Great Expectations by Charles Dickens
1864 Early Edition • Illustrated by Marcus Stone • Full Calf Binding • Ex Libris Edmund Salis Schwabe
Key Details
Title: Great Expectations
Author: Charles Dickens
Publisher: Chapman & Hall, 193 Piccadilly, London
Printer: William Clowes & Sons, Rutland Street & Charing Cross
Date: 1864, early illustrated single‑volume edition
Illustrator: 8 steel‑engraved plates by Marcus Stone, including frontispiece
Pages: 442 pp. (all present)
Binding: Full calf, panelled spine with raised bands, gilt tooling & lettering; all‑edge marbled
Dust Jacket: None issued
Provenance: Armorial bookplate of Edmund Salis Schwabe (1841–1891)
Size: 19.5 × 13 × 3.6 cm • Weight: 635 g
Publication Timeline & Significance
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1860–61 | Serialised in All the Year Round |
| July 1861 | First three‑volume book edition (unillustrated) |
| Nov 1861 | First single‑volume book edition (unillustrated) |
| 1862 | First illustrated edition with plates by Marcus Stone |
| 1864 | Early illustrated single‑volume re‑issue, retaining Stone’s 8 key plates - this copy |
About Edmund Salis Schwabe (1841–1891)
Edmund Salis Schwabe (1841–1891) was the son of prominent industrialist Salis Schwabe and philanthropist Julie Salis Schwabe (founder of educational institutions). A member of a wealthy Lancashire textile family, Edmund inherited a strong cultural legacy and likely maintained a well-curated private library. His bookplate indicates provenance and collector lineage, increasing the value and appeal of this copy.
Newspapers of the time, including the Manchester Evening News, recorded how his sudden death in 1891 shocked his local community. Schwabe was remembered as a generous supporter of public causes and education, continuing his mother’s philanthropic legacy. His background as a cultured Victorian gentleman adds historical interest to this finely bound volume.
Condition
Binding: Very Good+ – bright calf, minor wear and light rubbing; strong joints.
Interior: Near Fine – clean and tight with very occasional small mark or light foxing, not affecting text or illustrations.
Dust‑Jacket: N/A (none issued).
Plates: All eight Marcus Stone engravings present and fresh.
Collector Appeal
Early illustrated Dickens with Marcus Stone plates
Fine full‑calf binding with gilt tooling & marbled edges
Provenance: Ex libris Schwabe, a documented figure of industrial and philanthropic heritage, a compelling narrative for collectors and historians alike
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