Kitton, Charles Dickens by Pen and Pencil, 1889-1890, first edition

KITTON, FREDERICK GEORGE 

Charles Dickens by Pen and Pencil including Anecdotes and Reminiscences collected by his Friends and Contemporaries. London: Frank T. Sabin and John F. Dexter, 1889-90

folio (389 x 289mm.), first edition, 100 illustrations on copper, steel and wood, 13 parts in 12, original buff printed wrappers, with 5 supplements in orange-brown printed wrappers (5 parts in 2 volumes), all preserved in matching cloth folding box, portion of upper cover of final supplement volume torn and expertly repaired, upper cover of first volume with some slight soiling, some minor tears along some spines, some occasional slight spotting or offsetting OTHERWISE AN UNUSUALLY FINE SET

A superb set of the illustrator and writer's most sumptuous of his many studies of Dickens, with its copious illustrations and highly informative text. Kitton was one of the founders of the Dickens Fellowship and organized and compiled the celebrated 1903 Dickens exhibition. His library was purchased from his widow by subscription with the aim of establishing a national Dickens library. It was transferred to Dickens House in Doughty street in 1926.