published in book form for the first time, eight years later, when Dickens gave permission for the hospital to use it as a fundraising appeal. The hospital added two items to update the piece: an article about the 1860 Ball from the "Times," plus a brief article "Contrast between 1852 and 1860," in which the hospital asserts that many of the deficiencies cited by Dickens have since… Read More

[London: St Luke's Hospital,, 1860. A rarity in original wrappers First edition, second issue. Together with the original stamped and addressed envelope for the return of donations tipped-in at the end. In this second issue the appeal for funds was emphasized by placing the final paragraph in bold text and it included a stamped and addressed envelope for the return of donations. The sketch was first published in Household Words, 17 January 1852, and here published as a pamphlet by the management of St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics, as a means of soliciting donations. Octavo, 20 pp. Original pink wrappers printed in black, expertly rebacked. Housed in a custom black solander cloth box, printed paper label to spine. Traces of vertical fold, otherwise a particularly fine copy. Eckel p. 188; Gimbel B216.

[London:] St Luke's Hospital,, 1860. The Suzannet copy First edition, first issue, the superlative Suzannet copy, with his bookplate to chemise, and sold in his 1971 sale (lot 123). The Dickens collection of Comte Alain de Suzannet (1882-1950) ranks as one of, if not the, finest Dickens libraries ever assembled. His books are renowned for their quality and much sought after. The sketch was first published in Household Words, 17 January 1852, and is here published as a pamphlet by the management of St Luke's Hospital for Lunatics, as a means of soliciting donations. The first issue is distinguished by a period after "tree" on the front wrapper and the final text paragraph being in regular type; for the second issue, the period was replaced by a comma and the final paragraph was printed in bold. It has long been a desirable element of any comprehensive Dickens collection, though is very elusive in collectable condition, and few surviving copies can be as fine as this copy. Octavo, 20 pp. Original pale… Read More

London: St. Lukes Hospital, 1860. First edition, first issue of Charles Dickens' article on Saint Luke's Hospital "for the gratuitous treatment of the insane poor." Octavo, loosely bound in wrappers. In near fine condition. Housed in a custom full morocco and chemise pull-off box. Rare. Dickens' A Curious Dance Round a Curious Tree was published by St. Luke's Hospital in 1860 to raise funds for their Hospital for Lunatics. The volume contains a sketch about a visit to St. Luke's at Christmas by Dickens, along with another piece he wrote about the hospital from an unsigned article in the London Times.