The Christmas Books. Being; A Christmas Carol, The Chimes, The Cricket on the Hearth, The Battle of Life and The Haunted Man - Charles Dickens, Charles Brock (illustrator) 1905-1907 - J.M. Dent and Co., London - First Editions to be Illustrated by Charles Brock in Colour An attractive set of these classic seasonal tales, splendidly illustrated and presented in festive green and cranberry red bindings, all housed in a bespoke fleece-lined cloth slipcase with ribbon pull.

Beginning with
A Christmas Carol when old, surly Ebenezer Scrooge receives a visit from the ghost of Marley, his late business partner, on Christmas eve, and he beholds a series of visions of the past, present, and future that make him decide to amend his ways…

‘After the success attained with
A Christmas Carol in 1843 Dickens continued the series throughout the 1840s, maintaining what he called "the Carol philosophy" to "strike a sledgehammer blow" for the poor, uneducated, and repressed. In typical Dickens fashion he drove his message home with a mixture of humour and good cheer’. [David Purdue].
  Five octavo volumes (binding size 19x12.5cm), pp. [4] viii 158 {2 (publisher’s ads)][2]; [2] viii 167 [3]; [4] viii 171 [5]; [2] viii 165 [5]; [2] vii [1] 184 [4].   Elegantly bound in festive three-quarter green morocco over matching cloth, spines with twin cranberry red morocco labels lettered in gilt, compartments decorated with central motifs, top edges gilt others untrimmed, housed in green cloth slipcase.   Condition: Fine in fine bindings and fine slipcase.   Ref: 111700   Price: HK$ 20,000