CHARLES DICKENS: A CHRISTMAS CAROL, ill John Leech, London, Chapman & Hall, 1843, 3rd edition, 4 hand coloured plates as called for, 2pp adverts at end, 'Stave one' page [1], yellow end papers, original blind stamped reddish-brown cloth gilt worn and soiled, spine browned with small part losses and splits, aeg, inner joints weak, 6000 copies of the 1st edition were printed and soon sold out, according to Todd 'The second and third editions aggregated 3000 copies, probably all printed before January 2 1844', the publication was wholly funded by Charles Dickens and is the only work with hand coloured illustrations in his lifetime