1912 The Cricket on the Hearth by Charles Dickens / The Pears Centenary Edition of Dickens' Christmas Books / Richly Illustrated

This beautiful edition is a "Pears" Centenary Edition of Charles Dickens Christmas books, published in 1912 to commemorate the centenary of Dickens' birth in 1812. With a very attractive binding and twenty-two monochrome illustrations by Charles Green (see photos). This version also has super decorative vintage Pears soap adverts on the boards and endpapers.

The Cricket on the Hearth: A Fairy Tale of Home, was published by Bradbury and Evans, and released 20 December 1845. Like all of Dickens's Christmas books, it was published in book form, not as a serial. It is the third of Dickens's five Christmas books, preceded by A Christmas Carol (1843) and The Chimes (1844), and followed by The Battle of Life (1846) and The Haunted Man and the Ghost's Bargain (1848).

In good condition for an antique book of this age. The main condition point to note is tanning and spotting to the endpapers and page edges. After the endpapers the contents are clean, bright and tightly bound with just the occasional small dark mark and one nicked edge. Has a name pencilled on the half-title page (see final close-up photo), otherwise no other writing or markings of previous ownership.

The olive-green cloth covered boards are wonderfully evocative. With "Pears" portrait paste down in the centre (with a few chips), black decorative border and gilt titles. Has a yellow mark at the top of the front board, otherwise very good indeed with just a little rubbing to the corners and spine ends.

A delightful edition, your antique copy of The Cricket on the Hearth will be wrapped with care in tissue and ribbon* and sent well packaged. I am always happy to add a gift message to the parcel if desired.

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H 21.5 cm x W 16.5 cm, 140 pages, plus adverts, 0.44 kg. I dispatch worldwide daily from the UK. (With the exception of a small number of countries).

* If you would prefer your book not to be decoratively wrapped but sent simply in the full protective packaging please add a note to the order.

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