The posthumous papers of the Pickwick Club

1837
Printed book
London: Chapman and Hall
Bequest of Sir William Dixson, 1952
SAFE/ 83/402–403

This is a perfect set of the first issue of Charles Dickens’ first novel, which he began at the age of 24. Each part is in its original green paper covers and contains illustrations by Hablot Knight Browne, who used the nickname ‘Phiz’.

With the subtitle ‘containing a faithful record of the perambulations, perils, travels, adventures, and sporting transactions of the corresponding members’, the novel tells a series of loosely related comic adventures about the members of a fictitious club, founded by the lead character, Samuel Pickwick. It is based on a series of captions Dickens was commissioned to write to accompany a series of illustrated ‘cockney sporting’ plates, drawn by Robert Seymour and published by Messrs Chapman and Hall.

The novel quickly became a phenomenal publishing success, and in 1838 the first pirated edition was printed by Henry Dowling of Tasmania and issued in 25 parts from August to December. During a trip to London in 1923, Sir William Dixson also purchased the Tasmanian pirate edition for £350. It is now the only known complete set in parts of the 1838 pirated edition.