Thackeray's “The Virginians" First Appearance, 24 Original Parts, 1857

THACKERAY, William Makepeace. The Virginians: A Tale of the Last Century. London: Bradbury & Evans, 1857–1859.

FIRST EDITION, FIRST ISSUE, IN THE ORIGINAL MONTHLY PARTS. Twenty-four octavo parts, complete, in their original printed yellow wrappers. Illustrated by the author with 48 engraved plates and in-text woodcuts, with numerous contemporary advertisements retained. First-issue point with “actresses” instead of “ancestresses” on p. 207, line 15, in No. 7, Vol. I. Illustrated. Housed in a custom quarter-leather clamshell case with chemise.

A sequel to The History of Henry Esmond, extending the Warrington family story into colonial America during the Seven Years’ War and the revolutionary period. The Virginians was the last book illustrated by Thackeray himself.

The advertisements conform substantially to Van Duzer, with the following exceptions: Part VI lacks the rear advertisement leaf; Part XIV lacks a slip and illustration page at the rear; Part XV lacks a slip; pp. 1–2 are numbered in Part XVI; Part XX lacks The Daily News advertisement; and the Grace Aguilar advertisements are absent from Part XXIV, as usual. Tissue guards are absent from 13 of the 24 parts; their presence or absence is not a point of issue.

Contents clean and sound, with contemporary ownership names to the upper margins of five parts. Text edges lightly toned, with scattered soiling throughout. Minor skillful restoration to the lower 1.5 cm of the front wrapper of No. 1. 
Wrappers lightly and uniformly soiled and lightly worn overall, though complete. A solid Very Good set in custom clamshell case, very good condition.

Reference: Van Duzer 232.

[Attributes: First Edition; Soft Cover; Illustrated; Original Wrappers.]