Bound Volume of EXTRA CHRISTMAS NUMBERS, printed in HOUSEHOLD WORDS or ALL THE YEAR ROUND weekly magazines, edited by Charles Dickens, published by Bradbury and Evans, London, 1850-58, and Chapman and Hall, London, 1859-67. Hardcover octavo, eighteen bound issues of magazines, ranging from 24 to 48 pages each, 1863-67 issues include original blue front and back wrappers, 1864 issue with additional back advertisement page, rebound by Riviere and Son, London in red morocco leather with gilt stamped covers and spine, five raised hubs, gilt dentelle with dark green paper pastedowns and endpapers, ex libris plate to interior of front cover. Includes a tipped-in one page bifolium ALS written by Dickens to front matter pages, written on Office of All the Year Round, No. 26, Wellington Street, Strand, London stationary to Mr. Charles (William Charles Mark) Kent (1823-1902) an English poet, biographer, and journalist who was a friend of Dickens and a contributor to both of his weekly magazines, dated Wednesday, July 24, 1861, reading "My Dear Sir You can leave the London Bridge Terminus of the North Kent Railway, for Higham, either at 12:20 or 2:20 on Saturday, You can return at night at half past 9. Tell me which train you come [b]y and I will be at the Station to drive you up [to our] house. Address me at Gad's Hill. Ever faithfully yours CD. Mr. Charles Kent…" also includes a tipped in envelope addressed by Dickens to Kent's residence in Kenginston, monogrammed "CD" lower left, postmarked July 24, 1861, London with a red Queen Victoria red one penny stamp. 9 7/8" H x 6 7/8" W x 1 3/4" D.

PROVENANCE: The Estate of Edith (Edie) M. Bass, Nashville, Tennessee. Most of the items from her estate in this auction were by descent from her parents, Walter Paul McBride and Claire Childs of Lake Forest, Illinois.

CONDITION: Covers in overall very good condition with wear to hinges, corners slightly bumped. Pages in overall good, legible condition with toning/toning impressions, acid burn, scattered foxing spots, scuffs, creases, some minute tears to edges, few pencil marks, light handling wear. Dickens ALS in overall good, legible condition. Some pages unevenly cut.