Heading: (Dickens, Charles)
Author: Prest, Thomas Peckett
Title: The Post-Humourous Notes of the Pickwickian Club, Edited by Bos" [The Penny Pickwick]"
Place Published: London
Publisher:Printed and published by E. Lloyd for J. Graves
Date Published: 1837-1839
Description: 2 volumes. Vol. I, pp. [viii], 432; Vol. II, pp. [vi], 447. Illustrated with 119 wood engravings on the letterpress, lacking the final cut because Part 112 (pp.448-52) is missing in Vol. 2. Most of which by Charles Jamieson Grant. 21x13 cm (8¼x5¼“), half brown morocco by Zaehnsdorf (stamp signed on front free endpaper versos, raised bands, spines lettered in gilt, marbled endpapers. First Edition.Complete with two exceptions: (1) the volume I title page is in fact a volume II title page, with the second ‘I‘ scratched out, as evident from reference to 200 (rather than 120) engravings; and (2) Part 112 is lacking [pp.448-52 of Vol. 2]. Rare rip-off of the Pickwick Papers by Charles Dickens, often referred to simply as the “Penny Pickwick“. Published anonymously by Thomas Peckett Prest, best known as the creator of Sweeney Todd. He was also an unscrupulous imitator of Dickens, here writing under the pseudonym “Bos“, just one letter away from Dickens‘s pen name of “Boz“ and changing posthumous to “post-humurous“ [sic].
Originally published in parts 1837-39, in 112 numbers, 120 woodcuts, with the running title ‘The Penny Pickwick.‘ Also published in two volumes, without the original paper wraps, and re-titled ‘The Post-Humourous notes of the Pickwickian Club‘. This copy so titled and separated into two volumes with [substituted] title & 3ff. dedication & preface to the first volume, title & 2ff. dedication & preface to the second. This copy appears to be assembled from the parts but is without any original advertisements or wrappers. References: Grego 39-47: Summers 14; Kitton 526; Medcraft 6; Kirkpatrick 69; Gimbel H51-7; BMC 3, 996; Miller 244.

Minor rubbing to binding, bottom corners bumped, light foxing; still a near fine set.