Pickwick Club

Today I went to the Friends of the Library, where books are always on sale and from time to time a real *gem* of a book appears.

The photo’s below is one of those Gems….

At first glance the book doesn’t seem worth the 65.00 price they want for it.

But it is a Charles Dickens book.

It’ is rather large. (8x10)

and it is filled with wonderful Illustrations by Cecil Aldin.  Both color plates and black and white drawings at the top of each new chapter… have a look below.

 

 

 

Fabulous, just fabulous!  I love this book so much I went back the day after I saw it and asked permission to take these photo’s of the book.

I will admit many pages inside have small pieces of edge  paper missing  and I found a whole page torn because it was not cut at the outside edge.  Add to that the fact that I do  have a hardback copy of this book (as yet unread)…. but the color plates are outstanding!

The lady at the desk talked to me a bit and I told her I loved the book, but I didn’t have the money for such a book.  I mean really.. it’s not like it’s a first edition! (if it were it would be a lot more money!!) and I don’t collect books for first editions or any reason other than to read them or enjoy their art inside. (I do have some Frank Frazetta and Boris Vallejo art books among others)

The lady kindly said to me, “well, keep an eye on the book.  If it doesn’t sell in a few weeks they well cut the price in half”.  I told her I’d keep an eye on it but I do think someone will take this nearly shattered book for the art work within it’s dirty cover.

I just made myself smile.  “dirty cover”.. on a book written by Charles Dickens, when most of his books take place around old London where most of his characters were always dirty with grim…. it seems almost appropriate.

I hope the book sticks around :o)… who knows where it may wind up?!