Dickens (Charles) A Christmas Carol, first edition, second issue with "Stave One" heading, title page dated 1844 printed in red and green, yellow endpapers and uncorrected text, autograph envelope signed by the author author to Henry Austin, Gwydyr House loosely inserted, half-title printed in blue, 4 hand-coloured etched plates by & after Leech and 4 plain woodcut vignettes by Linton after Leech, light finger-soling, faint ink inscription to half-title, original first issue brown fine-ribbed cloth, with unbroken 'D' within wreath and minimum 14mm gap between blind border and gilt cartouche, spine lettered and decorated in gilt, browned, spine ends and corners bumped, light fraying to joints, rubbed, recased with repair to spine ends, g.e., [Smith II 4 see p.26 5n.] 8vo, Chapman & Hall, 1844 [but 1843].

⁂ A rare trial or intermediate issue, Smith mentions only two other copies of which he had seen only one and hypothesises that this is likely a first state of the second issue.